Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System (4. e3 c5)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System is a chess opening classified as ECO E41, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5. It is a line of the Nimzo-Indian Defense. White is to move. 3 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 730 times by this move order. White won 51%, 7% were drawn and Black won 42%. The most popular continuation is 5. Ne2 (31% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.15 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 5. Ne2 d5 6. cxd5 exd5 7. a3 Bxc3+)
- ECO
- E41
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
rnbqk2r/pp1p1ppp/4pn2/2p5/1bPP4/2N1P3/PP3PPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 0 5- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 17 | |
| 1500-1999 | 236 | |
| 2000+ | 477 | |
| All | 730 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. Ne2 Rubinstein System, Rubinstein Variation | 228 (31%) | |
| 5. Bd3 | 195 (27%) | |
| 5. a3 | 114 (16%) | |
| 5. Nf3 | 112 (15%) | |
| 5. d5 | 26 (4%) | |
| 5. Bd2 | 26 (4%) | |
| 5. dxc5 | 14 (2%) | |
| 5. Qc2 | 8 (1%) |
Master games
1,376 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 40%, draw 26%, Black 34%). The strongest:
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2856) – GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2731) 1/2-1/2 · Aimchess Rapid KO · 2022-10-19
- GM Fabiano Caruana (2776) – GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2792) 1/2-1/2 · Saint Louis Rapid 2022 · 2022-08-26
- GM Fabiano Caruana (2793) – GM So, W. (2751) 1/2-1/2 · Saint Louis Blitz 2024 · 2024-08-16
- GM So, W. (2770) – GM Richard Rapport (2763) 1-0 · GCT Rapid Paris 2021 · 2021-06-18
- GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2727) – GM Fabiano Caruana (2794) 1-0 · CCT Final Survival Winner · 2023-12-12
Search all games of the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Aggressive-Python (2719) – Vahe_S (2759) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- JAGMM (2634) – Meatloaf927 (2717) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- satlan (2686) – IM unknown-maestro_2450 (2649) 0-1 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System (3… Bb4 4. e3) 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3
Continuations
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Rubinstein Variation E42 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Ne2
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Hübner Variation (7. bxc3 d6) E41 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 d6
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation (7. bxc3 O-O) E29 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 O-O
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.