Nimzo-Indian Defense
What is the Nimzo-Indian Defense?
The Nimzo-Indian Defense is a chess opening that begins with 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4. It is classified under ECO E20–E59 and has 104 named variations. Black chooses it with the move Bb4.
Moves: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4
ECO: E20–E59
Chosen by: Black
Main variations
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e4
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qd3
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. g3
All 104 variations
| ECO | Variation | Moves |
|---|---|---|
| E20 | Main line | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 |
| E32 | Classical Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 |
| E20 | Dilworth Gambit | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e4 |
| E20 | Kmoch Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 |
| E30 | Leningrad Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5 |
| E20 | Mikenas Attack | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qd3 |
| E20 | Romanishin Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. g3 |
| E40 | Rubinstein System | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 |
| E24 | Sämisch Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 |
| E22 | Spielmann Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qb3 |
| E21 | Three Knights Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 |
| E38 | Classical Variation, Berlin Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 |
| E34 | Classical Variation, Noa Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 |
| E33 | Classical Variation, Zurich Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6 |
| E46 | Normal Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O |
| E41 | Rubinstein System | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 |
| E40 | Rubinstein System, Taimanov Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 Nc6 |
| E43 | St. Petersburg Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 |
| E50 | Main line | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 |
| E36 | Classical Variation, Noa Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 |
| E33 | Classical Variation, Zurich Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6 5. Nf3 |
| E47 | Normal Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 |
| E46 | Reshevsky Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Ne2 |
| E42 | Rubinstein System, Rubinstein Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Ne2 |
| E44 | St. Petersburg Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Ne2 |
| E21 | Three Knights Variation, Korchnoi Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. d5 |
| E39 | Classical Variation, Berlin Variation, Pirc Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dxc5 O-O |
| E38 | Classical Variation, Berlin Variation, Steiner Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dxc5 Bxc3+ |
| E33 | Classical Variation, Milner-Barry Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6 5. Nf3 d6 |
| E35 | Classical Variation, Noa Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 |
| E48 | Normal Variation, Classical Defense | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 |
| E51 | Normal Variation, Ragozin Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 |
| E27 | Sämisch Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 O-O |
| E23 | Spielmann Variation, Romanovsky Gambit | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qb3 c5 5. dxc5 Nc6 |
| E44 | St. Petersburg Variation, American Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Ne2 Ne4 |
| E45 | St. Petersburg Variation, Fischer Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Ne2 Ba6 |
| E21 | Three Knights Variation, Euwe Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. d5 Ne4 |
| E21 | Three Knights Variation, Shocron Gambit | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Nc3 c5 5. d5 b5 |
| E33 | Classical Variation, Zurich Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. e3 |
| E33 | Classical Variation, Zurich Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6 5. Nf3 d6 6. Bd2 |
| E51 | Normal Variation, Sämisch Deferred | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. a3 |
| E20 | Romanishin Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 |
| E26 | Sämisch Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 c5 6. e3 |
| E28 | Sämisch Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 |
| E43 | St. Petersburg Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3 |
| E43 | St. Petersburg Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6 5. e3 Ne4 6. Qc2 |
| E38 | Classical Variation, Berlin Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. e3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 |
| E32 | Classical Variation, Keres Defense | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b6 |
| E36 | Classical Variation, Noa Variation, Botvinnik Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 Nc6 |
| E36 | Classical Variation, Noa Variation, Main Line | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 Ne4 |
| E36 | Classical Variation, Romanishin Gambit | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 c5 |
| E32 | Classical Variation, Vitolins-Adorjan Gambit | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b5 |
| E30 | Leningrad Variation, Averbakh Gambit | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5 h6 5. Bh4 c5 6. d5 b5 |
| E31 | Leningrad Variation, Benoni Defense | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5 h6 5. Bh4 c5 6. d5 d6 |
| E53 | Normal Variation, Gligoric System | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 |
| E51 | Normal Variation, Ragozin Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. Bd2 Nc6 |
| E52 | Normal Variation, Schlechter Defense | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 b6 |
| E26 | Sämisch Variation, O'Kelly Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 c5 6. e3 b6 |
| E46 | Simagin Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Ne2 d5 6. a3 Bd6 |
| E43 | St. Petersburg Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3 O-O |
| E44 | St. Petersburg Variation, Romanishin-Psakhis Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Ne2 c5 6. a3 Ba5 |
| E43 | St. Petersburg Variation, with Ne4 | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3 Ne4 |
| E37 | Classical Variation, Noa Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 Ne4 7. Qc2 |
| E49 | Normal Variation, Botvinnik System | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 |
| E51 | Normal Variation, Ragozin Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. Bd2 Nc6 7. a3 |
| E48 | Ragozin Defense | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O |
| E42 | Rubinstein System, Rubinstein Variation, Main Line | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Ne2 cxd4 6. exd4 O-O 7. a3 |
| E42 | Rubinstein System, Rubinstein Variation, Sherbakov Attack | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Ne2 cxd4 6. exd4 O-O 7. c5 |
| E25 | Sämisch Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. cxd5 |
| E43 | St. Petersburg Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O |
| E34 | Classical Variation, Belyavsky Gambit | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 Qxd5 6. Nf3 Qf5 7. Qd1 e5 |
| E39 | Classical Variation, Berlin Variation, Macieja System | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dxc5 O-O 6. a3 Bxc5 7. Nf3 b6 |
| E37 | Classical Variation, Modern Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 Ne4 7. Qc2 c5 |
| E53 | Normal Variation, Gligoric System | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O Nbd7 |
| E56 | Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Bernstein Defense | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O Nc6 |
| E53 | Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Keres Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O b6 |
| E52 | Normal Variation, Schlechter Defense | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O d5 |
| E51 | Ragozin Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O dxc4 |
| E41 | Rubinstein System, Hübner Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 d6 |
| E29 | Sämisch Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 O-O |
| E23 | Spielmann Variation, Carlsbad Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qb3 c5 5. dxc5 Nc6 6. Nf3 Ne4 7. Bd2 Nxd2 |
| E23 | Spielmann Variation, Stahlberg Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qb3 c5 5. dxc5 Nc6 6. Nf3 Ne4 7. Bd2 Nxc5 |
| E43 | St. Petersburg Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O c5 |
| E43 | St. Petersburg Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 Ne4 5. Qc2 f5 6. Nf3 b6 7. Bd3 Bb7 |
| E54 | Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Exchange Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O dxc4 8. Bxc4 |
| E25 | Sämisch Variation, Keres Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. dxc5 |
| E43 | St. Petersburg Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 b6 6. e3 Bb7 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O |
| E37 | Classical Variation, Noa Variation, San Remo Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 Ne4 7. Qc2 Nc6 8. e3 e5 |
| E55 | Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Bronstein Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O dxc4 8. Bxc4 Nbd7 |
| E54 | Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Smyslov Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O dxc4 8. Bxc4 Qe7 |
| E20 | Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. g3 cxd4 6. Nxd4 O-O 7. Bg2 d5 8. cxd5 Nxd5 |
| E41 | Rubinstein System, Hübner Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 d6 8. O-O O-O |
| E24 | Sämisch Variation, Botvinnik Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. e3 O-O 8. cxd5 Nxd5 |
| E25 | Sämisch Variation, Romanovsky Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. dxc5 f5 |
| E43 | St. Petersburg Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 c5 6. Nf3 b6 7. O-O Bb7 8. Na4 Qe7 |
| E58 | Normal Variation, Bernstein Defense, Exchange Line | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O Nc6 8. a3 Bxc3 9. bxc3 |
| E54 | Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Exchange Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O dxc4 8. Bxc4 cxd4 9. exd4 |
| E23 | Spielmann Variation, Stahlberg Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qb3 c5 5. dxc5 Nc6 6. Nf3 Ne4 7. Bd2 Nxc5 8. Qc2 f5 9. g3 |
| E43 | St. Petersburg Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6 5. e3 Ne4 6. Qc2 Bb7 7. Bd3 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 f5 9. O-O |
| E57 | Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Bernstein Defense | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O Nc6 8. a3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 cxd4 |
| E29 | Sämisch Variation, Capablanca Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 O-O 8. Ne2 b6 9. e4 Ne8 |
| E43 | St. Petersburg Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O c5 8. Na4 cxd4 9. a3 Be7 |
| E59 | Normal Variation, Bernstein Defense | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O Nc6 8. a3 Bxc3 9. bxc3 dxc4 10. Bxc4 |
| E59 | Normal Variation, Bernstein Defense | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 dxc4 8. Bxc4 c5 9. Nf3 Nc6 10. O-O Qc7 11. Qc2 |
How to learn an opening
Learn the ideas before the moves: where the pieces go, which pawn breaks matter and what the typical middlegame plans are. Then play it, and after each game look up the point where you or your opponent left the known moves. MentoChess shows that point automatically for every game you import.
Opening lessons: Three golden opening rules · Scholar’s mate and how to stop it · Italian Game: plans, not just moves · Answering 1.d4: the Queen’s Gambit Declined · Meeting the Sicilian with 2.c3 · From moves to structures