Nimzo-Indian Defense
Chess opening · ECO E20 · 6 half-moves
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4
The Nimzo-Indian Defense is reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4. It is White's move in the position shown.
It branches from the Indian Defense: Normal Variation with 2… e6 3. Nc3 Bb4.
How often it is played
The Nimzo-Indian Defense and its variations appeared in 0.24% of games — 7,272 of 3,000,000 rated games sampled from Lichess in September 2026. That makes it number 164 of the openings listed here.
Results
White won 50%, 4.5% were drawn and Black won 46%. These are games between players of every strength and time control, so they say how the opening does in practice rather than how sound it is.
What the engine thinks
Stockfish, at depth 18, evaluates the position at +0.21 — a small edge for White. Positive numbers favour White; see reading the evaluation bar.
Similar openings
The most-played alternatives — what else could have been chosen around the move where this opening begins.
| Opening | Moves | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Defense: West Indian Defense | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 | 0.98% |
| Indian Defense: Anti-Nimzo-Indian | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 | 0.56% |
| Benoni Defense | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 | 0.24% |
Main continuations
| Variation | Moves | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 | 0.05% |
| Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 | 0.04% |
| Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 | 0.04% |
| Nimzo-Indian Defense: Leningrad Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bg5 | 0.03% |
| Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 | 0.02% |
| Nimzo-Indian Defense: Kmoch Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. f3 | 0.01% |
| Nimzo-Indian Defense: Spielmann Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qb3 | 0.01% |
| Nimzo-Indian Defense: Dilworth Gambit | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e4 | 0.00% |
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