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The position
What Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Sämisch Variation puts on the board
Material is level, with white to move.
White has central pawns on d4.
White can still castle either side; Black can still castle either side.
White’s plan
What White is trying to build
Claim central space without letting the long diagonals become weak.
Complete development before expanding on the queenside.
Black’s plan
How Black challenges it
Control e4 with pieces and pressure the centre from the flanks.
Use the b7 bishop and …c5 or …d5 to challenge White’s setup.
The idea
The tactical pattern to recognise
The b7 bishop can become powerful when the long diagonal opens.
Control of e4 determines whether White can build a full centre.
The mistake
What to check before committing
Blocking a fianchettoed bishop with an unnecessary pawn move.
Taking central space that cannot be maintained.
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Reference links and alternate move orders
Related variations
- Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Polugaevsky Gambit
- Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Taimanov Gambit
- Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Tiviakov Defense
- Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Traditional Variation
- Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Check Variation
- Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Kramnik Variation
- Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation
- Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Rubinstein Variation
- Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Traditional Line
- Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov Variation, Botvinnik Attack
- Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Andersson Variation
- Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Classical Variation