Bogo-Indian Defense

The Bogo-Indian Defense, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+, is a check that Black can give after White's 3.Nf3, a move often played to avoid the Nimzo-Indian Defense (3.Nc3 Bb4). After 3.Nf3 Black more usually plays 3...b6, the Queen's Indian Defense, or 3...d5, transposing to the Queen's Gambit Declined; databases suggest that the Bogo-Indian is played about half as often as the Queen's Indian. Its ECO code is E11.

Origins

The opening is named after the Russian-born German master Efim Bogoljubow, who is believed to have originated it and played it regularly in the 1920s. Later prominent players to adopt it include Aron Nimzowitsch, Paul Keres, Tigran Petrosian, Bent Larsen, Vasily Smyslov, Viktor Korchnoi, Ulf Andersson, Michael Adams and Nikita Vitiugov. The Bogo-Indian can also arise via the move order 1.d4 e6 2.c4 Bb4+, the Keres Defence.

The idea

White has three viable answers to the check. 4.Nc3 transposes to the Kasparov Variation of the Nimzo-Indian, so the main independent lines are 4.Bd2 and 4.Nbd2.

Main lines

• 4.Bd2 is the most common line. The bishop on b4 is now attacked, and Black must decide how to meet the threat:
  • 4...Qe7 (Nimzowitsch Variation in this database) is now the most frequently played option. After 5.g3 Nc6 the main line continues 6.Nc3 Bxc3 7.Bxc3 Ne4 8.Rc1 O-O 9.Bg2 d6 10.d5 Nd8 11.dxe6 Nxe6, and the position is equal; 6.Bg2 Bxd2+ 7.Nbxd2 d6 8.O-O a5 9.e4 e5 10.d5 Nb8 11.Ne1 O-O 12.Nd3 Na6 is also equal.
  • 4...a5 (Wade-Smyslov Variation), tried by David Bronstein, is sharper: it grabs space on the queenside at the cost of structural weaknesses.
  • 4...Bxd2+ (Exchange Variation) is the simplest. It is not particularly popular, but the Swedish grandmaster Ulf Andersson played it frequently, often as a drawing line.
  • 4...c5 (Vitolins Variation) is a more modern line. After 5.Bxb4 cxb4 Black's pawns are doubled and a pawn has been pulled away from the centre, but the b4-pawn takes the c3-square from White's knight; one of White's main options is 6.a3, trading it off at once.
  • 4...Be7 (Retreat Variation) is also possible: Black loses a tempo, but White's dark-squared bishop is misplaced on d2. The line is somewhat passive but solid.
• 4.Nbd2 (Grünfeld Variation in this database) aims to win the bishop for the knight or force it to retreat. The drawback is that the knight blocks the c1-bishop and stands on a less active square than c3. Black's most common replies are 4...b6, 4...O-O and 4...d5.

Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

• Several established replies to 4.Bd2, from 4...Qe7 to the sharper 4...a5.
• The main lines after 4...Qe7 are assessed as equal.

Weaknesses

• 4...Be7 is somewhat passive, though solid.
• 4...a5 and 4...c5 accept structural weaknesses.

Who should play it

The Bogo-Indian suits Black players who meet 1.d4 with 1...Nf6 and 2...e6 and want an alternative to the Queen's Indian against 3.Nf3.

The numbers

In 1,997,295 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 and 2500, White won 49.1%, Black 44.1%, and 6.8% were drawn. White leads in every rating band: 51.4% against 44.9% under 1400, 51.3% against 44.3% at 1400–1799, 49.2% against 44.5% at 1800–2199 and 47.8% against 43.6% from 2200 up. In about 23,000 master games White won 34.4%, Black 21.1%, and 44.4% were drawn.