Normal Variation, Sämisch Deferred

The Sämisch Deferred arises when White, after 5. Nf3 d5 (the Ragozin Variation of the Normal Variation), plays 6. a3. This is the Sämisch pawn thrust postponed until both sides have committed more pieces, and it forces the b4-bishop to declare itself. About three quarters of players answer 6...Bxc3+, conceding the bishop pair and typically leaving White with doubled c-pawns. 6...Be7 preserves the bishop, while 6...Ba5 is rarer and scores poorly for Black. The engine judges the position as level.