Steiner Attack

The Steiner Attack keeps the Sämisch structure of 5. f3 but deviates from the usual 6. Be3. With 6. Bg5, White pins the f6-knight and puts pressure on Black's kingside. This bishop placement also commits White less to the standard Be3, Qd2 and Bh6 scheme, and the f3 pawn has already removed any worry about ...Ng4. The cost is that the bishop on g5 can be harassed, and it no longer covers the d4 and c5 squares the way it does from e3.

Black's most common answer is 6...c5, a Benoni-style strike at d4 that exploits White's slightly loosened dark squares. Among the main choices it gives Black the best results. 6...Nbd7 prepares ...e5 or ...c5 while easing the pin. 6...h6 puts the question to the bishop at once and makes White decide between retreating to e3 and keeping the pin from h4. Engines rate the position as roughly balanced. In online play White scores somewhat better, and the line is a less common branch of the Sämisch complex.