Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Bernstein Defense (9… dxc4 10. Bxc4)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O Nc6 8. a3 Bxc3 9. bxc3 dxc4 10. Bxc4
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Bernstein Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO E59, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O Nc6 8. a3 Bxc3 9. bxc3 dxc4 10. Bxc4. It is a line of the Nimzo-Indian Defense. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 2 times by this move order. White won 50%, 0% were drawn and Black won 50%. The most popular continuation is 10… Qc7 (100% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.25 (Stockfish, depth 34; best line 10… Qc7 11. Re1 e5 12. h3 h6 13. Bb5)
- ECO
- E59
- Moves
- 19 plies
- FEN
r1bq1rk1/pp3ppp/2n1pn2/2p5/2BP4/P1P1PN2/5PPP/R1BQ1RK1 b - - 0 10- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O Nc6 8. a3 Bxc3 9. bxc3 dxc4 10. Bxc4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2000+ | 2 | |
| All | 2 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 10… Qc7 | 2 (100%) |
Master games
139 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 33%, draw 34%, Black 33%). The strongest:
- GM Fernando Peralta (2606) – GM Krishnan Sasikiran (2707) 1/2-1/2 · 40th Olympiad Open · 2012-09-04
- GM Fernando Peralta (2574) – GM Luka Lenic (2659) 1/2-1/2 · 41st Olympiad Open 2014 · 2014-08-10
- GM Anton Korobov (2683) – GM Leandro Krysa (2527) 0-1 · Titled Tuesday 2nd Mar · 2021-03-02
- GM Anton Korobov (2688) – IM Martin Petrov (2520) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 30th June · 2020-06-30
- GM Fernando Peralta (2566) – GM Arkadij Naiditsch (2643) 0-1 · TCh-ESP Div Honor 2019 · 2019-10-01
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Barkov_Alexey (2287) – vemeno115 (2426) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 2s
- Barkov_Alexey (2295) – Gilhamesch123 (2360) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Bernstein Defense, Exchange Line 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O Nc6 8. a3 Bxc3 9. bxc3
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.