Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Berlin Variation, Pirc Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dxc5 O-O
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Berlin Variation, Pirc Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO E39, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dxc5 O-O. It is a line of the Nimzo-Indian Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 115 times by this move order. White won 49%, 8% were drawn and Black won 43%. The most popular continuation is 6. Nf3 (43% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.12 (Stockfish, depth 44; best line 6. a3 Bxc5 7. Nf3 d5 8. Bf4 Qa5)
- ECO
- E39
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
rnbq1rk1/pp1p1ppp/4pn2/2P5/1bP5/2N5/PPQ1PPPP/R1B1KBNR w KQ - 1 6- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dxc5 O-O
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 17 | |
| 2000+ | 98 | |
| All | 115 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. Nf3 | 49 (43%) | |
| 6. a3 | 43 (37%) | |
| 6. Bg5 | 11 (10%) | |
| 6. g3 | 5 (4%) | |
| 6. e3 | 4 (3%) | |
| 6. Bf4 | 3 (3%) |
Master games
1,007 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 29%, draw 31%, Black 40%). The strongest:
- GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2784) – GM Levon Aronian (2781) 1/2-1/2 · Opera Euro Rapid KO 2021 · 2021-02-09
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2759) – GM Alireza Firouzja (2804) 1/2-1/2 · Superbet Classic 2022 · 2022-05-11
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2770) – GM Levon Aronian (2781) 1-0 · FTX Crypto Cup Prelim · 2021-05-24
- GM So, W. (2770) – GM Levon Aronian (2781) 1/2-1/2 · Opera Euro Rapid Prelim · 2021-02-06
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2772) – GM Levon Aronian (2772) 1/2-1/2 · Superbet Blitz 2019 · 2019-11-09
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM Crew12 (2698) – canc3111 (2801) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- BILLYS10 (2758) – GM FCChelsea14 (2645) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- FM Superfm1 (2670) – Tempstream (2723) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Berlin Variation (4. Qc2 c5) 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5
Continuations
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Berlin Variation, Macieja System E39 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dxc5 O-O 6. a3 Bxc5 7. Nf3 b6
More Nimzo-Indian Defense lines (all)
- Nimzo-Indian Defense (3. Nc3 Bb4) E20
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Dilworth Gambit E20
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Kmoch Variation E20
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Mikenas Attack E20
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation (3… Bb4 4. g3) E20
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation (5… O-O 6. Bg2) E20
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid E20
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation E21
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation, Euwe Variation E21
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation, Korchnoi Variation E21
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation, Shocron Gambit E21
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Spielmann Variation E22
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.