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Nimzo-Indian Defence

Named after Nimzowitsch: the bishop pins the c3 knight to stop e4. Black is ready to give the bishop for the knight to damage White's pawns.

Advanced · Indian defences · 15 steps. On Chess Castles, Chess Guru reads each step aloud in English, Hindi or Marathi while the moves play on the board, and you can practise any position against the engine.

Step 1

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position

Nimzo-Indian Defence (E54). You play Black. Named after Nimzowitsch: the bishop pins the c3 knight to stop e4. Black is ready to give the bishop for the knight to damage White's pawns.

Step 2

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 1.d4

White plays pawn to d4. It takes a centre square (d4). It opens a line for the bishop on c1. It opens a line for the queen on d1. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 35% of 3.9 million games.

Step 3

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 1...Nf6

Black plays knight to f6. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 60% of 1.4 million games.

Step 4

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 2.c4

White plays pawn to c4. It controls the centre (d5). It opens a line for the queen on d1. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 67% of 805k games.

Step 5

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 2...e6

Black plays pawn to e6. It controls the centre (d5). It opens a line for the bishop on f8. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 49% of 537k games.

Step 6

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 3.Nc3

White plays knight to c3. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 44% of 273k games.

Step 7

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 3...Bb4

Black plays bishop to b4. It develops the bishop into the game. Now castling is possible. It pins the knight on c3. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 82% of 122k games.

Step 8

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 4.e3

White plays pawn to e3. It controls the centre (d4). It opens a line for the queen on d1. It opens a line for the bishop on f1. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 41% of 98k games.

Step 9

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 4...O-O

Black castles. Castling puts the king in safety and brings the rook toward the centre. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 59% of 40k games.

Step 10

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♚︎♜︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 5.Bd3

White plays bishop to d3. It develops the bishop into the game. It controls the centre (e4). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 56% of 23k games.

Step 11

♜︎♞︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♚︎♜︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 5...d5

Black plays pawn to d5. It takes a centre square (d5). It opens a line for the queen on d8. It challenges the opponent's pawns. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 68% of 13k games.

Step 12

♜︎♞︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♚︎♜︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 6.Nf3

White plays knight to f3. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (d4, e5). Now castling is possible. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 53% of 8973 games.

Step 13

♜︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♝︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♚︎♜︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 6...c5

Black plays pawn to c5. It controls the centre (d4). It opens a line for the queen on d8. It challenges the opponent's pawns. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 63% of 6260 games.

Step 14

♜︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♝︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♚︎♜︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 7.O-O

White castles. Castling puts the king in safety and brings the rook toward the centre. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 92% of 6181 games.

Step 15

♚︎♜︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♝︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♚︎♜︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position

This is the main position of the Nimzo-Indian Defence. Now practise it against the engine: choose a strength and play on from here.

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More lessons in Indian defences

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