The Yates Variation is a variation of the Queen's Indian Defense, catalogued as ECO E16. The line runs 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 a5 5. g3 b6 6. Bg2 Bb7, reaching the position shown below after 12 half-moves.
White holds the centre with pawns on d4. Development is level at three minor pieces each. It is White to move after six 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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The Yates Variation goes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 a5 5. g3 b6 6. Bg2 Bb7. It is a variation of the Queen's Indian Defense and is catalogued as ECO E16.
The Yates Variation is ECO E16. 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 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 a5 5. g3 b6 6. Bg2 Bb7 at +0.32 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 three minor pieces each. It is White to move.