Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Sämisch Deferred
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. a3
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Sämisch Deferred is a chess opening classified as ECO E51, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. a3. 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 8 times by this move order. White won 13%, 12% were drawn and Black won 75%. The most popular continuation is 6… Bxc3+ (75% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.04 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 6… Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 c5 8. Be2 Nc6 9. Qc2)
- ECO
- E51
- Moves
- 11 plies
- FEN
rnbq1rk1/ppp2ppp/4pn2/3p4/1bPP4/P1N1PN2/1P3PPP/R1BQKB1R b KQ - 0 6- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5 6. a3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 5 | |
| 2000+ | 3 | |
| All | 8 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6… Bxc3+ | 6 (75%) | |
| 6… Bd6 | 1 (13%) | |
| 6… Be7 | 1 (13%) |
Master games
26 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 38%, draw 20%, Black 42%). The strongest:
- GM Illya Nyzhnyk (2687) – FM Nico Chasin (2429) 1-0 · 1000GM Hollywood Masters · 2022-10-26
- GM Fernando Peralta (2622) – IM Marcelo Panelo (2428) 1/2-1/2 · 21st Montcada Open · 2013-07-01
- GM Fernando Peralta (2596) – IM Robert Aloma Vidal (2406) 1-0 · XVI Sant Marti Open 2014 · 2014-07-14
- GM Marius Manolache (2496) – IM Robert Torma (2499) 0-1 · FSGM March 2017 · 2017-03-06
- GM Kirill Alekseenko (2679) – FM Rohit S (2311) 1-0 · Titled Tue 6th Aug Early · 2024-08-06
Highest-rated Lichess games
- GM AtalikS (2679) – Partake (2554) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- hainanpengyuyan (2237) – FM MrBini (2279) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- Adalbertu (2148) – onehandedBHmaster (2164) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Ragozin Variation 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Nf3 d5
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.