Nimzo-Indian Defense
An active, solid answer to d4: pin the knight with bishop b4, control e4, and hit the center with c5 and d5.
Basics: the first moves of the Nimzo-Indian
Control e4 with the knight on f6 and e6; when the knight comes to c3, pin it with the bishop on b4. The goal: don't let White push e4.
- The first three moves: knight f6, e6, bishop b43 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
If White plays e3 (Rubinstein Variation)
Castle, then d5 and c5: hit d4 with both center pawns. If White asks the bishop with a3, take on c3 and double the c-pawns; then queen c7 and e5.
- Castle, d5 and c53 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Knight c6, take on c3, queen to c74 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If White plays knight f3 first: same position1 neuer Zug🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
If White puts the queen on c2 (Classical Variation)
The queen on c2 avoids doubled pawns. Castle; answer a3 by taking on c3. Then d5, take on c4, and hit the queen with b6 and bishop a6.
- Castle, take on c3, d53 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Take on c4, then b6 and bishop a63 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
If White plays something else on move four
The same ideas: castle, hit the center with d5 and c5, and take on c3 if a3 comes. If White ends up with doubled pawns, c4 and c3 become your targets.
- If White plays knight f3: castle and a familiar position3 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If White plays a3 at once (Sämisch)4 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If White plays f3: d5 at once3 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If White plays bishop g5: h6, c5 and d64 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If White plays g3: d5 and take on c44 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
If White plays knight f3 or g3 instead of knight c3 (Bogo-Indian and Catalan)
Against knight f3, the bishop still goes to b4, this time with check (Bogo-Indian). Against g3, the Catalan setup: d5, bishop e7, castle and take on c4.
- Bishop b4 with check; if the bishop comes to d2, queen to e73 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If the knight comes to d2: castle, bishop e7, d54 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Catalan: d5, bishop e7, castle and take on c44 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If the queen comes to c2: a6 and b53 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
If White doesn't play c4 on move two
Start with e6 again. Meet the London with c5 and d5 in the center; against g3 use the Catalan setup; ask the g5 bishop with h6.
- London System: e6, c5 and d54 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Knight f3 first, then the London2 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Knight f3 and g3: the Catalan setup3 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Trompowsky: ask the g5 bishop with h64 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If White plays knight c3: d52 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion