The Nimzo-Indian Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 Bb4
Other move orders, such as 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.d4 Bb4, are also feasible. In the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings, the Nimzo-Indian is classified as E20–E59.
This hypermodern opening was developed by Aron Nimzowitsch who introduced it to master-level chess in the early 20th century. Unlike most Indian openings, the Nimzo-Indian does not involve an immediate fianchetto, although Black often follows up with …b6 and …Bb7. By pinning White’s knight, Black prevents the threatened 4.e4 and seeks to inflict doubled pawns on White. White will attempt to create a pawn centre and develop their pieces to prepare for an assault on the Black position.
Black’s delay in committing to a pawn structure makes the Nimzo-Indian (sometimes colloquially referred to as the “Nimzo”) a very flexible defence to 1.d4. It can also transpose into lines of the Queen’s Gambit or Queen’s Indian Defence. The Nimzo-Indian is a highly respected defence to 1.d4, is played at all levels and has been played by every world champion since Capablanca. White often plays 3.g3 or 3.Nf3 to avoid the Nimzo-Indian, allowing him to meet 3.Nf3 Bb4+ (the Bogo-Indian Defence) with 4.Bd2 or 4.Nbd2, rather than 4.Nc3.
PGN:
[Event “CCRL 40/15”]
[Site “CCRL”]
[Date “2022.11.02”]
[Round “848.1.596”]
[White “Rebel 15.1a 64-bit”]
[Black “Stockfish 15 64-bit”]
[Result “*”]
[WhiteElo “3358”]
[BlackElo “3513”]
[Variant “Standard”]
[TimeControl “-“]
[ECO “E52”]
[Opening “Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Schlechter Defense”]
[Termination “Unterminated”]
[Annotator “lichess.org”]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 b6 { E52 Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Schlechter Defense } 7. O-O Bb7 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Ne5 Nbd7 10. f4 a5 11. h3 Ba6 12. Bxa6 Rxa6 13. Qc2 Qa8 14. Bd2 Bxc3 15. Bxc3 Ra7 16. Qa4 Nxe5 17. dxe5 Ne4 18. Rfd1 c6 19. Rac1 Rd8 20. Qb3 Qb7 21. Be1 Raa8 22. a3 a4 23. Qd3 c5 24. Bh4 Rd7 25. Qb5 h6 26. Be1 Rdd8 27. Bh4 Rd7 28. Be1 Ra7 29. Rc2 Kh7 30. Rcc1 Kg8 31. Rc2 Kh7 32. Rcc1 Kh8 33. Rc2 Kg8 34. Rcc1 Kf8 35. Rd3 f6 36. Rcd1 fxe5 37. fxe5 Kf7 38. h4 h5 39. Bc3 Rd8 40. Be1 Raa8 41. Bc3 Kg8 42. Rf1 Qc8 43. Rf4 Qe6 44. Rd1 Rf8 45. Qe2 Rxf4 46. exf4 Rf8 47. Qf3 g6 48. Rf1 Qc6 49. Rd1 Qe6 50. Rf1 Qc6 51. Rd1 Kh7 52. Bd2 Qe6 53. Bc1 Rd8 54. Rf1 Qg4 55. f5 gxf5 56. e6 Qxf3 57. gxf3 Rg8+ 58. Kh2 Nd6 59. Re1 Re8 60. e7 Nc4 61. Kg3 d4 62. Bg5 Kg8 63. Kf4 Kf7 64. Kxf5 Nd6+ 65. Ke5 Nc8 66. Rd1 Nxe7 67. Kd6 Nf5+ 68. Kc6 Ne3 69. Rb1 Re5 70. Rg1 Nc4 71. Bf4 Rf5 72. Bh6 Rf6+ 73. Kd5 Rxh6 74. Kxc4 Rd6 75. b3 axb3 76. Kxb3 d3 77. a4 Kf6 78. Kc3 *
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