Zinnowitz Variation

The Zinnowitz Variation replaces the usual 6. Be2 of the Classical King's Indian with an immediate 6. Bg5, pinning the f6-knight and hindering a quick ...e5. It resembles the Averbakh Variation (5. Be2 O-O 6. Bg5), but here White has developed the king's knight instead of the bishop, which changes Black's options. With no bishop on e2 guarding h5, Black can react with 6...h6 7. Bh4 g5 8. Bg3 Nh5, gaining the bishop pair if desired, a resource unavailable in the Averbakh. The absence of Be2 also leaves the f3-knight open to the pin 6...Bg4.

The line was taken up repeatedly by the German grandmaster Burkhard Malich in the 1960s and 1970s, but it is now regarded as a minor sideline, and 6...h6 is considered to give Black a comfortable game. The most frequent reply is 6...Nbd7, ahead of 6...Bg4 and 6...h6. Engines see the position as roughly balanced, and in online games Black scores marginally better than White.