E46 · Indian · a defense for Black
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation
8/8
1.d4Nf62.c4e63.Nc3Bb44.e3O-O
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation432k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
7%30k49%
5%22k48%
2.5%11k49%
0.6%2.6k48%
0.3%1.2k47%
0.3%1.1k50%
0.2%99347%
Famous games in this line23k master games
Caruana, Fabiano (2835) – Carlsen, Magnus (2863)Ding Liren (2806) – Carlsen, M. (2864)Carlsen, M. (2843) – Caruana, F. (2822)Carlsen, Magnus (2864) – Anand, Viswanathan (2786)Carlsen, M. (2832) – So, W. (2812)Nakamura, Hi (2787) – Carlsen, M. (2853)Nakamura, Hi (2787) – Carlsen, M. (2853)Carlsen, M. (2861) – Anand, V. (2774)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, Magnus · So, W.
- Family
- Nimzo-Indian Defense
- Category
- Indian
- First move
- 1.d4
- ECO
- E46
- Line
- 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
PositionalHypermodern
★ Read the guide: Nimzo-Indian DefenseExplore all 99 Nimzo-Indian Defense lines →Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Reshevsky VariationE46 5.Ne2 · 1 deeper lineNimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Classical DefenseE48 5.Bd3 d5 · 12 deeper linesNimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Ragozin VariationE51 5.Nf3 d5 · 1 deeper lineNimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Sämisch DeferredE51 5.Nf3 d5 6.a3
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives
Aron Nimzowitsch's ...Bb4 pin is the most respected reply to 1.d4 in chess history — practically every world champion from Capablanca to Carlsen has kept it in their repertoire. Its idea was radical in 1920: control the center with PIECES, trade the bishop for structural damage, and grind.
Study this opening