Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation (7. bxc3 O-O)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 O-O
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO E29, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 O-O. It is a line of the Nimzo-Indian Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1 times by this move order. White won 100%, 0% were drawn and Black won 0%. The most popular continuation is 8. Ne2 (100% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.07 (Stockfish, depth 44; best line 8. Ne2 b6 9. e4 Ne8 10. O-O Ba6)
- ECO
- E29
- Moves
- 14 plies
- FEN
r1bq1rk1/pp1p1ppp/2n1pn2/2p5/2PP4/P1PBP3/5PPP/R1BQK1NR w KQ - 1 8- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 O-O
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2000+ | 1 | |
| All | 1 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 8. Ne2 | 1 (100%) |
Master games
3 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 33%, draw 34%, Black 33%). The strongest:
- GM Fernando Peralta (2563) – GM Lazaro Bruzon Batista (2659) 0-1 · 6th ch-Iberoamericano · 2015-11-01
- GM Fernando Peralta (2574) – IM Mhamal Anurag (2423) 1/2-1/2 · Sunway Sitges Open 2016 · 2016-12-23
- IM Konstantin Peyrer (2472) – GM Andreas Diermair (2451) 1-0 · ch-AUT Blitz 2025 · 2025-06-21
Search all games of the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- coachmode (2067) – Rama_theVishnu_avtar (1980) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System (4. e3 c5) 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5
Continuations
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Capablanca Variation E29 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 O-O 8. Ne2 b6 9. e4 Ne8
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.