Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Zurich Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Zurich Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO E33, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6. It is a line of the Nimzo-Indian Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 209 times by this move order. White won 46%, 6% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 5. Nf3 (76% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.49 (Stockfish, depth 41; best line 5. e3 O-O 6. Bd2 a5 7. Nf3 b6)
- ECO
- E33
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
r1bqk2r/pppp1ppp/2n1pn2/8/1bPP4/2N5/PPQ1PPPP/R1B1KBNR w KQkq - 4 5- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 16 | |
| 1500-1999 | 59 | |
| 2000+ | 134 | |
| All | 209 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. Nf3 | 158 (76%) | |
| 5. e3 | 36 (17%) | |
| 5. a3 | 7 (3%) | |
| 5. Bg5 | 5 (2%) | |
| 5. d5 | 1 (0%) | |
| 5. e4 | 1 (0%) | |
| 5. Bd2 | 1 (0%) |
Master games
283 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 41%, draw 27%, Black 32%). The strongest:
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2741) – GM Raunak Sadhwani (2628) 1-0 · chess.com SpeedChess Q1Sw · 2022-11-10
- GM Bogdan-Daniel Deac (2668) – GM Nihal Sarin (2687) 1-0 · Titled Tue 15th Apr Early · 2025-04-15
- GM Alexander Morozevich (2659) – GM Raunak Sadhwani (2611) 1/2-1/2 · Crocus City Stars Blitz · 2022-10-05
- GM Aleksandar Indjic (2641) – GM Raunak Sadhwani (2627) 1/2-1/2 · Airthings Masters Play-In · 2023-02-03
- GM Aleksandar Indjic (2610) – GM Murali Karthikeyan (2627) 0-1 · CrunchLabs Masters PlayIn · 2024-07-17
Highest-rated Lichess games
- TryhardTrainingTiger (2855) – apollothedog (2701) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- 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
Comes from
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2
Continuations
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Milner-Barry Variation E33 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6 5. Nf3 d6
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.