Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Berlin Variation (4. Qc2 c5)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Berlin Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO E38, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5. It is a line of the Nimzo-Indian Defense. White is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1,144 times by this move order. White won 50%, 6% were drawn and Black won 44%. The most popular continuation is 5. dxc5 (46% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.19 (Stockfish, depth 51; best line 5. dxc5 O-O 6. a3 Bxc5 7. Nf3 d5)
- ECO
- E38
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
rnbqk2r/pp1p1ppp/4pn2/2p5/1bPP4/2N5/PPQ1PPPP/R1B1KBNR w KQkq - 0 5- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 21 | |
| 1500-1999 | 481 | |
| 2000+ | 642 | |
| All | 1,144 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. dxc5 | 525 (46%) | |
| 5. e3 | 299 (26%) | |
| 5. Nf3 | 151 (13%) | |
| 5. a3 | 125 (11%) | |
| 5. d5 | 32 (3%) | |
| 5. Bg5 | 7 (1%) | |
| 5. e4 | 4 (0%) | |
| 5. Be3 | 1 (0%) |
Master games
1,981 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 39%, draw 24%, Black 37%). The strongest:
- GM So, W. (2770) – GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2743) 1-0 · chess.com Speed 2020 · 2020-11-19
- GM Anish Giri (2767) – GM Praggnanandhaa R (2733) 1/2-1/2 · GCT Super ROM Classic · 2026-05-23
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2757) – GM Gata Kamsky (2721) 1/2-1/2 · SportAccord Blitz Men 2013 · 2013-12-15
- GM Jeffery Xiong (2710) – GM Richard Rapport (2763) 1/2-1/2 · 8th Sinquefield Cup 2021 · 2021-08-17
- GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2795) – GM Jeffery Xiong (2652) 1-0 · chess.com Speed 3m+2spm 2017 · 2017-08-30
Highest-rated Lichess games
- BILLYS10 (2754) – GladiatorDefence (2793) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- FM Crew12 (2698) – canc3111 (2801) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- BILLYS10 (2758) – GM FCChelsea14 (2645) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2
Continuations
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Berlin Variation, Pirc Variation E39 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dxc5 O-O
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Berlin Variation, Steiner Variation E38 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dxc5 Bxc3+
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.