Nimzo-Indian Defense
Stockfish 16.1 · runs in your browser1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 · For Black against 1.d4 · ECO E20 to E59
The example line for Nimzo-Indian Defense is 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4. Explore 104 saved positions and compare up to three engine continuations per position. The saved Stockfish 16 analysis reaches depth 16, with scores in pawns from White's perspective. Step through the opening on the board and try a continuation to explore the resulting position.
By Chessvia · Updated Oct 18, 2026
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Nimzo-Indian Defense
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4
White’s choices
Stockfish 16 · depth 16 · + favours White
Level +0.18
Engine lines
Dilworth Gambit: 4.e4
Black slightly better -0.57
Play this lineKmoch Variation: 4.f3
Level -0.08
Play this line| Line | Moves | Engine check (+ favours White) | Board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sämisch Variation, Botvinnik Variation | 4...d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.e3 O-O 8.cxd5 Nxd5 | Level -0.19 | Play |
| Sämisch Variation | 4...d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5 | Level +0.02 | Play |
| Keres Variation | 7...Nxd5 8.dxc5 | Level +0.24 | Play |
| Romanovsky Variation | 8...f5 | White slightly better +0.52 | Play |
Mikenas Attack: 4.Qd3
Level -0.16
Play this lineRomanishin Variation: 4.g3
Level -0.12
Play this lineThree Knights Variation: 4.Nf3
Level +0.16
Play this line| Line | Moves | Engine check (+ favours White) | Board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romanishin Variation | 4...c5 5.g3 O-O 6.Bg2 | Level +0.25 | Play |
| Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid | 4...c5 5.g3 cxd4 6.Nxd4 O-O 7.Bg2 d5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 | White slightly better +0.31 | Play |
| Korchnoi Variation | 4...c5 5.d5 | Black slightly better -0.30 | Play |
| Euwe Variation | 5...Ne4 | Level +0.10 | Play |
| Shocron Gambit | 5...b5 | White slightly better +0.50 | Play |
| St. Petersburg Variation | 4...Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 b6 6.e3 Bb7 7.Bd3 O-O 8.O-O | Level +0.20 | Play |
| St. Petersburg Variation | 4...b6 5.e3 Ne4 6.Qc2 | Level +0.21 | Play |
| After 9.O-O | 6...Bb7 7.Bd3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 f5 9.O-O | White slightly better +0.32 | Play |
Spielmann Variation: 4.Qb3
Level -0.04
Play this lineSämisch Variation: 4.a3
Level +0.08
Play this lineLeningrad Variation: 4.Bg5
Level -0.07
Play this lineClassical Variation: 4.Qc2
Level +0.18
Play this line| Line | Moves | Engine check (+ favours White) | Board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keres Defense | 4...O-O 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 b6 | Level +0.25 | Play |
| Vitolins-Adorjan Gambit | 4...O-O 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 b5 | White slightly better +0.46 | Play |
| Zurich Variation | 4...Nc6 | White slightly better +0.41 | Play |
| After 5.Nf3 | White slightly better +0.50 | Play | |
| Milner-Barry Variation | 5...d6 | White slightly better +0.53 | Play |
| Zurich Variation | 6.Bd2 | White slightly better +0.53 | Play |
| After 6.e3 | 5...O-O 6.e3 | Level +0.25 | Play |
| Noa Variation | 4...d5 | Level +0.25 | Play |
| Belyavsky Gambit | 5.cxd5 Qxd5 6.Nf3 Qf5 7.Qd1 e5 | Level +0.05 | Play |
| After 5...exd5 | 5.cxd5 exd5 | Level +0.18 | Play |
| After 5.a3 | Level +0.22 | Play | |
| Botvinnik Variation | 5...Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Nc6 | White slightly better +0.42 | Play |
| Main Line | 5...Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Ne4 | White slightly better +0.42 | Play |
| After 7.Qc2 | White slightly better +0.42 | Play | |
| Modern Variation | 7...c5 | White slightly better +0.42 | Play |
| San Remo Variation | 7...Nc6 8.e3 e5 | White slightly better +0.96 | Play |
| Romanishin Gambit | 5...Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 c5 | White slightly better +0.47 | Play |
| Berlin Variation | 4...c5 | White slightly better +0.42 | Play |
| Steiner Variation | 5.dxc5 Bxc3+ | White clearly better +1.03 | Play |
| Pirc Variation | 5.dxc5 O-O | White slightly better +0.37 | Play |
| Macieja System | 6.a3 Bxc5 7.Nf3 b6 | White slightly better +0.53 | Play |
| Berlin Variation | 4...O-O 5.e3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 | Level +0.01 | Play |
Rubinstein System: 4.e3
Level +0.12
Play this line| Line | Moves | Engine check (+ favours White) | Board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taimanov Variation | 4...Nc6 | White slightly better +0.52 | Play |
| After 4...c5 | White slightly better +0.32 | Play | |
| Sämisch Variation | 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 O-O | Level +0.06 | Play |
| Capablanca Variation | 8.Ne2 b6 9.e4 Ne8 | Level -0.03 | Play |
| Hübner Variation | 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 d6 | Level +0.18 | Play |
| After 8...O-O | 8.O-O O-O | Level +0.14 | Play |
| Rubinstein Variation | 5.Ne2 | Level +0.24 | Play |
| Main Line | 5...cxd4 6.exd4 O-O 7.a3 | White slightly better +0.46 | Play |
| Sherbakov Attack | 5...cxd4 6.exd4 O-O 7.c5 | Level -0.03 | Play |
| St. Petersburg Variation | 4...b6 | White slightly better +0.37 | Play |
| After 6.Nf3 | 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3 | Level +0.13 | Play |
| After 6...O-O | Level +0.24 | Play | |
| After 7.O-O | Level +0.16 | Play | |
| After 7...c5 | Level +0.27 | Play | |
| After 9...Be7 | 8.Na4 cxd4 9.a3 Be7 | Level +0.27 | Play |
| After 8...Qe7 | 8.Na4 Qe7 | White slightly better +0.38 | Play |
| Normal Variation, Schlechter Defense | 7...d5 | Level +0.28 | Play |
| With Ne4 | 6...Ne4 | White slightly better +0.34 | Play |
| After 5.Ne2 | White slightly better +0.37 | Play | |
| American Variation | 5...Ne4 | White slightly better +0.42 | Play |
| Romanishin-Psakhis Variation | 5...c5 6.a3 Ba5 | White slightly better +0.45 | Play |
| Fischer Variation | 5...Ba6 | Level +0.26 | Play |
| St. Petersburg Variation | 4...Ne4 5.Qc2 f5 6.Nf3 b6 7.Bd3 Bb7 | White slightly better +0.37 | Play |
| Normal Variation | 4...O-O | Level +0.14 | Play |
| Sämisch Variation | 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 | Level -0.09 | Play |
| Reshevsky Variation | 5.Ne2 | Level +0.08 | Play |
| Simagin Variation | 5...d5 6.a3 Bd6 | Level +0.13 | Play |
| After 5.Bd3 | Level +0.10 | Play | |
| Classical Defense | 5...d5 | Level +0.10 | Play |
| Ragozin Defense | 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.O-O | White slightly better +0.38 | Play |
| Ragozin Variation | 7...dxc4 | White slightly better +0.35 | Play |
| Botvinnik System | 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 | Level +0.13 | Play |
| Schlechter Defense | 6.Nf3 b6 | Level +0.18 | Play |
| Gligoric System | 6.Nf3 c5 | Level +0.19 | Play |
| After 7...Nbd7 | 7.O-O Nbd7 | Level +0.26 | Play |
| Keres Variation | 7.O-O b6 | Level +0.16 | Play |
| Exchange Variation | 7.O-O dxc4 8.Bxc4 | Level +0.19 | Play |
| After 9.exd4 | 8...cxd4 9.exd4 | Level +0.19 | Play |
| Smyslov Variation | 8...Qe7 | White slightly better +0.34 | Play |
| Bronstein Variation | 8...Nbd7 | White slightly better +0.32 | Play |
| Bernstein Defense | 7.O-O Nc6 | White slightly better +0.38 | Play |
| After 9...cxd4 | 8.a3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 cxd4 | White slightly better +0.48 | Play |
| Bernstein Defense, Exchange Line | 8.a3 Bxc3 9.bxc3 | Level +0.07 | Play |
| After 10.Bxc4 | 9...dxc4 10.Bxc4 | Level +0.17 | Play |
| After 11.Qc2 | 10...Qc7 11.Qc2 | Level -0.02 | Play |
| After 5.Nf3 | Level +0.13 | Play | |
| Normal Variation, Ragozin Variation | 5...d5 | Level +0.16 | Play |
| After 6...Nc6 | 6.Bd2 Nc6 | White slightly better +0.56 | Play |
| After 7.a3 | White slightly better +0.56 | Play | |
| Sämisch Deferred | 6.a3 | Level -0.03 | Play |