Nimzo-Indian Defense: Leningrad Variation, Averbakh Gambit
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5 h6 5. Bh4 c5 6. d5 b5
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Leningrad Variation, Averbakh Gambit is a chess opening classified as ECO E30, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5 h6 5. Bh4 c5 6. d5 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 1 times by this move order. White won 100%, 0% were drawn and Black won 0%. The most popular continuation is 7. dxe6 (100% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.23 (Stockfish, depth 34; best line 7. e3 Bb7 8. dxe6 fxe6 9. cxb5 O-O)
- ECO
- E30
- Moves
- 12 plies
- FEN
rnbqk2r/p2p1pp1/4pn1p/1ppP4/1bP4B/2N5/PP2PPPP/R2QKBNR w KQkq - 0 7- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5 h6 5. Bh4 c5 6. d5 b5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2000+ | 1 | |
| All | 1 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 7. dxe6 | 1 (100%) |
Master games
16 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 25%, draw 44%, Black 31%). The strongest:
- GM Richard Rapport (2621) – GM Tomas Polak (2520) 1-0 · TCh-AUT 2012-13 · 2012-11-03
- GM Jens Kristiansen (2403) – GM Olafsson, F. (2407) 1/2-1/2 · Faergen Cup 2013 · 2013-09-10
- IM Bragi Thorfinnsson (2483) – Kristjan Edvardsson (2212) 1/2-1/2 · TCh-ISL Div1 2013-14 · 2013-10-13
- FM Reynir Helgason (2294) – IM Thomas Engqvist (2352) 1-0 · TCh-SWE Elitserien · 2017-10-21
- IM Arturo Vidarte Morales (2330) – FM Oswaldo Valentin Requejo Cotrina (2302) 1/2-1/2 · 1st Lima International 2013 · 2013-11-27
Highest-rated Lichess games
- GM petrovich_gm (2607) – DrOldSchmetterhand (2521) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Leningrad Variation 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5
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.