1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Nc3 opens the Queen's Indian Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 7.Nc3, ECO E18. With 410,256 games on record, the patterns below come from the largest practical sample available.
History and Notable Players
It arises from the Queen's Indian Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... Be7. Among the most prolific White practitioners are Borislav Ivkov (53 games), Ulf Andersson (45 games), Ivan Farago (39 games). Black-side regulars include Eduardas Rozentalis (61 games), Anatoly Karpov (54 games), Sergei Tiviakov (47 games).
Performance Across Rating Levels
How well the Queen's Indian Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 7.Nc3 works depends on what level you're playing at. The 1200 bracket has 1,931 games (0.00% of all games at that level); White wins 52.7%, Black 43.7%, 3.7% are drawn. Move up to 1800 Elo and the share shifts to 0.01%, with White winning 49.7% versus Black's 44.4%. At 2500, 0.10% of games go into this opening; draws sit at 12.7% — the line is well-mapped at this level. White's edge erodes by 3.8pp from 1200 to 2500 Elo, suggesting Black's counterplay is easier to find with experience.
Time Control Patterns
Look at the same opening across time controls and blitz stands out. In bullet, it appears in 0.01% of games (245,763); White wins 50.3%. Blitz shows 0.01% adoption across 372,619 games, White scoring 48.8%. In rapid, the share rises to 0.00% — 36,867 games, White 48.4%.
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 d5, played 28.3% of the time. There are 6 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 63.6% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 3.02. By 2500, Ne4 dominates at 72.7% of replies; only 2 viable alternatives remain and 92.2% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 1.40. That entropy collapse is the signature of a line where preparation pays off: at the top, players know the best move and play it.
Historical Trends
Tracking the Queen's Indian Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... 7.Nc3 year over year shows a clear story. Adoption peaked in 2020 at 0.01% (60,805 games). By 2025 it sits at 0.01% — a 59% shift overall, leaving the line on the rise.
Main Lines and Variations
From the position after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Nc3, the recognised continuations 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 58.5% — versus 80.8% at 2000. The most popular deviation is Nc6 (played 18.9% 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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