Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2

The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO E32, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2. It is a line of the Nimzo-Indian Defense. Black is to move. 6 named lines continue from this position.

In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 4,969 times by this move order. White won 50%, 6% were drawn and Black won 44%. The most popular continuation is 4… O-O (31% of games).

Engine evaluation: +0.08 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 4… O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 d5 7. e3)

ECO: E32
Moves: 7 plies
FEN: rnbqk2r/pppp1ppp/4pn2/8/1bPP4/2N5/PPQ1PPPP/R1B1KBNR b KQkq - 3 4
PGN: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2

Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess

Results by rating

Average rating	Games	White / draw / Black
0-1499	172	56%40%
1500-1999	2,072	51%45%
2000+	2,725	49%44%
All	4,969	50%44%

Most played moves

Move	Games	White / draw / Black
4… O-O	1,545 (31%)	48%45%
4… c5 Classical Variation, Berlin Variation (4. Qc2 c5)	1,144 (23%)	50%44%
4… d5 Classical Variation, Noa Variation (4. Qc2 d5)	966 (19%)	51%43%
4… b6	604 (12%)	49%45%
4… Bxc3+	292 (6%)	54%41%
4… Nc6 Classical Variation, Zurich Variation	209 (4%)	46%48%
4… d6	96 (2%)	50%45%
4… h6	45 (1%)	53%38%

Master games

10,719 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 35%, draw 30%, Black 35%). The strongest:

Torch 20260128-7136070b (3716) – LCZero 0.33-dev-f6ec55c-BT4-6147500-it332 (3749) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 29 Premier 2026 · 2026-03-20
LCZero 0.33-dev-f6ec55c-BT4-6147500-it332 (3749) – Torch 20260128-7136070b (3716) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 29 Premier 2026 · 2026-03-17
Berserk20250622 (3650) – Integral7.0.0-dev-0d55bc02 (3576) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 28 Premier 2025 · 2025-08-03
Integral7.0.0-dev-0d55bc02 (3576) – Berserk20250622 (3650) 1-0 · TCEC 28 Premier 2025 · 2025-08-03
KomodoDragon 2894.00 (3600) – Stockfish dev15_20220401 (3617) 1-0 · TCEC 22 Superfinal 2022 · 2022-04-17

Search all games of the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation and its sub-variations

Highest-rated Lichess games

FM Crew12 (2721) – GM Super_FanZhendong (2887) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
TryhardTrainingTiger (2855) – apollothedog (2701) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
BILLYS10 (2757) – GladiatorDefence (2790) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s

Comes from

Nimzo-Indian Defense (3. Nc3 Bb4) 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4

Continuations

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Berlin Variation (4. Qc2 c5) E38 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation (4. Qc2 d5) E34 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Zurich Variation E33 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Berlin Variation (6. Nf3 c5) E38 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. e3 d5 6. Nf3 c5
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Keres Defense E32 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b6
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Vitolins-Adorjan Gambit E32 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b5

More Nimzo-Indian Defense lines (all)

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.