Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation, Euwe Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. d5 Ne4
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation, Euwe Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO E21, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. d5 Ne4. 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 8 times by this move order. White won 63%, 12% were drawn and Black won 25%. The most popular continuation is 6. Qc2 (88% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.11 (Stockfish, depth 34; best line 6. Qd3 f5 7. Nd2 Nxc3 8. bxc3 Qf6)
- ECO
- E21
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
rnbqk2r/pp1p1ppp/4p3/2pP4/1bP1n3/2N2N2/PP2PPPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 1 6- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. d5 Ne4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 2 | |
| 1500-1999 | 4 | |
| 2000+ | 2 | |
| All | 8 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. Qc2 | 7 (88%) | |
| 6. Qd3 | 1 (13%) |
Highest-rated Lichess games
- mx7771231 (1994) – ZatEgor (2052) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- RahulRavindran (1979) – zimchess_zw (2026) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- Romosensation (1913) – BOBIK25 (1966) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 300 + 0s
Comes from
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation, Korchnoi Variation 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. 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, Shocron Gambit E21
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Spielmann Variation E22
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Spielmann Variation, Carlsbad Variation E23
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Spielmann Variation, Romanovsky Gambit E23
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.