Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Milner-Barry Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6 5. Nf3 d6
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Milner-Barry Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO E33, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6 5. Nf3 d6. 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 81 times by this move order. White won 40%, 7% were drawn and Black won 53%. The most popular continuation is 6. Bg5 (32% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.55 (Stockfish, depth 48; best line 6. Bd2 O-O 7. e3 Qe7 8. a3 Bxc3)
- ECO
- E33
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
r1bqk2r/ppp2ppp/2nppn2/8/1bPP4/2N2N2/PPQ1PPPP/R1B1KB1R w KQkq - 0 6- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6 5. Nf3 d6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 2 | |
| 1500-1999 | 10 | |
| 2000+ | 69 | |
| All | 81 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. Bg5 | 26 (32%) | |
| 6. a3 | 17 (21%) | |
| 6. Bd2 | 14 (17%) | |
| 6. e4 | 13 (16%) | |
| 6. g3 | 6 (7%) | |
| 6. e3 | 5 (6%) |
Master games
706 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 35%, draw 29%, Black 36%). The strongest:
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2770) – GM Daniil Dubov (2699) 0-1 · Titled Tuesday 20th Oct · 2020-10-20
- GM Hao Wang (2729) – GM Laurent Fressinet (2717) 1-0 · FIDE World Rapid 2014 · 2014-06-18
- GM Sam Shankland (2710) – GM Erigaisi Arjun (2722) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 20th Dec Early · 2022-12-20
- GM Sam Shankland (2672) – GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2740) 0-1 · Titled Tue 12th Nov Early · 2024-11-12
- GM Kiril Georgiev (2644) – GM Laurent Fressinet (2717) 0-1 · FIDE World Blitz 2014 · 2014-06-19
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Soup_Maktavish_t (2643) – DiabloDiabloDiablo (2660) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- IM unknown-maestro_2450 (2644) – DiabloDiabloDiablo (2657) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- KaptanPark (2611) – DiabloDiabloDiablo (2653) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Zurich Variation 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6
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.