Nimzo-Indian Defence: moves, ideas and plans

Black pins the c3 knight to control e4 with pieces instead of pawns. One of the soundest defences to 1.d4.

E54Play it as BlackAdvanced15 moves

Main line: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O dxc4 8. Bxc4

Key ideas

• ...Bb4 pins the knight that supports e4.
• Black may give the bishop for the knight to double White's c-pawns.
• ...c5 and ...d5 strike at White's centre.

The Nimzo-Indian Defence move by move

Every move of the main line, with the reason it is played. The final position is recognised in the opening database as E54 Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Exchange Variation.

1. 1. d4Centre.
2. 1… Nf6Flexible.
3. 2. c4More space.
4. 2… e6Prepares ...Bb4 or ...d5.
5. 3. Nc3White aims for e4.
6. 3… Bb4The Nimzo-Indian pin.
7. 4. e3The Rubinstein: solid development.
8. 4… O-OBlack castles first.
9. 5. Bd3Development.
10. 5… d5Black takes a share of the centre.
11. 6. Nf3Development.
12. 6… c5The second strike at d4.
13. 7. O-OWhite castles.
14. 7… dxc4Black releases the tension to free his game.
15. 8. Bxc4White recaptures; the classical main line.

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