Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation (5. bxc3 O-O)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 O-O
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO E27, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 O-O. 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 623 times by this move order. White won 51%, 3% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 6. f3 (24% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.09 (Stockfish, depth 40; best line 6. f3 d5 7. cxd5 exd5 8. e3 c5)
- ECO
- E27
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
rnbq1rk1/pppp1ppp/4pn2/8/2PP4/P1P5/4PPPP/R1BQKBNR w KQ - 1 6- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 O-O
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 106 | |
| 1500-1999 | 343 | |
| 2000+ | 174 | |
| All | 623 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. f3 | 149 (24%) | |
| 6. Nf3 | 145 (23%) | |
| 6. Bg5 | 131 (21%) | |
| 6. e3 | 71 (11%) | |
| 6. Qc2 | 64 (10%) | |
| 6. Bf4 | 16 (3%) | |
| 6. g3 | 8 (1%) | |
| 6. c5 | 7 (1%) |
Master games
729 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 46%, draw 13%, Black 41%). The strongest:
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2882) – GM Sergey Karjakin (2750) 1-0 · Saint Louis Blitz 2019 · 2019-08-14
- GM A.R. Saleh Salem (2679) – GM Hikaru Nakamura (2768) 0-1 · Titled Tue 9th Aug Early · 2022-08-09
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2861) – GM Christopher Woojin Yoo (2563) 1-0 · Julius Baer GenCup Prelim · 2022-09-21
- GM A.R. Saleh Salem (2684) – GM Quang Liem Le (2722) 1/2-1/2 · 55th Biel GM Blitz 2022 · 2022-07-17
- GM Alireza Firouzja (2777) – GM Mikhail Al. Antipov (2606) 0-1 · Titled Tue 18th Jul Late · 2023-07-18
Search all games of the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- tractorchampion001 (2748) – kuhmft (2878) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- GM ikica77 (2688) – Kruciatos (2641) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- FM GHMackenzie (2596) – PyPsIk2012 (2712) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation (3… Bb4 4. a3) 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3
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.