1.d4 — the closed and Indian games
King's Indian, Sämisch Variation
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3ECO E80–E89
White answers the King's Indian with the rugged 5.f3, building a huge pawn centre and preparing to castle queenside and storm the kingside. One of the most testing anti-King's-Indian systems: it invites a mutual pawn-storm race where both sides play for mate.
Key ideas
- f3 props up e4 and prepares Be3, Qd2 and O-O-O with a kingside pawn avalanche (g4–h4).
- Black hits back with …e5 or …c5, or the sharp …b5 and …a6 queenside expansion.
- Opposite-side castling turns it into a race — accurate, fearless attacking play decides it.
Who it suits
1.d4 players who want a principled, aggressive weapon against the King's Indian.
Add it to your repertoire.
Drill the King's Indian, Sämisch Variation move by move against the board until it's second nature.
Open the trainer