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Queen's Indian Defence

Black controls the e4 square with the queen's bishop from the side. ...Ba6 attacks c4 to make White's development awkward.

Advanced · Indian defences · 14 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

Queen's Indian Defence (E15). You play Black. Black controls the e4 square with the queen's bishop from the side. ...Ba6 attacks c4 to make White's development awkward.

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.Nf3

White plays knight to f3. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (d4, e5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 44% of 273k games.

Step 7

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

Moves: 3...b6

Black plays pawn to b6. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 36% of 155k games.

Step 8

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

Moves: 4.g3

White plays pawn to g3. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 57% of 58k games.

Step 9

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

Moves: 4...Ba6

Black plays bishop to a6. It develops the bishop into the game. It attacks the pawn on c4. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 54% of 33k games.

Step 10

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

Moves: 5.b3

White plays pawn to b3. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 51% of 17k games.

Step 11

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

Moves: 5...Bb4+

Black plays bishop to b4. It develops the bishop into the game. Now castling is possible. It gives check. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 63% of 9138 games.

Step 12

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

Moves: 6.Bd2

White plays bishop to d2. It develops the bishop into the game. It attacks the bishop on b4. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 100% of 5665 games.

Step 13

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

Moves: 6...Be7

Black plays bishop to e7. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 96% of 5729 games.

Step 14

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

This is the main position of the Queen's 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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