Starting from 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 dxc4 10.Bxc4, players enter the Nimzo-Indian Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 10.Bxc4 — ECO E59. Across rating levels it shows up in 20,446 recorded games — enough data to map exactly where it succeeds and where it stalls.
History and Notable Players
It arises from the Nimzo-Indian Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 9.bxc3. Among the most prolific White practitioners are Svetozar Gligoric (24 games), Rainer Knaak (19 games), Peter Lukacs (14 games). Black-side regulars include Aleksandar Matanovic (16 games), Boris V Spassky (15 games), Sergei Tiviakov (13 games).
Move Diversity and Theory Depth
What players actually play after the opening moves depends heavily on rating. At 1200 Elo, the top reply is cxd4, played 43% of the time. There are 5 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 77.2% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 2.45. By 2500, Qc7 dominates at 77.6% of replies; only 2 viable alternatives remain and 94.1% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 1.21. That entropy collapse is the signature of a line where preparation pays off: at the top, players know the best move and play it.
Common Mistakes
- 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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