Caissa Codex
E11

Bogo-Indian Defense: Retreat Variation 8. Qc2 c6

Chess diagram: Bogo-Indian Defense: Retreat Variation after 8…c6

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

50,161 games: White 46.2% / Draw 10.0% / Black 43.8%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
20,05820K
13,55314K
6,2076,207
3,0713,071
2,1402,140
1,4181,418
861861
470470

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.05 The position is about equal

Best play: 9. Bf4 b6 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. Rc1 Bb7 12. Bc7 Qe8 13. Qb3 Rc8

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Bogo-Indian Defense: Retreat Variation (ECO E11, Indian Defenses) is a variation of the Bogo-Indian Defense: Retreat Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. O-O O-O 8. Qc2 c6 (8 moves).

In 50,161 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.2%, Black 43.8% and 10.0% were drawn. White's most played move here is 9. Bf4, in 40% of those games.

It branches into 3 named variations. In all, 4 named lines continue from it.

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How to answer 8…c6

The most played answer, 9. Bf4, also scores best for White: 52.3%, with White winning 47.0% and Black 42.3% of 20K games. Of the main answers, 9. Nc3 scores lowest: 49.6%. Stockfish's first choice is also 9. Bf4.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Variations (3)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 6…Nbd7 7. O-O O-O 8. Qc2 c6, the position after Bogo-Indian Defense: Retreat Variation also goes on to:

Transpositions

This position is also reached from these lines, by another move order:

All 4 named lines that continue from here

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Bogo-Indian Defense: Retreat Variation (E11)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/bogo-indian-defense-retreat-variation-6

https://chesscodex.org/openings/bogo-indian-defense-retreat-variation-6