Chess Openings - Nimzo-Indian Defense

Nimzo-Indian Defense

The Nimzo-Indian Defense arises after ... ♝b4 on move three, when Black pins the c3-knight to the king. That knight is the main guard of e4, so White cannot occupy the center with e2-e4 while the pin stands.

Black does not build a pawn center. Instead the knight on f6 and the bishop on b4 fight for e4, and Black keeps the option of capturing on c3. That capture gives up the bishop pair, but it can saddle White with doubled pawns. Each side therefore owns a long-term asset: White has the two bishops and, in many lines, a strong center; Black has more active pieces and targets on the queenside.

The opening is named after Aron Nimzowitsch, an early champion of its ideas, and it is one of the most respected answers to 1. d4. White can avoid it with 3. ♘f3; this and the other move orders are described here. The Queen's Gambit Declined arises instead when Black answers 3. ♘c3 with 3... d5.

Basic ideas

A typical development in the main line looks like this. White builds with e3, ♗d3 and ♘f3, Black castles and prepares ... d5 and ... c5, and once White spends a move on a3 the bishop has to decide. Here it captures on c3, and the central exchanges follow.

After 9. bxc3 White has a pawn on c3 instead of b2, and the pawns on c3 and c4 are doubled until Black takes on c4. In return White has the bishop pair, a half-open b-file and the chance to build a center with e3-e4. Black's task is to keep the position closed enough that the bishops stay passive, or to attack the weak pawns before White's pieces come to life.

Pin and control of e4

The bishop on b4 and the knight on f6 both aim at e4. While the pin lasts, e2-e4 runs into ... ♞xe4, because the pinned knight cannot recapture. White's first task is therefore to resolve the pin, and the choice of method defines the variation: develop with 4. e3, recapture with the queen after 4. ♕c2, ask the bishop at once with 4. a3, or pin the f6-knight in return with 4. ♗g5.

Doubled pawns and bishop pair

When Black captures on c3, White recaptures with the b-pawn or, after 4. ♕c2, with the queen. In the bxc3 structures the pawns on c3 and c4 are doubled and the a-pawn is often isolated, so Black attacks them with ... b6 and ... ♝a6, with ... ♞a5 and with ... c5. White answers with piece play: the two bishops, a strong pawn center after e4, and attacking chances against the king.

The doubled pawns are less of a weakness once e3-e4 and f2-f3 are in place. Black must then act quickly, or White's center, supported by the bishops, becomes hard to stop.

Pawn breaks and piece play

... c5 hits d4 and opens the c-file; White can reply dxc5 or gain space with d4-d5. ... d5 fights for the center, and in the Rubinstein System it is combined with ... c5 and ... dxc4 to gain a tempo against the bishop on d3. In closed structures Black prefers ... d6 and ... e5, and ... b6 with ... ♝a6 puts pressure on c4.

For White the central breaks are e3-e4 and d4-d5, and the pawn on f3 is often used to keep Black's knight out of e4. A knight jump ... ♞e4 is a typical piece maneuver for Black: it attacks c3 and offers a trade that eases Black's position.

Main line 3. ♘c3 ♝b4

After 3... ♝b4 White has to decide how to deal with the pin. The principal fourth moves are 4. e3, the Rubinstein System; 4. ♕c2, the Classical Variation; 4. a3, the Sämisch Variation; 4. ♘f3, the Kasparov Variation; and 4. ♗g5, the Leningrad Variation. The quieter 4. f3 and 4. g3 are also played.

Rubinstein System 4. e3

4. e3 is a natural developing move, and the system is named after Akiba Rubinstein. It opens the diagonal of the f1-bishop, supports the d4-pawn and prepares ♗d3 and ♘f3 (or ♘e2). If Black captures on c3, White recaptures with the b-pawn and accepts the doubled pawns in return for quick development and the bishop pair. Black's main replies are 4... O-O, 4... c5 and 4... b6.

Main line 4... O-O

Black castles and waits. After 5. ♗d3 the main line is 5... d5 6. ♘f3 c5 7. O-O ♞c6, which sets up the Rubinstein structure: Black has pawns on d5 and c5 against White's c4 and d4, and all four tensions are still unresolved. 8. a3 forces the bishop to decide, and after 8... ♝xc3 9. bxc3 dxc4 the bishop on d3 usually recaptures on c4, so White has used two moves for it while Black has used one pawn move.

After 10... ♛c7 White usually retreats 11. ♗d3, and Black strikes in the center with 11... e5, which hits d4. 12. ♕c2 is a common continuation. The fight is about the pawn center: White wants e3-e4 and a space advantage, Black wants to trade the central pawns and use the open lines.

Isolated pawn line 7... dxc4

Black can also take on c4 at once. After 7. O-O dxc4 8. ♗xc4 cxd4 9. exd4 White has an isolated queen's pawn, and the game takes on the character of those structures: White has open lines, active pieces and the break d4-d5, while Black blockades the d5-square and tries to trade pieces. Black usually continues 9... b6 followed by ... ♝b7.

In this line Black keeps the bishop on b4, so the knight on c3 stays pinned. White adds pressure with 10. ♗g5, and the rooks on e1 and c1 take the open files.

Hübner Variation 4... c5

Black strikes at d4 at once. After 5. ♗d3 ♞c6 6. ♘f3 Black captures with 6... ♝xc3+ 7. bxc3 d6, giving up the bishop pair voluntarily. The point is the structure: Black closes the center with ... d6 and ... e5, and White's bishops, hemmed in by their own pawns, are less effective.

After 8. e4 e5 9. d5 the pawn on d5 attacks the c6-knight, which goes to e7 and heads for g6. White usually plays on the kingside, for example with ♘h4 and f2-f4, and Black tries to keep the position closed so that the bishops stay passive. Instead of 5. ♗d3, White can play 5. ♘e2, which prepares to recapture on c3 with the knight.

Reply 4... b6

Black develops the bishop on the long diagonal or, as here, to a6 to attack c4. 5. ♘e2 prepares to recapture on c3 with the knight, so that ...Bxc3+ no longer damages the structure, and White meets 5... ♝a6 with 6. a3. Black can retreat with 6... ♝e7, because an exchange on c3 would now leave White's pawns intact, and the bishop on a6 keeps the pressure on c4.

Classical Variation 4. ♕c2

4. ♕c2 prepares to recapture on c3 with the queen, so White keeps an intact pawn structure and the bishop pair after ... ♝xc3+ ♕xc3. The queen also guards e4, and White can follow with e2-e4 once the pin is gone. The costs are an early queen move and a delay in developing the kingside. Black's main replies are 4... O-O, 4... c5 and 4... d6; 4... ♞c6 and 4... d5 are also played.

Reply 4... O-O

Black castles, and after 5. a3 ♝xc3+ 6. ♕xc3 the usual plan is the fianchetto with ... b6 and ... ♝b7, which puts pressure on e4. White plays 7. ♗g5, pinning the f6-knight, followed by 8. f3 to take e4 away from Black's pieces and prepare the pawn center. Black answers with 8... h6 9. ♗h4 d5, and after 10. e3 ♞bd7 Black has a compact position against White's two bishops. Black can also attack the queen at once with 6... ♞e4, and the queen has to retreat.

Reply 4... c5

Black strikes at the center immediately. After 5. dxc5 the knight goes to a6, preparing ... ♞xc5, and when White asks the bishop with 6. a3 Black exchanges on c3 and recaptures the pawn. White has the bishop pair; Black has active pieces and plays ... b6 and ... ♝b7 to fight for the long diagonal.

Reply 4... d6

This is a flexible setup: Black plays ... d6, ... ♞bd7 and ... e5, keeps the choice of castling, and decides later whether to capture on c3. White develops with 5. ♘f3, Black answers 5... ♞bd7, and after 6. ♗g5 h6 7. ♗h4 Black can place the queen on e7 to support ... e5 and to unpin the knight.

Sämisch Variation 4. a3

4. a3 puts the question to the bishop at once, and the variation is named after Fritz Sämisch. After 4... ♝xc3+ 5. bxc3 White has given up the pawn structure for the bishop pair, a half-open b-file and the chance of a broad center with e3-e4 or with f2-f3 and e2-e4. Black's plan is to fix and attack the pawns on c3 and c4, usually with ... c5, ... ♞c6, ... b6 and ... ♝a6.

Main line 5... c5

After 5... c5 6. e3 ♞c6 7. ♗d3 O-O 8. ♘e2 b6 White plays 9. e4, and Black retreats 9... ♞e8 so that the advance e4-e5 does not gain time against the f6-knight. 10. O-O ♝a6 then attacks the pawn on c4, which the bishop on d3 defends, and White prepares the kingside advance, for example with 11. f4 or 11. ♘g3.

Pawn center 6. f3

White can also prepare e2-e4 with 6. f3, which takes e4 away from the knight. Black meets it with 6... d5, and after 7. cxd5 exd5 8. e3 O-O 9. ♗d3 the pawn on c4 has disappeared, so one target is gone. Black plays 9... b6 and, after 10. ♘e2, offers the exchange of the light-squared bishops with 10... ♝a6, which would remove one of White's bishops.

Kasparov Variation 4. ♘f3

4. ♘f3 is the Three Knights Variation, also known as the Kasparov Variation. White develops the kingside and keeps the choice between e3, g3 and ♗g5 for later. Black can reply 4... c5, 4... b6 or 4... O-O, and 4... d5 transposes to the Ragozin Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined.

Reply 4... b6

After 4... b6 5. ♗g5 ♝b7 6. e3 h6 7. ♗h4 g5 Black has expanded on the kingside. The advance loosens the kingside but wins time: the bishop retreats to g3, and 8... ♞e4 attacks both c3 and the bishop.

Reply 4... c5

Black strikes at d4 and White can transpose into the Hübner structure with 5. e3 ♞c6 6. ♗d3 ♝xc3+ 7. bxc3 d6. 5. g3 is the independent try: after 5... cxd4 6. ♘xd4 O-O 7. ♗g2 ♞c6 8. ♘xc6 bxc6 9. O-O the bishop on g2 eyes the long diagonal, and Black has a pawn on c6 instead of b7 and a half-open b-file.

Leningrad Variation 4. ♗g5

4. ♗g5 pins the knight on f6 to the queen and prepares e2-e3. After 4... h6 5. ♗h4 the pin stays in place, and Black can continue 5... c5 6. d5 d6 7. e3 ♝xc3+ 8. bxc3 e5. White has gained space with d4-d5, Black has closed the center, and the bishop on h4 keeps pressure on f6; Black can also play 4... c5 at once, or challenge the bishop with 5... g5.

Sidelines 4. f3

4. f3 supports e4 directly and aims for a large center. Black replies 4... d5, and after 5. a3 ♝xc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. cxd5 ♞xd5 8. dxc5 White has won a pawn, but the structure is damaged, and 8... f5 takes control of e4 to stop the central advance. Black relies on the pressure against c5 and c3 as compensation.

Sidelines 4. g3

4. g3 prepares the fianchetto of the f1-bishop, and after 4... O-O 5. ♗g2 d5 6. ♘f3 play often resembles the Catalan. Black can take the pawn with 6... dxc4, and after 7. O-O ♞c6 White's bishop on g2 exerts pressure along the long diagonal while White prepares to regain the c4-pawn.

Other fourth moves

4. ♗d2 breaks the pin by placing the bishop on the diagonal and prepares to recapture on c3 with it, so the pawn structure stays intact; the price is that the bishop develops passively and Black can trade on c3 at once. 4. ♕b3 attacks the bishop on b4 and prepares to meet ... c5 with dxc5; Black can answer 4... c5 or 4... ♞c6. 4. e4 is rarely played, because 4... ♞xe4 takes a pawn while the knight on c3 is pinned.

Move orders and related openings

White can avoid the pin by playing 3. ♘f3 instead of 3. ♘c3. Black then has several choices: 3... b6 leads to the Queen's Indian Defense, and 3... ♝b4+ to the Bogo-Indian Defense, where 4. ♗d2 is a standard reply. After 3... d5 4. ♘c3 ♝b4 the position is the Ragozin Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined.

Black cannot force the Nimzo-Indian, because White chooses the third move. A player who wants to reach it must therefore also be ready to meet 3. ♘f3 with the Queen's Indian or the Bogo-Indian.

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