Nimzo-Indian Defense (3. Nc3 Bb4)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4
The Nimzo-Indian Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO E20, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4. White is to move. 10 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 26,592 times by this move order. White won 48%, 6% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 4. Qc2 (19% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.15 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 d5)
- ECO
- E20
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
rnbqk2r/pppp1ppp/4pn2/8/1bPP4/2N5/PP2PPPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 2 4- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 2,308 | |
| 1500-1999 | 13,377 | |
| 2000+ | 10,907 | |
| All | 26,592 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Qc2 Classical Variation | 4,969 (19%) | |
| 4. Nf3 Three Knights Variation | 4,052 (15%) | |
| 4. e3 Rubinstein System (3… Bb4 4. e3) | 3,926 (15%) | |
| 4. Bg5 Leningrad Variation | 3,664 (14%) | |
| 4. Bd2 | 3,593 (14%) | |
| 4. a3 Sämisch Variation (3… Bb4 4. a3) | 2,616 (10%) | |
| 4. f3 Kmoch Variation | 1,455 (5%) | |
| 4. Qb3 Spielmann Variation | 1,034 (4%) |
Master games
2,290 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 32%, draw 22%, Black 46%). The strongest:
- GM Vladislav Artemiev (2709) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2847) 0-1 · DM Carlsen-Artemiev 2021 · 2021-04-21
- GM Vladislav Artemiev (2716) – GM Levon Aronian (2773) 1-0 · Online Nations Cup Prelim · 2020-05-05
- GM Vladislav Artemiev (2708) – GM Anish Giri (2764) 1-0 · chess.com Speed 2020 · 2020-11-16
- GM Vladislav Artemiev (2716) – GM Hikaru Nakamura (2736) 1/2-1/2 · Speed Super Swiss KO 2020 · 2020-10-04
- GM Vladislav Artemiev (2709) – GM Dmitry Andreikin (2725) 0-1 · Artemiev-Andreikin Blitz · 2021-03-03
Search all games of the Nimzo-Indian Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- GM gmbrewchess (2973) – Nana_jede_cevape (2893) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- GM sillyMASTER (2825) – GM aspiringstar (2985) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- GM cutemouse83 (2968) – tsunami10 (2810) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Indian Defense: Normal Variation 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4
Continuations
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation E32 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Dilworth Gambit E20 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e4
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Kmoch Variation E20 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Leningrad Variation E30 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Mikenas Attack E20 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qd3
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation (3… Bb4 4. g3) E20 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. g3
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System (3… Bb4 4. e3) E40 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation (3… Bb4 4. a3) E24 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Spielmann Variation E22 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qb3
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation E21 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3
More Nimzo-Indian Defense lines (all)
- 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, 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, Carlsbad Variation E23
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Spielmann Variation, Romanovsky Gambit E23
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Spielmann Variation, Stahlberg Variation (7. Bd2 Nxc5) E23
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Spielmann Variation, Stahlberg Variation (8… f5 9. g3) E23
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Botvinnik Variation E24
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation (6… c5 7. cxd5) E25
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Keres Variation E25
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.