ECO family guide

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 main line

Position after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 (E20). Open this line on Lichess → · Nimzo-Indian Defense on Lichess

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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Win/draw/loss rate by rating band
Rating band	Games	White / draw / Black	Score for black
1400-1600	1,372,793	50.1% / 3.7% / 46.1%	48.0%
1600-1800	2,629,214	49.5% / 4.3% / 46.3%	48.4%
1800-2000	3,641,100	48.1% / 5.0% / 46.9%	49.4%
2000+	5,226,587	47.7% / 6.5% / 45.8%	49.0%

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 Gambit — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e4
E20Kmoch Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3
E20Mikenas Attack — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qd3
E20Romanishin Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.g3
E20Romanishin Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 c5 5.g3 O-O 6.Bg2
- E20English Hybrid — 1.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 Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3
- E21Euwe Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 c5 5.d5 Ne4
- E21Korchnoi Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 c5 5.d5
- E21Shocron Gambit — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Nc3 c5 5.d5 b5
E22Spielmann Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qb3
- E23Carlsbad Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qb3 c5 5.dxc5 Nc6 6.Nf3 Ne4 7.Bd2 Nxd2
- E23Romanovsky Gambit — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qb3 c5 5.dxc5 Nc6
- E23Stahlberg Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qb3 c5 5.dxc5 Nc6 6.Nf3 Ne4 7.Bd2 Nxc5
  E23Stahlberg Variation — 1.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 Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3
E25Sämisch Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5
E26Sämisch Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 c5 6.e3
E27Sämisch Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 O-O
E28Sämisch Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3
E29Sämisch Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 O-O
- E24Botvinnik Variation — 1.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 Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.dxc5
- E25Romanovsky Variation — 1.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 Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 c5 6.e3 b6
- E29Capablanca Variation — 1.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 Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bg5
- E30Averbakh Gambit — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bg5 h6 5.Bh4 c5 6.d5 b5
- E31Benoni Defense — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bg5 h6 5.Bh4 c5 6.d5 d6
E32Classical Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2
- E32Keres Defense — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 b6
- E32Vitolins-Adorjan Gambit — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 b5
- E33Milner-Barry Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 Nc6 5.Nf3 d6
- E33Zurich Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 Nc6
- E34Belyavsky Gambit — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.cxd5 Qxd5 6.Nf3 Qf5 7.Qd1 e5
- E34Noa Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5
  E35Noa Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.cxd5 exd5
  E36Noa Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3
  E37Noa Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Ne4 7.Qc2
  - E36Botvinnik Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Nc6
  - E36Main Line — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Ne4
  - E37San Remo Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Ne4 7.Qc2 Nc6 8.e3 e5
- E36Romanishin Gambit — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 c5
- E37Modern Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Ne4 7.Qc2 c5
- E38Berlin Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5
  E38Berlin Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.e3 d5 6.Nf3 c5
  - E38Steiner Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 Bxc3+
  - E39Macieja System — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 O-O 6.a3 Bxc5 7.Nf3 b6
  - E39Pirc Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 O-O
E40Rubinstein System — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3
E41Rubinstein System — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5
- E40Taimanov Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 Nc6
- E41Hübner Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 d6
  E41Hübner Variation — 1.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 Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Ne2
  - E42Main Line — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Ne2 cxd4 6.exd4 O-O 7.a3
  - E42Sherbakov Attack — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Ne2 cxd4 6.exd4 O-O 7.c5
E43St. Petersburg Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6
E43St. Petersburg Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3
E43St. Petersburg Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3 O-O
E43St. Petersburg Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3 O-O 7.O-O
E43St. Petersburg Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3 O-O 7.O-O c5
E43St. Petersburg Variation — 1.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 Be7
E43St. Petersburg Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 Ne4 5.Qc2 f5 6.Nf3 b6 7.Bd3 Bb7
E43St. Petersburg Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 c5 6.Nf3 b6 7.O-O Bb7 8.Na4 Qe7
E43St. Petersburg Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 b6 6.e3 Bb7 7.Bd3 O-O 8.O-O
E43St. Petersburg Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nf3 b6 5.e3 Ne4 6.Qc2
E43St. Petersburg Variation — 1.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-O
E44St. Petersburg Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Ne2
- E43with Ne4 — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3 Ne4
- E44American Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Ne2 Ne4
- E44Romanishin-Psakhis Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Ne2 c5 6.a3 Ba5
- E45Fischer Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Ne2 Ba6
E46Normal Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O
E47Normal Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3
- E48Classical Defense — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5
- E49Botvinnik System — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3
- E51Ragozin Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Nf3 d5
- E51Sämisch Deferred — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Nf3 d5 6.a3
- E52Schlechter Defense — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 b6
  E52Schlechter Defense — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Bd3 Bb7 6.Nf3 O-O 7.O-O d5
- E53Gligoric System — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5
  E53Gligoric System — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O Nbd7
  - E53Keres Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O b6
  - E54Exchange Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O dxc4 8.Bxc4
    E54Exchange Variation — 1.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 Variation — 1.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 Variation — 1.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 Defense — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O Nc6
    E57Bernstein Defense — 1.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 Defense — 1.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.Bxc4
  E59Bernstein Defense — 1.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 Line — 1.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 Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Ne2
E46Simagin Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Ne2 d5 6.a3 Bd6
E48Ragozin Defense — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.O-O
E51Ragozin Variation — 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.O-O dxc4