E59 · Indian · a defense for Black

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Bernstein Defense

19/19
1.d4Nf62.c4e63.Nc3Bb44.e3O-O5.Bd3d56.Nf3c57.O-ONc68.a3Bxc39.bxc3dxc410.Bxc4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Bernstein Defense13k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
29%3.7k44%
27%3.5k56%
12%1.5k50%
9.2%1.2k44%
5.5%72144%
5.2%67841%
4.5%58344%
2.8%35950%
1.7%22256%
1.5%20243%
Famous games in this line1.2k master games
Kasparov, Garry (2795) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2740)19971–0Anand, Viswanathan (2800) – Bacrot, Etienne (2716)20101–0Korobov, Anton (2715) – Topalov, Veselin (2784)20130–1Grischuk, A. (2742) – Nakamura, Hi (2750)20221–0Grischuk, A. (2764) – Esipenko, Andrey (2714)2022½–½Aronian, Levon (2768) – Naiditsch, Arkadij (2697)20091–0So, W. (2772) – Sjugirov, S. (2680)20221–0Nisipeanu, Liviu Dieter (2674) – Ponomariov, Ruslan (2751)2013½–½
Heroes of this opening Kasparov, Garry · Anand, Viswanathan · Topalov, Veselin · Grischuk, A.
Family
Nimzo-Indian Defense
Category
Indian
First move
1.d4
ECO
E59
Line
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O Nc6 8. a3 Bxc3 9. bxc3 dxc4 10. Bxc4
PositionalHypermodern
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Nearby lines in the family
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Capablanca VariationE29 4…c5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.a3 Bxc3 7.bxc3 …Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English HybridE20 4.Nf3 c5 5.g3 cxd4 6.Nxd4 O-O …Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Botvinnik VariationE24 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3 6.bxc3 c5 …
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.

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