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King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation (E85)
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 O-O 6 Be3 e5

Number of games in database: 443
Years covered: 1925 to 2024
Overall record:
   White wins 49.7%
   Black wins 25.5%
   Draws 24.8%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Herman Steiner  6 games
Anatoly Karpov  4 games
Jaroslav Sajtar  4 games
Juan Traian Iliesco  4 games
Mario Bertok  3 games
Miguel Najdorf  3 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Menchik vs G Thomas, 1932
Capablanca vs Menchik, 1935
Botvinnik vs Alatortsev, 1931
Tolush vs Geller, 1952
J Bolbochan vs Euwe, 1947
Sliwa vs Tolush, 1953
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 page 1 of 18; games 1-25 of 443  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. W Schelfhout vs Euwe  0-1531925NED-chE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
2. Botvinnik vs Alatortsev 1-0271931USSR ChampionshipE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
3. Menchik vs G Thomas 1-0241932LondonE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
4. R Michell vs T Tylor  1-0441932British ChampionshipE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
5. E Reinhardt vs H Heinicke  0-1351932Hamburg-AltonaE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
6. Alekhine vs Ridlington / Bush / Caruana / Paul ½-½541933Blindfold simul, 10bE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
7. Alekhine vs B W Paul 1-0541933Simul, 37bE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
8. L Rellstab vs C Carls  1-0501933AachenE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
9. G Weissgerber vs C Carls 1-0361933AachenE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
10. I Rabinovich vs M Yudovich Sr  1-0371933USSR ChampionshipE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
11. O Antze vs W Lange  1-0241934German ChampionshipE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
12. P Waechter vs H Heinicke  1-0551934German ChampionshipE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
13. S Abramian vs G Kasparian  0-1491935Tbilisi championshipE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
14. Capablanca vs Menchik 1-0321935MoscowE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
15. V Lyublinsky vs Simagin  1-0291935Moscow Jr. ChampionshipE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
16. Menchik vs B H Wood  1-0261935BCF-ch 28th Major OpenE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
17. V Mikenas vs Tartakower  ½-½511935Warsaw OlympiadE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
18. I Shernetsky vs A Baert  ½-½301935Belgian ChampionshipE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
19. P Trifunovic vs S Matvejev  ½-½411937Belgrade ChampionshipE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
20. V Makogonov vs Bondarevsky  1-0271937USSR ChampionshipE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
21. E Book vs I Solin  1-0261937MatchE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
22. T Regedzinski vs J Pelikan  1-0381937Stockholm OlympiadE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
23. I Rabinovich vs S Abramian  1-0631938URS-ch sf LeningradE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
24. H Carlsson vs W Pettersson  ½-½241938Ludvig Collijn Jubilee TournamentE85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
25. Euwe vs Pirc  ½-½401938Hastings 1938/39E85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation
 page 1 of 18; games 1-25 of 443  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
Nov-23-03  mprchess: Check out the percentages! Amazing!
Nov-23-03  PinkPanther: Probably the only legitimate contribution Saemisch ever made to the game, seeing as how the Saemisch variation of the Nimzo Indian isn't viewed as being too respectable anymore.
Nov-23-03
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sneaky: My favorite lines in the Samisch Attack are ones where the center becomes blocked, White castles long, and both sides initiate pawn storms on each other's position. I learned a lot about chess playing this opening, when it dawned on me that White can be slightly better off because he hasn't pushed his a or b pawns, while Black has played the weakening ...g6 move.

Of course I was told for years that pushing pawns in front of one's king (or anywhere for that matter) incurs serious weaknesses, but it never really hit home until I started to conduct pawn storms with f3, g4, h4, and h5, tearing holes in the enemy position. Meanwhile Black can push a pawn to b3; but that's met with a3, or he can push a pawn to a3, but that's met with b3. In summary: Flat pawns = safe pawns. Fianchetto = taking your life into your own hands.

Nov-23-03
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sneaky: <Probably the only legitimate contribution Saemisch ever made to the game> That's not true at all; he was a prominent opening theoretician. Don't think that player's contributions stop at the openings named in their honor. I can't site an example off the top of my head but I've read in more than one opening book "such-and-such a move was an idea of Saemisch..."
Mar-27-04  morphyvsfischer: <Sneaky and anyone else who cares> I find this funny: As you know, Fischer often played KID, but despised the Sicilian Dragon because of the 'pry open the h file, sac sac mate!' assesment. However, White, in the Saemich, can play pretty much the same way, with more space, and an advantage with a locked up Qside! The ultimate irony in chess...
Sep-21-06  BaranDuin: Not really, in the yuguslav attack white has already developped his white square bishop, which usually stays at home for a long time in this line.

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