The Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation, Nimzowitsch Attack is a variation of the Queen's Indian Defense, catalogued as ECO E15. The line runs 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Qa4, reaching the position shown below after 9 half-moves.
White holds the centre with pawns on d4. Development is level at one minor pieces each. It is Black to move after five moves.
On the Queen's Indian Defense generally: A flexible defense to 1.d4 where Black fianchettoes the queen's bishop to control e4.
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See all 59 Queen's Indian Defense variations →
The Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation, Nimzowitsch Attack goes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Qa4. It is a variation of the Queen's Indian Defense and is catalogued as ECO E15.
The Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation, Nimzowitsch Attack is ECO E15. ECO codes group openings by their move order, so nearby codes cover closely related lines of the Queen's Indian Defense.
Stockfish evaluates the position after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Qa4 at +0.33 at depth 18, which is a slight pull for White, within normal opening margins. Engine evaluation is only a starting point — at club level the practical value of a line is mostly about whether you know its plans better than your opponent does.
White holds the centre with pawns on d4. Development is level at one minor pieces each. It is Black to move.