Nimzo-Indian Defense: Kmoch Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Kmoch Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO E20, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3. It is a line of the Nimzo-Indian Defense. Black is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1,455 times by this move order. White won 49%, 5% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 4… d5 (40% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 70; best line 4… c5 5. d5 b5 6. e4 d6 7. Bd2)
- ECO
- E20
- Moves
- 7 plies
- FEN
rnbqk2r/pppp1ppp/4pn2/8/1bPP4/2N2P2/PP2P1PP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 23 | |
| 1500-1999 | 414 | |
| 2000+ | 1,018 | |
| All | 1,455 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4… d5 | 583 (40%) | |
| 4… c5 | 397 (27%) | |
| 4… O-O | 198 (14%) | |
| 4… Bxc3+ | 144 (10%) | |
| 4… b6 | 62 (4%) | |
| 4… d6 | 22 (2%) | |
| 4… Nh5 | 19 (1%) | |
| 4… Nc6 | 15 (1%) |
Master games
6,006 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 39%, draw 20%, Black 41%). The strongest:
- Reckless 0.10.0-dev-b5462f11 (3763) – Stockfish dev-20260318-d173a06 (3807) 1-0 · TCEC 29 Superfinal 2026 · 2026-04-05
- Stockfish dev-20260318-d173a06 (3807) – Reckless 0.10.0-dev-b5462f11 (3763) 1-0 · TCEC 29 Superfinal 2026 · 2026-04-05
- Obsidiandev-16.14 (3645) – Stockfishdev-20250802-a37b38bd (3731) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 28 Premier 2025 · 2025-08-23
- Stockfishdev-20250802-a37b38bd (3731) – Obsidiandev-16.14 (3645) 1-0 · TCEC 28 Premier 2025 · 2025-08-23
- Stockfishdev-20240513-e608eab8 (3662) – LCZero0.31-dag-5350a2e-BT4-6147500 (3634) 1-0 · TCEC 26 Superfinal 2024 · 2024-05-18
Search all games of the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Kmoch Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- GM sillyMASTER (2825) – GM aspiringstar (2985) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- GM sillyMASTER (2825) – IM wLh26 (2802) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- GM sillyMASTER (2865) – Tempstream (2730) 1-0 · 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: Sämisch Variation (6… c5 7. cxd5) E25 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. cxd5
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Botvinnik Variation E24 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. e3 O-O 8. cxd5 Nxd5
More Nimzo-Indian Defense lines (all)
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Dilworth Gambit 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
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Spielmann Variation, Carlsbad Variation E23
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Spielmann Variation, Romanovsky Gambit E23
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.