Nimzo-Indian Defense

Black answers d4 and c4 with Nf6 and e6, then pins the c3 knight with Bb4. The pin fights for e4 and often doubles White's c-pawns if White plays a3 and takes the bishop. The named lines are the ways White meets that pin: with e3, with Qc2, or with f3.

104 lines in the book · ECO E20 to E59

Play the main line

8
7
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4
3
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a1
b
c
d
e
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h

Nimzo-Indian Defense

Play the next move in the line.

  1. d4
  2. Nf6
  3. c4
  4. e6
  5. Nc3
  6. Bb4

Move by move

  1. White pawn moves from d2 to d4.
  2. Black knight moves from g8 to f6.
  3. White pawn moves from c2 to c4.
  4. Black pawn moves from e7 to e6.
  5. White knight moves from b1 to c3.
  6. Black bishop moves from f8 to b4.

Variations

Dilworth Gambit1 lines · E20Kmoch Variation1 lines · E20Mikenas Attack1 lines · E20Romanishin Variation3 lines · E20Three Knights Variation4 lines · E21Spielmann Variation5 lines · E22 to E23Sämisch Variation11 lines · E24 to E29Leningrad Variation3 lines · E30 to E31Classical Variation23 lines · E32 to E39Rubinstein System8 lines · E40 to E42St. Petersburg Variation16 lines · E43 to E45Normal Variation22 lines · E46 to E59Reshevsky Variation1 lines · E46Simagin Variation1 lines · E46Ragozin Defense1 lines · E48Ragozin Variation1 lines · E51

Named gambits and traps

7 lines in this family have "gambit" or "trap" in the name. The list shows 7.