Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Berlin Variation, Steiner Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dxc5 Bxc3+
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Berlin Variation, Steiner Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO E38, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dxc5 Bxc3+. It is a line of the Nimzo-Indian Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 9 times by this move order. White won 56%, 22% were drawn and Black won 22%. The most popular continuation is 6. Qxc3 (100% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.92 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 6. Qxc3 b6 7. cxb6 axb6 8. g3 O-O)
- ECO
- E38
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
rnbqk2r/pp1p1ppp/4pn2/2P5/2P5/2b5/PPQ1PPPP/R1B1KBNR w KQkq - 0 6- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dxc5 Bxc3+
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 2 | |
| 2000+ | 7 | |
| All | 9 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. Qxc3 | 9 (100%) |
Master games
6 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 100%, draw 0%, Black 0%). The strongest:
- GM Alexander Naumann (2545) – FM Alois Hellmayr (2254) 1-0 · TCh-AUT 2015-16 · 2016-04-01
- GM Alexei Shirov (2666) – Jose Miguel Lopez Guerrero (2085) 1-0 · 84th ch-ESP 2019 · 2019-11-16
- FM Evgeny V. Melikhov (2252) – Derlei Alex Florianovitz (2087) 1-0 · Titled Tue 22nd Aug Late · 2023-08-22
- Petr Pokorny (2138) – Robin Hrdina (2106) 1-0 · TCh-CZE 1 Liga Zapad · 2015-01-04
- Christian Harstad (2000) – Preben R. Larsen (1796) 1-0 · Copenhagen CC 2018 · 2018-04-29
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM Chessbasse16 (2508) – FM DiogenesSinopeus (2595) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- FM Kotofeyca (2429) – FM DiogenesSinopeus (2441) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- Mokantino (2348) – FM DiogenesSinopeus (2428) 1/2-1/2 · 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
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.