Nimzo-Indian Defense: all variations and ECO codes
99 named lines across 40 ECO codes (E20–E59). Source: the CC0-licensed lichess.org opening database.
The idea
The 99 named lines mostly split on how White meets the pin on c3: the Classical Variation (4.Qc2) avoids doubled pawns entirely by preparing to recapture on c3 with the queen instead of a pawn, the Rubinstein Variation (4.e3) develops naturally and accepts the doubled pawns if the bishop trades, and the sharper 4.a3 lines force the issue immediately, trading a tempo for the bishop pair right away.
The main line
How the main line scores at your rating
Real Lichess win rates for 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4, playing as black: the family’s other variations are not separately tracked for win rate yet, main line only.
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| Rating band | Games | White / draw / Black | Score for black | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1400-1600 | 211 | Not enough games at this band yet. | |||
| 1600-1800 | 371 | Not enough games at this band yet. | |||
| 1800-2000 | 609 | Not enough games at this band yet. | |||
| 2000+ | 853 | Not enough games at this band yet. | |||
All 99 named variations
Every named line in the Nimzo-Indian Defense family, from the CC0-licensed ECO classification: not separately tracked for win rate, but every ECO code and move sequence is real, sourced data.
- E20Nimzo-Indian Defense (main line)1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4
- E50Nimzo-Indian Defense (main line)1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Nf3
- E20Dilworth Gambit1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e4
- E20Kmoch Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3
- E20Mikenas Attack1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qd3
- E20Romanishin Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.g3E20Romanishin Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 c5 5.g3 O-O 6.Bg2
- E20English Hybrid1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 c5 5.g3 cxd4 6.Nxd4 O-O 7.Bg2 d5 8.cxd5 Nxd5
- E21Three Knights Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3
- E21Euwe Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 c5 5.d5 Ne4
- E21Korchnoi Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 c5 5.d5
- E21Shocron Gambit1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Nc3 c5 5.d5 b5
- E22Spielmann Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qb3
- E23Carlsbad Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qb3 c5 5.dxc5 Nc6 6.Nf3 Ne4 7.Bd2 Nxd2
- E23Romanovsky Gambit1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qb3 c5 5.dxc5 Nc6
- E23Stahlberg Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qb3 c5 5.dxc5 Nc6 6.Nf3 Ne4 7.Bd2 Nxc5E23Stahlberg Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qb3 c5 5.dxc5 Nc6 6.Nf3 Ne4 7.Bd2 Nxc5 8.Qc2 f5 9.g3
- E24Sämisch Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3E25Sämisch Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5E26Sämisch Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 c5 6.e3E27Sämisch Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 O-OE28Sämisch Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3E29Sämisch Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 O-O
- E24Botvinnik Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.e3 O-O 8.cxd5 Nxd5
- E25Keres Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.dxc5
- E25Romanovsky Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.dxc5 f5
- E26O’Kelly Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 c5 6.e3 b6
- E29Capablanca Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 O-O 8.Ne2 b6 9.e4 Ne8
- E30Leningrad Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bg5
- E30Averbakh Gambit1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bg5 h6 5.Bh4 c5 6.d5 b5
- E31Benoni Defense1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bg5 h6 5.Bh4 c5 6.d5 d6
- E32Classical Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2
- E32Keres Defense1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 b6
- E32Vitolins-Adorjan Gambit1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 b5
- E33Milner-Barry Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6
- E33Zurich Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 Nc6
- E34Belyavsky Gambit1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.cxd5 Qxd5 6.Nf3 Qf5 7.Qd1 e5
- E34Noa Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5E35Noa Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.cxd5 exd5E36Noa Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3E37Noa Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Ne4 7.Qc2
- E36Botvinnik Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Nc6
- E36Main Line1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Ne4
- E37San Remo Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Ne4 7.Qc2 Nc6 8.e3 e5
- E36Romanishin Gambit1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 c5
- E37Modern Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Ne4 7.Qc2 c5
- E38Berlin Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5E38Berlin Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.e3 d5 6.Nf3 c5
- E38Steiner Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 Bxc3+
- E39Macieja System1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 O-O 6.a3 Bxc5 7.Nf3 b6
- E39Pirc Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 O-O
- E40Rubinstein System1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3E41Rubinstein System1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5
- E40Taimanov Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 Nc6
- E41Hübner Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 d6E41Hübner Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 d6 8.O-O O-O
- E42Rubinstein Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Ne2
- E42Main Line1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Ne2 cxd4 6.exd4 O-O 7.a3
- E42Sherbakov Attack1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Ne2 cxd4 6.exd4 O-O 7.c5
- E43St. Petersburg Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6E43St. Petersburg Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3E43St. Petersburg Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3 O-OE43St. Petersburg Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3 O-O 7.O-OE43St. Petersburg Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3 O-O 7.O-O c5E43St. Petersburg Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3 O-O 7.O-O c5 8.Na4 cxd4 9.a3 Be7E43St. Petersburg Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 Ne4 5.Qc2 f5 6.Nf3 b6 7.Bd3 Bb7E43St. Petersburg Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 c5 6.Nf3 b6 7.O-O Bb7 8.Na4 Qe7E43St. Petersburg Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 b6 6.e3 Bb7 7.Bd3 O-O 8.O-OE43St. Petersburg Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 b6 5.e3 Ne4 6.Qc2E43St. Petersburg Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 b6 5.e3 Ne4 6.Qc2 Bb7 7.Bd3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 f5 9.O-OE44St. Petersburg Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Ne2
- E43with Ne41.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3 Ne4
- E44American Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Ne2 Ne4
- E44Romanishin-Psakhis Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Ne2 c5 6.a3 Ba5
- E45Fischer Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Ne2 Ba6
- E46Normal Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-OE47Normal Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3
- E48Classical Defense1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5
- E49Botvinnik System1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3
- E51Ragozin Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Nf3 d5
- E51Sämisch Deferred1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Nf3 d5 6.a3
- E52Schlechter Defense1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 b6E52Schlechter Defense1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3 O-O 7.O-O d5
- E53Gligoric System1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5E53Gligoric System1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O Nbd7
- E53Keres Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O b6
- E54Exchange Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O dxc4 8.Bxc4E54Exchange Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O dxc4 8.Bxc4 cxd4 9.exd4
- E54Smyslov Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O dxc4 8.Bxc4 Qe7
- E55Bronstein Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O dxc4 8.Bxc4 Nbd7
- E56Bernstein Defense1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O Nc6E57Bernstein Defense1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O Nc6 8.a3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 cxd4
- E59Bernstein Defense1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O Nc6 8.a3 Bxc3 9.bxc3 dxc4 10.Bxc4E59Bernstein Defense1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 c5 9.Nf3 Nc6 10.O-O Qc7 11.Qc2
- E58Exchange Line1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O Nc6 8.a3 Bxc3 9.bxc3
- E46Reshevsky Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Ne2
- E46Simagin Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Ne2 d5 6.a3 Bd6
- E48Ragozin Defense1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.O-O
- E51Ragozin Variation1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.O-O dxc4
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