ChessThe Nimzo-Indian Defense is 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4. The black bishop jumps to b4 and pins White's knight on c3, so White has a hard time pushing e4 to take the center. The idea is clever and very solid, many world champions have relied on it, and it's well worth learning when you play chess on the web.
Moves and position
Every move is a fight for the e4 square:
1. d4 Nf6White takes the center, and the black knight watches e4.2. c4 e6White adds more control of the center, and Black opens the bishop's path.3. Nc3White's knight comes out, ready to support e4.3... Bb4The black bishop pins that knight right away.
A pinned knight can't go off to protect e4. With one bishop, Black has blocked the move White wants most, e4.
What White wants
- Break the pin: With Qc2, e3 or a3, White frees the knight and still wants to push e4 later.
- Get the bishop pair: If the black bishop takes the white knight, White has two bishops, which are very strong once the position opens.
- A big center: If White can safely push e4, White's pawns can cramp Black.
What Black wants
- Control e4: The knight, the bishop, and if needed b6 and Bb7 too, all watch e4 together.
- Trade bishop for knight: After Bxc3, if White recaptures with the b-pawn, White gets two stacked pawns on the c-file that Black can attack later.
- Castle quickly: With the bishop out, the king can tuck itself away fast.
Main lines
Rubinstein Variation: 4. e3
The most solid and most common line. White accepts that e4 has to wait and develops all the pieces first. Both sides develop normally, and it comes down to who understands the middlegame better.
Classical Variation: 4. Qc2
White protects the knight with the queen, so even if the bishop takes it, White's pawns don't get damaged. The price is that the queen comes out early and development is a little slower. White gets the bishop pair, and Black gets a lead in development.
Sämisch Variation: 4. a3
With a3, White asks the bishop: retreat or take? Black almost always takes. White gets two bishops and can build a big center with f3 and e4. Black targets the c4 pawn and slowly surrounds it. It's a very typical "bishop pair versus pawn structure" battle.
A common trap: rushing e4
The easiest mistake for beginners with White is forgetting that the c3 knight is pinned and pushing e4 anyway:
Why can't White take back? Because the white king is right behind the c3 knight. If the knight moves, the black bishop gives check, so it's an illegal move. White just loses a pawn for nothing, and the black knight sits proudly in the center.
The right idea is: break the pin first, then push e4. For example, play 4. Qc2 first so the queen protects c3, or 4. a3 to make the black bishop decide. Wait until the knight is free before pushing e4.
Who it suits
- Black players who want a steady game: Black doesn't need to take risks and develops quickly.
- Players who like to play "by the principles": Pins, the bishop pair, doubled pawns: you learn all these key ideas at once with this opening.
- Players looking for an answer to 1. d4: It's one of the answers strong players trust most.
It's a close partner of the Queen's Indian Defense. If White plays 3. Nc3, Black plays the Nimzo. If White avoids it with 3. Nf3, Black switches to b6 and it becomes the Queen's Indian.
FAQ
Does Black always have to trade bishop for knight?
No. The bishop can keep pinning the knight and wait for White to commit first. When White asks with a3, Black usually takes. The plus of trading is damaging White's pawns. The minus is giving up the bishop pair.
Why is it called the Nimzo-Indian?
The name comes from Aron Nimzowitsch, a player from the early twentieth century who strongly believed in "controlling the center, not necessarily occupying it." "Indian" is the general name for defenses where Black develops a knight first and moves the center pawns later.
How can White avoid the Nimzo-Indian?
Play Nf3 instead of Nc3 on move three. Then Black often plays b6 and it becomes the Queen's Indian Defense, or plays d5 for a Queen's Gambit position.
Try it yourself
Use the button below to start a game against the computer from the Nimzo-Indian Defense. With Black, remember to keep an eye on e4. For other openings, go back to the openings guide. For something different, head back to the free online chess game home page.
Play this opening against the computer