Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Romanovsky Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. dxc5 f5
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Romanovsky Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO E25, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. dxc5 f5. 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 7 times by this move order. White won 57%, 0% were drawn and Black won 43%. The most popular continuation is 9. Nh3 (43% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.32 (Stockfish, depth 40; best line 9. Nh3 O-O 10. Nf4 Na6 11. Nxd5 exd5)
- ECO
- E25
- Moves
- 16 plies
- FEN
rnbqk2r/pp4pp/4p3/2Pn1p2/8/P1P2P2/4P1PP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 0 9- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. dxc5 f5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2000+ | 7 | |
| All | 7 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 9. Nh3 | 3 (43%) | |
| 9. Qc2 | 2 (29%) | |
| 9. c4 | 1 (14%) | |
| 9. e4 | 1 (14%) |
Master games
148 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 31%, draw 39%, Black 30%). The strongest:
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2799) – GM Vasyl Ivanchuk (2726) 0-1 · 2nd IMSA Blitz 2017 · 2017-12-12
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2799) – GM Hao Wang (2709) 0-1 · 2nd IMSA Blitz 2017 · 2017-12-12
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2743) – GM Pentala Harikrishna (2725) 1-0 · TCh-TUR Super League 2014 · 2014-08-29
- GM Liren Ding (2707) – GM Michael Adams (2727) 1/2-1/2 · Alekhine Mem · 2013-04-30
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2765) – GM Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara (2620) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 26th Oct · 2021-10-26
Highest-rated Lichess games
- tractorchampion001 (2747) – Fettywapest (2726) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- krama2026 (2436) – sai_zelda (2412) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- nicolasca (2379) – CM rocky73 (2433) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Keres Variation 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. dxc5
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.