Exchange Variation, Sämisch Variation

The Sämisch Variation arises when White captures on d5 only after Black has placed the queen's knight on d7. White then develops the dark-squared bishop to f4 rather than g5, putting it outside the pawn chain in a Carlsbad structure. The usual reply is 6...c6, ahead of 6...Bb4 and 6...Be7. The engine rates the position as roughly balanced, while White scores well in a modest number of games. The line is seldom played.