The f3–Nimzo-Indian Defence - Summary

Christer Sundqvist: Complete analysis of the f3–Nimzo-Indian Defence.

This is a summary of a massive analysis package that includes the f3–Nimzo-Indian Defence. I'd like to demonstrate a typical line of play in order to pique your interest in this rapidly evolving chess opening.

With a small investment from your side (only 50 euros), I can send the entire package (7 PGN files) to your e-mail address. I also provide you with regular updates at no additional cost. I use PayPal, MobilePay, and standard IBAN bank transfers. Please tell me how you want to pay for the chess opening package. My email is turpaduunari@outlook.com.

If you believe my request for money is unethical or greedy, I am willing to consider alternative options (exchange of valuable ideas or other forms of cooperation).

I have used these resources:

• Batsford's Modern Chess Openings (15th edition)

• Cheparinov, Ivan. Play 4.f3 against the Nimzo-Indian Defence. 2023

• Chess Cloud Database Query Mode (https://www.chessdb.cn/queryc_en/)

• Chess Informant 152

• Chessbase software

• Denby, Caleb. The f3 Nimzo-Indian: Chess Openings Explained (2021)

• Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, 4th edition. (2008)

• ICCF Games Archive (https://www.iccf.com/message?message=454 ) 1961–2025

• Lakdawala, Cyrus. Opening Repertoire 1 d4 with 2 c4. Everyman Chess, 2019

• Moskalenko, Viktor. An Attacking Repertoire for White with 1.d4. New in Chess, 2019

• Opening Master Chess Database (https://www.openingmaster.com/)

• Personal chess database (approx. 90 million games)

• Stockfish 17 chess engine

• Sundqvist, Christer. The f3 Nimzo-Indian Opening played by a strong correspondence chess player 2019-2025

• The Week in Chess (https://theweekinchess.com/twic ) 1994–2025

• Ward, Chris. Offbeat nimzo-indian. Everyman Chess (2005)

• Yakovich, Yury. Play the 4 f3 Nimzo-Indian. Gambit Publications 2004.

A huge analysis package

As the f3–Nimzo-Indian Defence analysis package is huge, I had to split the package into 7 different files. In this way your chess computer program is able to handle the material quite easily. If you so wish, you can always merge all the files together.

The files are:

#1. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 c5 5.d5 other moves

#2. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 other moves

#3. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Be7

#4. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 0-0

#5. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 c5 5.d5 0-0

#6. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5

#7. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 0-0 (FREE PGN-file for download)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3

Analysis package #2 covers all the Black variations except 4...c5, 4...d5 and 4...0–0

4...d5 [Analysis packages #1 and #5 cover the 4...c5 move. Analysis packages #3, #6 and #7 cover the 4...d5 move. Often Black reacts to White's plans in the centre immediately. Other popular moves are 4...c5 and 4...0–0. The move 4...d5 is the most natural reaction to White's intended occupation of the centre: Black instinctively prevents the e4 advance.]

5.a3 [I believe only this move (Sämisch variation) can justify the moves 4.f3 d5. You will find alternative 5th White moves in the analysis package #1.

Now the struggle for the centre (e2–e4) continues. White will remain in the driver's seat, and might be able to steer the play into a successful middle game. A well-prepared Black might however be prepared for very drawish lines of play. ]

5...Bxc3+ [This is the main line. Alternative moves are covered in the analysis package #3]

6.bxc3 [The only relevant move.]

6...0–0 [Black continues development, giving White a free hand in the centre. Play typically transposes to the Botvinnik line of the Rubinstein System, in which the majority of players prefer White. The analysis package #6 covers the very popular alternative 6...c5.]

[6...c6 This move (6...c6) was first introduced into tournament play by Lithuanian grandmaster Eduardas Rozentalis. At first glance this move seems a little odd: having exchanged his dark-squared bishop, Black then proceeds to arrange his pawns on light squares. However, things are not so simple. Black is intending to capture on d5 with the c-pawn followed by exchanging the light-squared bishop via the a6–square. In order to cast doubt over Black's idea, White must play extremely energetically. In addition, Black wants to play b6 and Ba6. 

7.e4!? Sergei Volkov's recommendation. This is an aggressive move which, in my opinion, is the only one that leads to an advantage for White. See examples of possible continuations: 

7...Qa5 8.e5 Nfd7 (8...Qxc3+ 9.Bd2 Qxd4 10.exf6 Qxf6 11.f4 e5 12.cxd5 exf4 13.Bb4 a5 14.Bd2 Qh4+ 15.g3 fxg3 16.Nf3 g2+ 17.Nxh4 gxh1Q 18.Qe2+ Kf8 1–0 (31) Al Darmaky,S (1776)-Hamad,E (1906) Sharjah UAE 2019) 9.Bd2 Na6 10.cxd5 exd5 11.Bd3 0–0 12.f4 Qd8 13.Nf3 Nb6 14.f5 Qe7 15.f6 gxf6 16.0–0 fxe5 17.Nxe5 f6 18.Bh6 Re8 19.Ng4 Nd7 20.Qd2 Qf7 21.Nxf6+ Nxf6 22.Qg5+ Kh8 23.Rxf6 Qg8 24.Rf8 Be6

25.Qg7# 1–0 (25) Serditykh,O (2016)-Kozhevnikova,A (1604) Sochi 2024; 

6...b6 solves the developmental problems of the white-squared Black bishop. 7.cxd5 exd5 8.e3 CCD +1 8...Bb7 (8...0–0 9.Bd3 c5 10.Ne2

Batsford's Chess Openings thinks White has a slight advantage10...Re8 11.0–0) 9.Bd3 Nbd7 (9...Nc6 10.Ne2 Na5 11.0–0 h5 12.e4 dxe4 13.fxe4 Nxe4 14.Ng3 Nxg3 15.hxg3 h4 16.Qg4 Qd5 17.Qh3 Nb3 18.Rb1 Nxd4 19.Re1+ Kf8 20.cxd4 Qxd4+ 21.Re3 Re8 22.Rb4 Qa1 23.Rb1 Qd4 24.Rb4 Qa1 25.Rb1

25...Qd4 ½–½ (25) Krishnater,K (1972)-Krishna Teja,N (2268) Rajahmundry IND 2016) 10.Ne2 Qe7 11.0–0 0–0 12.Ng3 Rfe8 (12...g6 13.a4 c5 14.Qe2 Rfe8 15.Bd2 h5 16.Nh1 Kg7 17.Nf2 Nf8 18.Rfe1 Ne6 19.Nh3 Bc6 20.Bb5 Nd8 1–0 (42) Guilbert,J (2003)-Peyre,T (1922) Pau 2008) 13.Ra2 Nf8 14.Re2 Supports the e4–push. 14...c5 15.e4 By move 15 Black is paralyzed to stop e3–e4 and soon was forced to resign. Denby,C-McConnel,G (2072); 

6...h6 Simple idea: prevents Bg5. 7.cxd5 White is slightly better 7...exd5 8.e3 0–0 9.Bd3 Re8 10.Ne2 Nbd7 (10...b6 11.0–0 Ba6 12.Bxa6 Nxa6 13.Qd3 Qc8 14.Ng3 c5 15.e4 cxd4 16.cxd4 Qc4 17.Qxc4 dxc4 18.Nf5 Red8 19.Bf4 Rd7 1–0 (29) Moskalenko,V (2539)-Benitez Perez,J (2076) Barcelona 2007) 11.0–0 Nf8 12.Ng3 N8h7 13.e4 dxe4 14.fxe4 c5 15.e5 Nd5 16.Qh5 Be6 17.Bxh6 Nxc3

18.Bxh7+ 1–0 (18) Barrionuevo,P (2312)-Sammartino,G (1908) Buenos Aires 2011; 

6...Nbd7 Karjakin. Not as good as 6…Nc6 7.e3 0–0 8.Bd3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 c5 10.Ne2 e5 11.0–0 cxd4 12.cxd4 exd4 13.Qxd4 (13.Nxd4 Ne5 14.Ba2 b6 15.Qe2 Bb7 16.Bb2 Bd5 17.Rfd1 Bxa2 18.Rxa2 Qd5 ½–½ (63) Kuester,M (1903)-Ozeran,V (2064) Berlin 2009) 13...Nb6 14.Rd1 (14.Bb3 Qxd4 15.Nxd4 Rd8 16.Bb2 Bd7 17.e4 Na4 18.Bxa4 Bxa4 19.Nf5 Ne8 1–0 (71) Vittorino,C (2228)-Gutierrez Castillo,J (2283) Cali 2007) 14...Qxd4 15.Rxd4 Nxc4 16.Rxc4 Be6 17.Rc7 Bd5 18.Bb2 Rfc8 19.Rac1 Bc6 20.Rxc8+ Rxc8 1–0 (43) De Oliveira,L (2056)-Souza Santos,C (2074) Boa Vista 2017; 

6...dxc4 gives away the centre, since White plays immediately 7.e4 7.e4 b5 is a bit greedy. 8.a4 c6 9.Ba3 White’s bishop pair, dark square control, strong centre and the fact that Black is unable to castle are far more meaningful than the not-so-great extra pawn. 9...Nfd7 10.Ne2 a6 (10...Nb6 11.axb5 cxb5 12.d5 Na4 13.Nd4 Bd7 14.dxe6 fxe6 15.f4 Qb6 16.Qh5+ Kd8 1–0 (30) Bislin-Wild,R (2320)-Reichgeld,M (2174) ICCF 2021) 11.Ng3 c5 12.Be2 (12.dxc5) 12...h5 (12...Nc6 13.dxc5 0–0 14.0–0 Nde5 15.f4 Nd3 16.Rf3 Ra7 17.axb5 axb5 18.Bxd3 Rd7 ½–½ (33) Tritt,M (2339)-Naumenko,A (2281) ICCF 2019) 13.h4 Nc6 14.dxc5 (14.d5) 14...Bb7 15.f4 Qc7 16.0–0 Na5 17.axb5 axb5 18.Bb4 Nb3 19.Rxa8+ Bxa8 20.Nxh5 Ndxc5 21.f5 0–0 22.fxe6 fxe6 23.Rxf8+ Kxf8 24.e5 Qxe5 25.Qd8+ Kf7 ½–½ (42) Sundqvist,C (2361)-Valo,T (2193) ICCF 2023; 

6...Nc6 [not the worst move, maybe the second best after the most promising 6...c5] 7.cxd5 exd5 8.e3 Bf5 9.Ne2 0–0 (9...h5) 10.Ra2 (10.h3) 10...h5 equal 11.h3 Ne7 12.g4 Bh7 13.Nf4 Ng6 14.Be2 Rc8 (14...Qd6 15.Kf2 h4 16.a4 equal 16...Rfe8 17.Qg1 Rac8 18.Qh2 c5 19.Nxg6 Qxh2+ 20.Rxh2 Bxg6 21.Rh1 cxd4 22.cxd4 Nh7 23.Bd2 Ng5 24.Kg2 f6 25.Bd1 Bb1 ½–½ (42) Sundqvist,C (2361)-Havumaeki,A (2397) ICCF email 2023) 15.a4 c5 16.dxc5 b6 17.Ba6 Rxc5 18.0–0 White is slightly better. 18...Rxc3 19.Bd2 Rc7 20.Bb4 Re8 21.Ng2 Ne5 22.Bb5 Nc6 23.Be1

23...Qd6 ½–½ (43) Sundqvist,C (2247)-Kirch,B (2126) LSS 2023; 

6...Qe7 Interesting, but rarely played. 7.e3 (7.cxd5) 7...0–0 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bd3 Re8 10.Ne2 c6 11.0–0 c5 12.Ng3 Nc6 13.Ra2 Qc7 14.Re2 Be6 15.Bb2 Rad8 16.Qe1 Na5 17.Qf2 a6 18.Rfe1 Qd7 19.e4 dxe4 20.Nxe4 Nxe4 21.fxe4 Bb3 ½–½ (32) Legemaat,G (2326)-Konovalenko,A ICCF email 2010]

7.cxd5! [White is fixing the double pawns. The alternative moves are not as good.]

[7.e3 b6 (7...Nh5 8.Qc2 f5 9.Nh3 c5 10.Bd3 g6 11.0–0 Nc6 12.cxd5 Qxd5 13.c4 Qd6 14.d5 Ne5 15.Be2 Nf6 16.Bb2 exd5 17.cxd5 b6 18.Qc3 Ned7 19.e4 Re8 20.Bb5 1–0 (20) Golsta,R (1777)-Hutchinson,N (1974) Cambridge ENG 2023) 8.Bd3 (8.Nh3) 8...Bb7 9.Nh3 Nbd7 10.0–0 c5 11.Bb2 Qc7 12.Qe2 dxc4 13.Bxc4 e5 14.e4 Ne8 15.Rac1 Nd6 16.Bd3 c4 17.Bb1 b5 18.f4 f6 19.Rcd1 Rae8 ½–½ (34) Rodi,L (2196)-Stevens,A (1878) Sunnyvale USA 2023; 

7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 b6 (8...c5 9.e3 b6 10.Bd3 Ba6 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Ne2 Re8 13.Qd2 Bxd3 14.Qxd3 Qe7 15.Bf2 Nc6 16.0–0 Na5 17.Ng3 Rad8 18.Rae1 c4 19.Qc2 Qxa3 20.e4 Qb3 21.Qd2 Qb5 22.e5 Nh7 23.f4 f6 24.f5 Nb3 25.Qf4 Qa5 26.Nh5 Rf8 27.e6 Rde8

28.Re3 1–0 (28) Vedder,R (2216)-Saim,M (2191) chess.com INT 2024) 9.e3 Bb7 (9...Nc6 10.cxd5 exd5 11.Bd3 Na5 12.Ne2 Re8 13.Bf2 c5 14.0–0 c4 15.Bc2 Qe7 16.Ng3 Bd7 17.e4 dxe4 18.fxe4 Nb3 19.Rb1 Qxa3 1–0 (38) Vedder,R (2216)-Sargsyan,A (2361) chess.com INT 2024) 10.Bd3 Nbd7 11.Ne2; 

7.a4 c5 8.e3 (8.Ba3 Qa5 9.Bxc5 Qxc3+ 10.Kf2 Rd8 11.a5 Qxc4 12.e4 Qc3 13.Bd3 dxe4 14.fxe4 Ng4+ 15.Kf3 Ne5+ 16.Ke3 Na6 17.Rc1 Qxa5 18.Ra1 Qc3 19.Ra3 Nc4+ 0–1 (19) Khaziev,R (1000)-Zaynutdinov,I (1986) Nabereznye Chelny 2010) 8...Re8 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Bb5 Bd7 11.Ne2 Bxb5 12.axb5 Nbd7 13.0–0 Qb6 14.Qa4 a6 15.Rb1 Qc7 16.Ng3 Re6 17.e4 cxd4 18.Qxd4 dxe4 19.fxe4 Qc5 20.bxa6 bxa6 0–1 (53) Blackburn,J (2170)-Richardson,A (2104) England 2010]

7...exd5 [7...Nxd5?! (This is worse than 7...cxd5 8.e4! White is much better.) 8...Nf6 9.Bg5 e5 10.dxe5 Qxd1+ 11.Rxd1 Nfd7 12.Bf4 Nc6 13.e6 Nc5 14.exf7+ Rxf7 15.Be3 b6 16.Bxc5 bxc5 17.Bc4 Ba6 18.Bxa6 Rff8 19.Bb7 Rab8 20.Bxc6 Kh8 21.Ne2 h6 22.Kf2 Rb2 23.Rd7 Rfb8 24.Rhd1 R8b3

25.e5 1–0 (25) Risko,N (1841)-Delgado,T (1337) ICCF 2024]

8.e3 [8.Bg5 h6 9.Bh4 b6 10.e3 Ba6 11.Bxa6 Nxa6 12.Ne2 c5 13.0–0 Nc7 14.e4 g5 15.Bg3 dxe4 16.fxe4 Nxe4 17.Qd3 f5 18.Be5 Rc8 19.Rf3 Qd5 20.Raf1 Qe6 21.g4 cxd4 22.cxd4 Nd6 23.gxf5 Qd5 24.f6 Ne4 25.f7+ Kh7

26.Ng3 1–0 (26) Avetisyan,M (2055)-Tarasova,V (2226) chess.com INT 2024]

8...c5 [Black immediately begins play in the centre of the board, not preventing White from developing the bishop to d3.]

[8...Bf5 Black aims to develop his bishop to a comfortable square before his opponent develops his own light-squared bishop to d3. 9.Ne2! Re8 10.Ng3 (10.g4! this move is now possible. 10...Bg6 11.h4 h5 12.g5 Nfd7 13.Nf4 c5 14.Kf2 Nc6 15.Nxd5 Qa5 16.e4 cxd4 17.cxd4 Rxe4 18.fxe4 Bxe4 19.Bc4 Bxd5 20.Bxd5 Qxd5 21.Be3 f6 22.Qf3 Qd6 23.g6 Nb6 24.Qxh5 Qd5 25.Qh7+ Kf8 26.Qh8+ Ke7 27.Qxg7+ Ke6 28.Qf7+ Kd6

29.Bf4+ 1–0 (29) Ruff,M (2230)-Mitrovic,D (2220) chess.com INT 2023; 10.Nf4 Qd6 11.Be2 h6 12.g4 Bh7 13.h4 g5 14.hxg5 hxg5 15.Nh5 Nxh5 16.Rxh5 Bg6 17.Rh1 Nd7 18.Kf2 Kg7 19.c4 Rh8 0–1 (44) Sahoo,U (2283)-Bogdanov,E (2493) Krakow 2024) 10...Bg6 11.Bd3 Nbd7 (11...Bxd3 12.Qxd3 Nbd7 13.0–0 c6 14.Ra2 Nb6 15.e4 1–0 ; Denby,C-Amburgy,Ryan (1998)) 12.0–0 c6 13.Bxg6 hxg6 14.Qd3 Nb6 15.e4 Nc4 16.e5 Nd7 17.f4 Nf8 18.f5 Qd7 19.fxg6 Nxg6 1–0 (33) Bobkov,V (2253)-Koziorowicz,M (2289) chess.com INT 2024; 

8...b6

A) 9.Bd3 Ba6 (9...Re8; 9...c5 main line) 10.Bxa6 (10.Ne2 Bxd3 11.Qxd3 c5 12.g4 Nc6 13.Ra2 Re8) 10...Nxa6 11.Qd3 (11.Ne2) 11...Qc8 12.Ne2 c5 13.0–0 Re8 14.Ng3 Qb7 15.Ra2 Re6 (15...b5 16.Re2 b4 17.cxb4 cxb4 18.Rb2 Rab8 19.Bd2 Nd7 20.Bxb4 Nxb4 21.Rxb4 Nb6 1–0 (47) Novikov,I (2601)-Furdzik,R (2240) New York 2002; 15...cxd4 16.cxd4 Rac8) 16.Re2 Rae8 17.Rfe1 h5 (17...b5 18.a4 Nc7 ½–½ (18) Khurtsidze,N (2451)-Bojkovic,N (2397) Dresden 2007; 17...g6 18.e4 c4 19.Qc2 Qc6 20.e5 Nd7 21.f4 f5 22.exf6 Rxe2 23.Rxe2 Nxf6 1–0 (44) Maksimenko,A (2543)-Murdzia,P (2449) Germany 2013) 18.Qf5 (18.h4 Qc7 19.Kf2 Nb8 20.e4 dxe4 21.Nxe4 Nxe4+ 22.Rxe4 cxd4 ½–½ (37) Habermehl,T (2480)-Stanojevic,S (2381) ICCF email 2012; 18.e4 c4 19.Qc2 h4 20.e5 hxg3 21.exf6 gxh2+ 22.Kh1

22...Rxe2 ½–½ (22) Pilgram,K (1958)-Kolanek,R (2053) LSS email 2014) 18...g6 19.Qf4 Qd7 (19...Qc7 20.Qh4 cxd4 21.cxd4 Qc4 22.Qg5 Nh7 0–1 (41) Vybiral,Z (2232)-Kislik,E (2310) Budapest 2009) 20.Bb2 cxd4 21.cxd4 Rc6 0–1 (41) Beliavsky,A (2640)-Short,N (2635) Linares 1990;

B) 9.Ra2

Volkov' s idea goes a lot deeper and is far more interesting. White is preparing a kingside pawnstorm with g4, which will be supported by the rook by switching from a2 to g2! 9...Re8 10.g4! CCD +8 10...c5 11.Rg2!? The rook is ready to support the kingside pawn-storm. If a weaker player had been playing Black then chess writers would surely have consigned this game to the curiosity shop, for how can such a strange rook move be taken seriously when White has not yet developed a single minor piece? 11...Ba6 12.Bxa6 Nxa6 13.Ne2 Nc7 14.h4 Ne6 15.0–0! Even so, it is now time to move the king to a safe location!  15...cxd4 16.exd4! Naturally, White does not want to open the c-file for the black rooks. At the cost of damaging his solid pawnstructure, White's dark-squared bishop can now take part in the struggle on the kingside.  16...Rc8 17.Qd3 Qc7 18.Qf5 Qc4 19.h5 Nd7 20.g5 Nef8 21.Rff2 Rc6 1–0 (45) Volkov,S (2558)-Shariyazdanov,A (2594) Elista 2001; 

8...Nh5

A) 9.Ne2 CCD +19 9...Nd7 10.g4 Qh4+ 11.Kd2 Nhf6 12.Qe1 Qh6 13.Nf4 Nb6 14.h4 Nfd7 15.a4 Re8 16.a5 Nc4+ 17.Bxc4 dxc4 18.Nd5 Qd6 19.e4 c5 1–0 (58) Sundqvist,C (2221)-Oliveira,D (2255) LSS 2023;

B) 9.g3 CCD +15 9...c5 10.Bd3 (10.Bg2 b6 11.Ne2 Ba6 12.0–0 Nc6 13.Rf2 Re8 14.e4 cxd4 15.Nxd4 Na5 16.f4 Nf6 17.e5 Ne4 18.Bxe4 dxe4 0–1 (45) Tang,K (1493)-Zhang,D (2183) Qiziwan CHN 2023) 10...Nc6 11.Ra2 Re8 12.Kf1 f5 13.Rg2 Qf6 14.h3 g6 15.Ne2 Be6 16.Kg1 Bf7 17.Qf1 cxd4 18.exd4 Ng7 19.g4 Kh8 1–0 (49) Jimenez Ruano,A (2307)-Barsegyan,H (2442) Barcelona ESP 2024;

C) 9.Qc2! Re8 10.g4! Nf4 11.h4! c5 12.Kf2

A colourful position - without developing a single minor piece and already having begun a pawn offensive on the kingside, White now makes a move with his king! Amazingly, he also stands better! 12...Ng6 13.Bd3! Nc6 14.Ne2 CCD +67 14...Be6 15.g5! Rc8 16.h5 Nf8 17.g6! fxg6 18.hxg6 h6 19.Qb1 Na5 20.Nf4 c4 21.Bc2 Rc6 22.Ra2! Nd7 23.a4! Nf6 1–0 (50) Gheorghiu,F-Fischer,R Havana 1966; 

8...Re8 9.Bd3 c5 10.Ne2 (10.Ra2; 10.a4; 10.h4; 10.Bd2) 10...Nc6 In a video Caleb Denby explains that this is a misstep because Black can no longer get rid of the light-squared Bishop of White. (10...b6 11.0–0) 11.0–0 This position can be reached via many different lines of the Nimzo-Indian Defence. 11...Nh5 (11...c4 this might be a mistake as Black gives away the control of d4 12.Bc2 b6 13.Ng3 White has been able to carry out his plan and is ready to carry out the d4–push 13...h6 14.e4 dxe4 15.fxe4 Bg4 16.Qe1 Nxd4? 17.cxd4 Qxd4+ 18.Be3 Qd6 19.h3

19...Be6 Denby, Caleb-Higgins, Derrick (2079) and White won easily) 12.g4 Nf6 13.Ng3 h6 14.Ra2 Qa5 15.h4! White is better 15...c4 16.Bc2 Qd8 17.Bb1 Nh7 18.Rh2 Nf8 19.e4 Qb6 1–0 (37) Cvitan,O (2500)-Prandstetter,E (2430) Prague 1987]

9.Bd3 [White aims for Bd3 - Ne2 - 0–0, and then preparing for the king-side attack. Black's counter play will focus on the queen side as well as the center.]

[9.Bd2 c4 10.Kf2 (10.Nh3 Nc6 11.Nf4 Re8) 10...Bf5 11.g3 Nc6 12.h4 h5 13.Nh3 Bxh3 14.Bxh3 g6 15.Qc2 Na5 16.Rae1 Nb3 17.Bc1 Nxc1 18.Qxc1 Re8 19.Re2 Re7 20.Rhe1 Qe8 21.Qc2 a5 1–0 (44) Drakoulakos,G (1775)-Mouratidis,H (1869) Nikea 2012; 

This is a very rich line of this variation as you can see of many different move options. 9.Ne2 Re8 10.g4 Nc6; 

9.dxc5 Nc6 (9...Qa5; 9...Nbd7) 10.Ne2 Qa5 (10...Re8) ; 

9.Ra2 Re8 (9...Qa5) 10.Bd3 b6 (10...Nc6 11.Ne2) ; 

9.g4 Re8 10.Ne2 (10.Bd3) 10...Nc6]

9...b6 [An idea of Keres's - by developing the bishop to a6 Black offers to exchange light-squared bishops. The problem with this plan is that it often allows White’s knight access to f5, which can be the precursor of a kingside attack. So sometimes Black opts to keep the light-squared bishops on the board.]

[9...Re8 this is a very rich variation. At least 14 different continuations rated on an equal level.]

10.Ne2 [10.Qa4 Bd7 (10...Qe8) 11.Qd1]

10...Ba6 [10...Bb7 11.0–0 (11.Ng3) ]

11.0–0! 

This seems more accurate than wasting time with 11 Bxa6 Nxa6 12 0–0 Re8 13 Ng3 Nc7, when Black looks equal, since the queen’s knight will be well placed on e6.]

11...Re8 [Black cannot do without this move, which controls the e4–square. From all of the critical positions in the Nimzo-Indian Defence, we currently have in front of us one of the most fascinating, which can be reached by many different move-orders.]

[11...Bxd3 12.Qxd3 cxd4 (12...Nc6) 13.cxd4 Nc6 14.Bd2 Rc8 15.Rac1 Re8 16.Ng3 Qd7 17.Rfe1 g6 18.Rcd1 Red8 19.Bc1 Qb7 20.Qb1 b5 21.e4 dxe4 22.Bg5 Rd6 1–0 (30) Tong (1717)-Peng (1752), China zt, 28.3.2025]

12.Ng3! 

Preparing for the e3–e4 break.

12...Bxd3 [Black must make this concession; otherwise he is unable to develop his b8–knight. Remember, we shouldn’t panic as White, thinking that we have been saddled with a bad bishop and a hole on c4, since the second we play e3–e4, our remaining darksquared bishop becomes potent again.]

[12...Qd7 13.Re1 Bxd3 14.Qxd3]

13.Qxd3 Nc6 [

Black is controlling the d4–pawn and White is unable to advance his e-pawn. 

14.Bb2 [This seems to be the correct idea, although the diagonal b2–h8 is clogged. White is simply over-protecting the important d4–pawn. Black is struggling to find active play. ]

[14.Ra2 Qd7 (14...Qd6 15.Re2 Rad8 16.Bb2 Na5 17.Rd1 Nc4 18.Bc1 b5 19.e4 dxe4 20.fxe4 cxd4 21.cxd4 a5 1–0 (60) Devaev,A (2306)-Yang,D (2219) chess.com INT 2025) 15.Re2]

14...h5 [14...Rc8 15.Rae1 (15.Rad1; 15.e4) 

15.Rae1 h4 16.Nf5 

16...h3 [16...Nh5 17.e4 cxd4 18.cxd4 Qf6 19.Bc1 Ne7 (19...Red8 20.e5 Qg6 21.f4 Qg4 1–0 (41) Botvinnik,M-Kurajica,B Hastings 1967) 20.Nxe7+ Qxe7 21.e5 g6 22.e6 Qf6 23.Re5 Rxe6 24.Bg5 Qg7 25.Rxe6 fxe6 26.Rc1 Re8 27.Rc6 Qf7 28.Qe3 Qd7 29.Qc3 Qf7 ½–½ (29) Semenenko,S (2107)-Bublei,P (2358) St Petersburg 2019; 

16...cxd4 17.cxd4 h3 (17...Nh5) ; 16...c4 17.Qc2 (17.Qd2) ]

17.Ng3 [17.g4 Ne7 (17...c4 18.Qd1 b5 19.Kh1 Qd7 20.Rg1 g6 21.Nh6+ Kg7 22.g5 Nh5 23.Bc1 a5 0–1 (41) Pacher,M (2434)-Danada,T (2306) Kezmarok 2022) 18.Ng3 Rc8 19.Bc1 Qd7 20.g5 Nh7 21.e4 cxd4 22.cxd4 Ng6 23.Be3 Nh4 0–1 (38) Esipenko,A (2682)-Maghsoodloo,P (2676) Chess.com INT 2020; 

17.e4 hxg2 18.Rf2 Ne7 19.e5 Nh5 20.Rxg2 Nxf5 21.Qxf5 Qh4 22.Rf1 (22.Rd1 g6 23.Rg4 ½–½ (23) Mroczek,J (2279)-Corti,H (2344) LSS email 2017) 22...g6 23.f4 Ng7 24.Qd3 c4 25.Qc2 Kh7 26.f5 Nxf5 27.Bc1 Qh3 28.Rg3 Nxg3 29.Rxf7+ Kh8 30.Qxg6 Ne2+ 31.Kh1 ½–½ (31) Ojeda,J (2285)-Roberts,A (2273) ICCF email 2018; 

17.gxh3 Ne7 18.dxc5 Nxf5 19.Qxf5 bxc5 20.c4 dxc4 21.e4 Rb8 22.Ba1 Rb3 23.Kh1 c3 ½–½ (81) Jacobson,B (2526)-Maiti,M (2310) Philadelphia 2022; 

17.Re2 Rc8 18.e4 cxd4 19.cxd4 Ne7 20.e5 Nxf5 21.Qxf5 Qd7 22.g4 Qxf5 23.gxf5 Nh5 0–1 (72) Grischuk,A (2758)-Maghsoodloo,P (2701) Chess.com INT 2022]

17...hxg2 [17...Ne7 18.e4 (18.dxc5 Rc8) 18...Ng6 19.Bc1 hxg2 (19...dxe4; 19...cxd4) 20.Kxg2; 17...Qd7 18.e4 (18.Re2 Rad8 19.Bc1 cxd4 20.cxd4 b5 21.Bd2 a6 22.Kh1 Ne7 23.Ref2 Ng6 24.Nf5 Ne7 25.Ng3 ½–½ (25) Ottesen,S (2372)-Matijosius,V (2064) ICCF email 2021) 18...hxg2; 

17...Rc8 18.e4 hxg2 19.Kxg2

A) 19...cxd4 20.cxd4 dxe4 (20...Na5 21.e5 Nh7 22.f4 Qd7 23.f5 Qa4 0–1 (39) Shuvalov,E (2038)-Oro,F (2316) Chess.com INT 2023) 21.fxe4 Ne5 22.Qe2 Ng6 23.d5 Nxd5 24.Kg1 Ndf4 25.Qe3 Rc2 26.Ba1 Qh4 27.Ne2 Qg4+ 28.Ng3 Rg2+ 29.Kh1 Rxh2+ 30.Kg1 Rg2+ 0–1 (30) Alavkin,A (2367)-Mohamed,A (2347) Chess,com INT 2024;

B) 19...dxe4 20.fxe4 Ne5 21.Qd1 Ng6 22.Kg1 Qd7 0–1 (36) Tsolakidou,S (2379)-Rahul,S (2466) Charlotte 2021; 17...cxd4 18.cxd4 Ne7 (18...hxg2) 19.e4 Ng6 20.Bc1 dxe4 21.fxe4 hxg2; 

17...Nh7 18.e4 c4 19.Qc2 b5 20.e5 a5 21.f4 b4 22.Nf5 Re6 23.Rf3 hxg2 24.Rg3 Rg6 ½–½ (53) Pranav,A (2340)-Tukhaev,A (2527) Taleigao 2019]

18.Kxg2 [White is still slightly better, but Black is putting up a good resistance.]

[18.Rf2 cxd4 (18...Ne7 19.Rxg2 Ng6 20.Nf5 Nh5 21.Rd1 Qf6 22.Bc1 Rac8 23.Bd2 Re6 1–0 (49) Giannoulakis,L (2319)-Salimova,N (2362) Plovdiv 2021) 19.cxd4 Ne7 20.Rxg2 Ng6 21.Nf5 Nh5 22.Bc1 Nhf4 23.Qf1 Nxg2 24.Qxg2 Qf6 0–1 (60) Caspi,I (2458)-Bharath,S (2550) Chess.com INT 2024]

18...Ne7 [18...Qd7 19.e4 dxe4 20.fxe4 Ne5

A) 21.Qd1 Ng6 (21...cxd4 22.cxd4 Qb5 23.Bc3 Ng6 24.d5 Rac8 1–0 (36) Kiolbasa,O (2351)-Socko,M (2419) Walbrzych 2024) 22.Rxf6 gxf6 23.Nh5 Kh8 24.Bc1 Rg8 25.Kh1 Qh3 1–0 (44) Dudin,G (2544)-Erdogmus,Y (2605) Eforie Nord 2025;

B) 21.Qe2 Ng6 22.Kh1 Rad8 23.Qf2

B1) 23...b5 24.e5 Qd5+ 25.Kg1 Ng4 26.Qe2 Nh6 27.Rd1 cxd4 28.cxd4 Re6 29.Bc1 Ne7 30.Bg5 Rd7 31.Qg2 (31.Qf2 Rg6 32.h4 f6 33.exf6 gxf6 34.Bxh6 Rxh6 ½–½ (45) Legemaat,G (2358)-Bares,J (2316) ICCF email 2021) 31...a5 32.h4 ½–½ (32) Bubir,A (2490)-Szczepanski,Z (2398) LSS email 2021;

B2) 23...Qb7 24.Qc2 b5 25.Kg1 a5 26.Rxf6 gxf6 27.Rf1 Qc8 28.Qf2 Rd6 29.Nf5 Rde6 30.Nh6+ Kg7 31.Ng4 Rxe4 32.Qxf6+ ½–½ (32) Susedenko,V (2443)-Wojnar,M (2383) ICCF email 2017;

B3) 23...Qh3 24.Re3 Qd7 (24...Qe6 25.Re2 Rd7 26.e5 Qc6+ ½– (37) ½ (37) Windhausen,G (2546)-Mielczarek,D (2405) ICCF email 2019) 25.Re2 ½–½ (25) Kushnaryov,A (2310)-Krakovsky,P (2327) ICCF email 2022 25...b5 ½–½ (27) Szczepankiewicz,D (2359)-Wojcik,W (2355) ICCF email 2022 26.d5 c4 27.Bc1 Qg4 28.Rg1 Re5 29.Nf5 Qh5 ½–½ (29) Sundqvist,C (2333)-Wojcik,W (2337) ICCF email 2021]

19.e4 

19...Ng6 [19...cxd4 20.cxd4 Ng6 21.Bc1 (21.Qd2 dxe4 22.fxe4 Nxe4 23.Nxe4 Rxe4 24.Rxe4 Qd5 25.Rfe1 Re8 0–1 (53) Berdayes Ason,D (2488)-Habans Aguerrea,J (2448) Barcelona 2025) 21...Rc8 22.Kh1 Nh7 23.e5 Nh4 24.f4 Qc7 1–0 (40) Lazavik,D (2577)-Najer,E (2623) Sochi 2025]

20.Bc1 [20.Kh1 cxd4 21.cxd4 Nf4 22.Qe3 N6h5 23.Rg1 (23.Bc1 Rc8 24.Rg1 Rc2 25.Bd2 g6 26.Nxh5 Nxh5 1–0 (54) Iljin,T (2319)-Potapova,M (2089) Anapa 2023) 23...g6 24.Nxh5 Nxh5 25.Rg5 Ng7 26.Reg1 Rc8 ½–½ (35) Lupini,S (2353)-Latronico,N (2428) ICCF email 2017 27.R1g2 Rc7 ½–½ (33) Walther,J (2210)-Solar,J (2253) ICCF email 2018]

20...dxe4 [20...cxd4 21.cxd4 dxe4 (21...Rc8; 21...Qc8) ]

21.fxe4 

21...cxd4 [21...Qd7

A) 22.Rxf6 gxf6 23.Nf5 Re5 24.Qh3 Rxf5 25.exf5 Qxf5 26.Qxf5 Nh4+ 27.Kg3 Nxf5+ 28.Kg4 Ng7 (28...Nd6 29.dxc5 bxc5 ½–½ (35) Feuerstein,M (2112)-Balta,M (2115) ICCF email 2022) 29.d5 Rd8 30.Rd1 f5+ ½–½ (41) Shaw,S (2325)-Wojcik,W (2285) ICCF email 2018;

B) 22.Kh1 Rac8 23.Rxf6 gxf6 24.Qf1 cxd4 25.Nh5 Qd6 ½–½ (34) Spiegel,W (2431)-Schaub,J (2327) ICCF email 2019;

C) 22.Nf5 cxd4 23.cxd4 Nxe4 24.Rxe4 Qd5 ½–½ (34) Schroeder,C (2230)-Fric,L (2312) FICGS email 2019 25.Ng3 f5 26.Rxf5 Nh4+ ½–½ (34) Pranav,A (2529)-Yakubbaeva,N (2340) Abu Dhabi 2023;

D) 22.Kg1 cxd4 (22...Rac8; 22...Rad8; 22...Re6) 23.cxd4 Rac8 24.Nf5 Rxc1 25.Rxc1 Rxe4 26.Qc4 Ne7

D1) 27.Kh1 Nxf5 (27...Re6 28.Nxe7+ Qxe7 ½–½ (46) Shulman,B (2438)-Keuter,K (2435) ICCF email 2018) 28.Qc8+ Qxc8 29.Rxc8+ Kh7 ½–½ (46) Benedetto,D (2274)-Reichgeld,M (2252) ICCF email 2019;

D2) 27.Rf3 Ne8 28.Qd3 Re6 ½–½ (51) Salzmann,S (2251)-Misericordia,A (2361) LSS email 2017]

22.cxd4 Qd7 [22...Rc8 23.Kh1 Qd7 24.Bg5 Nh7 25.Bd2 Ne5 26.Qe3 Nc4 27.Qf4 ½–½ (27) Eldridge,M (2237)-Larwinski,P (2289) FICGS email 2016 27...Re6 28.Nf5 Nd6 29.d5 Rf6 30.Qf3 Nxf5 31.exf5 g6 32.Re5 Re8 33.Rxe8+ ½–½ (33) Annoni,R-Robinson,J (2080) ICCF email 2021]

23.Bg5 Nh7 24.Bd2 Rac8 [24...Ne5 25.Qe3 Nc4 26.Qf4 (26.Qf2 Re6 27.Kh1 Rae8 28.Bc1 Rf6 29.Qg2 Rxf1+ 30.Rxf1 Qxd4 31.Nf5 Qxe4 32.Nh6+ Kh8 33.Nxf7+ ½–½ (33) De Buhr,G-Grube,A freechess.de 2021) 26...Re6 27.Nf5 Nd6 ½–½ (41) Shabaev,V (2164)-Fremmegaard,J (2207) ICCF email 2020; 

24...Rad8 25.d5 Ne5 26.Qb3 Ng6 1–0 (70) Robinson,J (2080)-Huff,D (1904) ICCF email 2021]

25.d5 [25.Kh1 Ne5 26.Qe3 Nc4 27.Qf4]

25...Nh4+ 

26.Kh1 Qh3 27.Rf2 Nf6 28.Qf1 Qxf1+ 29.Rexf1 Rc2 30.Be3 Rxf2 31.Bxf2 Nf3 32.Be3 Ne5 33.Bd4 Ned7 34.Rf4 [

34...a5 [½–½ (34) Sundqvist,C (2333)-Popov,E (2355) ICCF email 2021]