Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Vitolins-Adorjan Gambit
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b5
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Vitolins-Adorjan Gambit is a chess opening classified as ECO E32, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b5. 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 16 times by this move order. White won 25%, 12% were drawn and Black won 63%. The most popular continuation is 7. cxb5 (88% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.28 (Stockfish, depth 43; best line 7. cxb5 c6 8. Bg5 cxb5 9. Nf3 h6)
- ECO
- E32
- Moves
- 12 plies
- FEN
rnbq1rk1/p1pp1ppp/4pn2/1p6/2PP4/P1Q5/1P2PPPP/R1B1KBNR w KQ - 0 7- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1 | |
| 2000+ | 15 | |
| All | 16 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 7. cxb5 | 14 (88%) | |
| 7. b3 | 1 (6%) | |
| 7. e3 | 1 (6%) |
Master games
269 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 33%, draw 31%, Black 36%). The strongest:
- GM Vasyl Ivanchuk (2763) – GM Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (2668) 1-0 · 6th Kings Tournament · 2012-11-07
- GM Aleksey Dreev (2654) – GM Arkadij Naiditsch (2708) 1-0 · Amplico ch-EUR Rapid · 2012-12-16
- GM Viktor Laznicka (2651) – GM Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (2687) 1/2-1/2 · Bundesliga 2016-17 · 2017-04-29
- GM So, W. (2719) – GM Elshan Moradiabadi (2571) 1-0 · PanAm Intercollegiate 2013 · 2013-12-29
- GM Aleksandar Indjic (2607) – GM Luke J McShane (2674) 1-0 · Indjic-McShane Blitz · 2021-02-26
Highest-rated Lichess games
- GM novik70 (2544) – SKTEasyhoon (2521) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- GM novik70 (2533) – SKTEasyhoon (2526) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- FM sergeikim2003 (2490) – IM dozer01 (2547) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. 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.