Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Bernstein Defense (9. Bxc4 cxd4)

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 dxc4 9. Bxc4 cxd4

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Bernstein Defense 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 dxc4 9. Bxc4 cxd4 87654321abcdefgh

The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Bernstein Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO E57, 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 dxc4 9. Bxc4 cxd4. It is a line of the Nimzo-Indian Defense. White is to move.

This exact move order didn't appear in our sample of 12.6 million Lichess games: it's a rare line.

Engine evaluation: +0.40 (Stockfish, depth 29; best line 10. axb4 dxc3 11. bxc3 Qc7 12. Qb3 Rb8)

ECO
E57
Moves
18 plies
FEN
r1bq1rk1/pp3ppp/2n1pn2/8/1bBp4/P1N1PN2/1P3PPP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 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 dxc4 9. Bxc4 cxd4

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

Comes from

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Bernstein Defense (7. O-O Nc6) 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O Nc6

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.