Yusupov-Rubinstein System
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3
The Yusupov-Rubinstein System is a chess opening classified as ECO A46, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3. Black is to move. 6 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 5,618 times by this move order. White won 50%, 6% were drawn and Black won 44%. The most popular continuation is 3… d5 (47% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 3… b6 4. b3 Bb7 5. Bb2 d5 6. Be2)
- ECO
- A46
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/pppp1ppp/4pn2/8/3P4/4PN2/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 3- PGN
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 898 | |
| 1500-1999 | 3,056 | |
| 2000+ | 1,664 | |
| All | 5,618 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… d5 | 2,622 (47%) | |
| 3… c5 | 1,147 (20%) | |
| 3… b6 | 1,071 (19%) | |
| 3… Be7 | 293 (5%) | |
| 3… Bb4+ | 171 (3%) | |
| 3… Nc6 | 81 (1%) | |
| 3… d6 | 65 (1%) | |
| 3… a6 | 35 (1%) |
Master games
7,248 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 37%, draw 23%, Black 40%). The strongest:
- GM Levon Aronian (2813) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2868) 0-1 · Norway Supreme Masters Blitz 2013 · 2013-05-07
- GM So, W. (2815) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2832) 1-0 · chess.com Speed 3m+2spm 2017 · 2017-11-18
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2787) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2853) 1-0 · chess.com Blitz Final 1m+1spm 2016 · 2016-10-27
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2787) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2853) 1-0 · chess.com Blitz Final 1m+1spm 2016 · 2016-10-27
- GM Vladimir Kramnik (2808) – GM Levon Aronian (2795) 1/2-1/2 · Tal Memorial Blitz 2016 · 2016-09-25
Search all games of the Yusupov-Rubinstein System and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM juancruzariasTDF (2759) – GM gmbrewchess (2976) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- chaaa116 (2667) – canc3111 (2762) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- GM cjota95 (2798) – saemon (2592) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Indian Defense: Knights Variation 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3
Continuations
- Queen's Pawn Game: Colle System, Traditional Colle D05 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 c5 4. Bd3 d5 5. c3
- Rubinstein Opening D05 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 c5 4. Bd3 d5 5. b3
- Queen's Indian Defense, with e3 (5… c5 6. c4) E14 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. O-O c5 6. c4
- Queen's Indian Defense, with e3 (6… O-O 7. Nc3) E14 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. O-O Be7 6. c4 O-O 7. Nc3
- Queen's Pawn Game: Colle System (8. Nbd2 d5) D05 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. O-O c5 6. b3 Be7 7. Bb2 O-O 8. Nbd2 d5
- Queen's Indian Defense, with e3 (8… O-O 9. c4) E14 · 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. Nbd2 c5 6. b3 Be7 7. Bb2 d6 8. O-O O-O 9. c4
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.