Intro to the Sämisch with 6. Be3 | KID May
For the past few months I've been posting my monthly KID blogs on the brink of removing their monthly status... this time is no different. But summer's coming, and over the next three months, I'm going to try posting as much as possible. Planning to continue some series that I left alone for months, try some new things, and probably try copying @Lightning's Questioning NCPs (wItH PErmiSsiOn of course), but with some slight changes to make it a little more different, unique, and hopefully interesting.
Now onto the chess. Last time we started looking at the Sämisch Variation of the KID.
Here black plays 5...0-0 and this is really where the lines spread out. The main line and easily most commonly played move here is 6. Be3. The two main alternatives are 6. Ne2 and 6. Bg5. We'll go through all three of these further in future posts. Right now we're starting with 6. Be3, taking a look at its lines, what the ideas behind each move are, and how to combat them as black.
And now...
6...c5!? is the third most common move here behind 6...e5, the old main line, and 6...Nc6, another more traditional move. But this move is very interesting, fun to play, and will usually catch Sämisch players more off-guard. When players learn the Sämisch they usually just want to play Be3, Qd2, 0-0-0, and attack on the kingside, but with this move, we heavily discourage them from doing so. Why? Well, if they wanted to, they could still castle queenside. But unlike 6...e5, c5 keeps our DSB open, and it will be extremely powerful, staring through the center to the white king. If white releases the tension in the center by playing d5 or dxc5, our bishop will become a monster. If they don't we'll pile up pressure on d4. At the same time, we have natural queenside play with ...Qa5, ...a6 and ...b7-b5, etc. It's simply extremely uncomfortable for white.
After this, white has three main options again: 7. Nge2, 7. dxc5, and 7. d5.
You have to understand, however, that this move will force you to learn how to play Benoni structures and plans. You want to play the KID? With the Sämisch, white looks to give you a harder time with your beloved KID. I've learned this from experience. Many times you can't force your way into a KID without some drawbacks. In my opinion, playing 6...e5 is objectively fine but is more difficult for black to play, and we want to avoid that. Again, I want to provide you with lines that are easy to play, fun, and effective. If you don't want to play this way against the Sämisch, look for something else.
At first it looks like it just drops a pawn on c5 - but black has a lot of compensation. It doesn't look like it, but once you get to know the positions better, the potential of black's position becomes clearer and clearer. I personally prefer playing black after 7. dxc5. Started with this one instead of the most common move overall, 7. Nge2, because honestly, you'll probably face this more as your opponents will see the pawn and take it. Take the juicer.
Next time we'll get more into that.
7. Nge2 is a more conservative-looking move, going to the main line and sticking with the plan. But here time is of the essence for black, and it's a very double-edged position. Each move from black needs to be precise or white will overrun the center and squeeze black to death.
You want to play with play on the kingside or h5, Nh7, and possibly f5, or play for b5 with play on the queenside. It's a tough position but as you get familiar with it you get the benefit of learning Benoni structures at the same time.
More to come next time. I'm getting used to saying that.
The last of the three main moves is 7. d5, pushing forward and grabbing space immediately. It deprives us the chance to play ...Nc6 at all, so we have to make do without it. However, the drawback for white is that we can get to the positions we want without much trouble by move order:
Many of the lines are quite similar, as they include Benoni structures and ideas. ...e6, ...exd5, ...Re8, ...a6, playing for ...b5, ...f5...
After we get through 6. Be3, we'll discuss 6. Nge2!?, probably the most dangerous variation to me, and 6. Bg5.
What is it, 11, 12 more days of school? Just a few more weeks until school's out, a few finals to get through, and summer's coming. Over the summer, my posts will be more condensed, filled, detailed, varied, and quicker to come - hopefully. Possibly going to play in the World Open, heading to the Rafa Nadal Academy for a week and a chance to go to Mallorca for a week, who knows. One thing is sure, though. I'll have much more time, one thing I've been lacking over the past few months with school, sports, all of that.
I might or might not have been distracted by watching the French Open over the past week... shhh... go Alcaraz...
Saw that he actually plays chess in a video recently.
https://www.ubitennis.net/2022/03/carlos-alcaraz-on-how-playing-chess-helps-him-prepare-for-matches/
Anyway, have a great day and thanks for reading.
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