1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.Nc3 Bb7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 Bb4 opens the Queen's Indian Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... Bb4, ECO E13. Lichess records 44,686 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 Queen's Indian Defense. Among the most prolific White practitioners are Boris Chatalbashev (7 games), Ivan Farago (5 games), Vladimir P Malaniuk (5 games). Black-side regulars include Ivan Farago (10 games), Ruslan Pogorelov (6 games), Edvins Kengis (6 games).
Move Diversity and Theory Depth
Move choice is far from uniform in the Queen's Indian Defence: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4... Bb4. At 1200 Elo, the top reply is e3, played 49% of the time. There are 4 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 79.8% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 2.33. By 2500, e3 dominates at 68% of replies; only 3 viable alternatives remain and 91.4% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 1.52. 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
- Drifting away from main theory — At 400 Elo, theory adherence sits at 72.2% — versus 86.6% at 2000. The most popular deviation is a3 (played 22.2% 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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