The Nimzo-Indian Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 9.bxc3 begins with 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Nf3 d5 6.Bd3 c5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.a3 Bxc3 9.bxc3 (ECO E58). Lichess records 30,919 games in this line, which gives us a reliable view of how it actually performs in practice.
History and Notable Players
It arises from the Nimzo-Indian Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... Nc6. Among the most prolific White practitioners are Svetozar Gligoric (37 games), Rainer Knaak (25 games), Jan Hein Donner (21 games). Black-side regulars include Aleksandar Matanovic (18 games), Yuri L Averbakh (18 games), Boris V Spassky (16 games).
Move Diversity and Theory Depth
Looking at move selection shows how forcing — or not — the position really is. At 1200 Elo, the top reply is cxd4, played 26% of the time. There are 6 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 59.6% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 3.04. By 2500, dxc4 dominates at 56.4% of replies; only 3 viable alternatives remain and 93.9% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 1.77. That entropy collapse is the signature of a line where preparation pays off: at the top, players know the best move and play it.
Main Lines and Variations
After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Nf3 d5 6.Bd3 c5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.a3 Bxc3 9.bxc3, the established follow-ups are:
Each branch leads to a different middlegame character — the resulting pawn structure decides what kind of game you get.
Common Mistakes
- Drifting away from main theory — At 400 Elo, theory adherence sits at 66.7% — versus 72.5% at 2000. The most popular deviation is e5 (played 16.7% of the time at 400, much less so up top). It looks fine but quietly hands the better-prepared side an edge.
- Neglecting development — It can feel productive to make extra pawn moves early, but falling behind in piece development is what loses most amateur games — especially in open positions where active pieces find squares fast.
- Letting White own the centre — Hypermodern openings concede central space on purpose, but only if you strike back in time. Delay the counter-blow and you end up squeezed.
Practice on Chessiverse
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