Sämisch Variation, Closed Variation

With 7. d5, White releases the central tension created by the Orthodox Variation, 6...e5, by advancing the pawn rather than keeping it with 7. Nge2 or exchanging with 7. dxe5. This has been the principal reply to 6...e5. The center becomes locked, with White's pawns on c4, d5 and e4 facing Black's on d6 and e5, so play shifts to the wings. Black's most frequent answer is 7...c6, which immediately undermines the d5 pawn and seeks to open the c-file. 7...Nbd7 and 7...a5 are the other common choices. Engines also consider 7...Nh5, which prepares the typical ...f5 break against White's kingside. Because the f3 pawn stops ...Ng4 and supports e4, White can expand on the queenside or castle long, while Black plans either queenside counterplay or a kingside pawn storm. The named Main Line, 7. Nge2 c6 8. d5 cxd5, reaches a related structure by a different move order. Engines give White a slight edge, and White scores somewhat better than Black in practice.