Nimzo-Indian Defense: 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
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation, San Remo Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO E37, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 Ne4 7. Qc2 Nc6 8. e3 e5. It is a line of the Nimzo-Indian Defense. White is to move.
This exact move order didn't appear in our sample of 12.6 million Lichess games: it's a rare line.
Engine evaluation: +0.91 (Stockfish, depth 32; best line 9. f3 Qh4+ 10. g3 Nxg3 11. Qf2 Nf5)
- ECO
- E37
- Moves
- 16 plies
- FEN
r1bqk2r/ppp2ppp/2n5/3pp3/2PPn3/P3P3/1PQ2PPP/R1B1KBNR w KQkq - 0 9- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 Ne4 7. Qc2 Nc6 8. e3 e5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Master games
7 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 43%, draw 57%, Black 0%). The strongest:
- Ethereal14.35 (3523) – KomodoDragon3.3 (3592) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 26 Premier 2024 · 2024-04-24
- KomodoDragon3.3 (3592) – Ethereal14.35 (3523) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 26 Premier 2024 · 2024-04-22
- GM Avetik Grigoryan (2581) – GM Hrant Melkumyan (2642) 1/2-1/2 · 5th Karen Asrian Memorial · 2012-06-21
- GM Hedinn Steingrimsson (2572) – IM Bjorgvin Jonsson (2352) 1-0 · TCh-ISL Div 1 2016-17 · 2016-09-29
- GM Sergei Shipov (2541) – CM Benik Agasarov (2205) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 4th Jan · 2022-01-04
Comes from
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation (6… Ne4 7. Qc2) 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 Ne4 7. Qc2
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.