Nimzo-Indian Defense (E20–E59)

One of the most respected defenses to 1.d4. Black pins the knight and fights for central control.

Every line in this family begins 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6, then branches. Each variation below has its own page with the full move order, the position it reaches, and a Stockfish evaluation.

All 81 lines can be practised free in the browser: pick a variation, walk it move by move in Learn mode, then drill it from memory until you can play it without prompting.

All 81 variations of the Nimzo-Indian Defense

• Romanishin Variation E201. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5
• Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid E201. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5
• Three Knights Variation, Euwe Variation E211. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5
• Three Knights Variation, Korchnoi Variation E211. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5
• Three Knights Variation, Shocron Gambit E211. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Nc3 c5
• Spielmann Variation, Carlsbad Variation E231. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qb3 c5
• Spielmann Variation, Romanovsky Gambit E231. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qb3 c5
• Spielmann Variation, Stahlberg Variation E231. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qb3 c5
• Spielmann Variation, Stahlberg Variation E231. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qb3 c5
• Sämisch Variation, Botvinnik Variation E241. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5
• Sämisch Variation E251. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5
• Sämisch Variation, Keres Variation E251. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5
• Sämisch Variation, Romanovsky Variation E251. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 d5
• Sämisch Variation E261. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+
• Sämisch Variation, O'Kelly Variation E261. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+
• Sämisch Variation E271. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+
• Sämisch Variation E281. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Sämisch Variation E291. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5
• Sämisch Variation, Capablanca Variation E291. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5
• Leningrad Variation, Averbakh Gambit E301. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5 h6
• Leningrad Variation, Benoni Defense E311. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5 h6
• Classical Variation, Keres Defense E321. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O
• Classical Variation, Vitolins-Adorjan Gambit E321. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O
• Classical Variation, Milner-Barry Variation E331. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6
• Classical Variation, Belyavsky Gambit E341. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5
• Classical Variation, Noa Variation E351. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5
• Classical Variation, Noa Variation E361. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5
• Classical Variation, Noa Variation, Botvinnik Variation E361. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5
• Classical Variation, Noa Variation, Main Line E361. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5
• Classical Variation, Romanishin Gambit E361. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5
• Classical Variation, Modern Variation E371. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5
• Classical Variation, Noa Variation E371. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5
• Classical Variation, Noa Variation, San Remo Variation E371. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5
• Classical Variation, Berlin Variation E381. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O
• Classical Variation, Berlin Variation, Steiner Variation E381. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5
• Classical Variation, Berlin Variation, Macieja System E391. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5
• Classical Variation, Berlin Variation, Pirc Variation E391. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5
• Rubinstein System, Hübner Variation E411. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5
• Rubinstein System, Hübner Variation E411. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5
• Rubinstein System, Rubinstein Variation E421. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5
• Rubinstein System, Rubinstein Variation, Main Line E421. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5
• Rubinstein System, Rubinstein Variation, Sherbakov Attack E421. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5
• St. Petersburg Variation E431. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6
• St. Petersburg Variation E431. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6
• St. Petersburg Variation E431. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6
• St. Petersburg Variation E431. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6
• St. Petersburg Variation E431. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6
• St. Petersburg Variation E431. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 Ne4
• St. Petersburg Variation E431. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• St. Petersburg Variation E431. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 Bxc3+
• St. Petersburg Variation E431. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6
• St. Petersburg Variation E431. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6
• St. Petersburg Variation, with Ne4 E431. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6
• St. Petersburg Variation E441. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6
• St. Petersburg Variation, American Variation E441. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6
• St. Petersburg Variation, Romanishin–Psakhis Variation E441. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6
• St. Petersburg Variation, Fischer Variation E451. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6
• Reshevsky Variation E461. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Simagin Variation E461. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation E471. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Classical Defense E481. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Ragozin Defense E481. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Botvinnik System E491. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Main Line E501. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Ragozin Variation E511. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Sämisch Deferred E511. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Ragozin Variation E511. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Schlechter Defense E521. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Schlechter Defense E521. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6
• Normal Variation, Gligoric System E531. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Gligoric System E531. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Keres Variation E531. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Exchange Variation E541. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Exchange Variation E541. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Smyslov Variation E541. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Bronstein Variation E551. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Bernstein Defense E561. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Bernstein Defense E571. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Bernstein Defense, Exchange Line E581. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Bernstein Defense E591. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O
• Normal Variation, Bernstein Defense E591. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O

Frequently asked questions

What are the main moves of the Nimzo-Indian Defense?

The Nimzo-Indian Defense begins 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6. From there it branches into 81 named variations, each with its own move order and typical plans.

What is the ECO code for the Nimzo-Indian Defense?

The Nimzo-Indian Defense is catalogued under ECO codes E20–E59. Individual variations list their own specific code on their page.

How can I practise the Nimzo-Indian Defense for free?

Open any variation on Chess Ramp and use Learn mode to walk the line one move at a time, then Drill mode to replay it from memory. Practice runs in your browser with no account required.