Caissa Codex
E36

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation, Botvinnik Variation

Chess diagram: Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation, Botvinnik Variation after 6…Nc6

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

4,501 games: White 50.4% / Draw 6.0% / Black 43.6%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
1,6041,604
1,2971,297
811811
273273
231231
116116
101101
2323

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 28, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.21 The position is about equal

Best play: 7. Nf3 Ne4 8. Qb3 a5 9. e3 a4 10. Qc2 Bd7 11. Bd3 O-O

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

Overview

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation, Botvinnik Variation (ECO E36, Indian Defenses) is a variation of the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 Nc6 (6 moves).

In 4,501 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 50.4%, Black 43.6% and 6.0% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. Bg5, in 36% of those games.

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How to play against the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation, Botvinnik Variation

7. Nf3 scores best for White: 55.3%, with White winning 52.6% and Black 41.9% of 1,297 games. The most played, 7. Bg5, scores 53.5% in 1,604 games, and 7. c5 scores lowest: 44.5%. Stockfish's first choice is also 7. Nf3.

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

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 5…Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 Nc6, the position after Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation, Botvinnik Variation (E36)”. Lichess data as of 28 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzo-indian-defense-classical-variation-noa-variation-botvinnik-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzo-indian-defense-classical-variation-noa-variation-botvinnik-variation