Tree path 6 levels Nimzo-Indian Defense › Rubinstein System › Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation › Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation › Classical Defense › Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Botvinnik System
- Chess Codex
- Nimzo-Indian Defense E20
- Rubinstein System E40
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation E46
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation E47
- Classical Defense E48
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Botvinnik System E49 you are here
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Botvinnik System
Overview
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Botvinnik System is a variation within the Indian Defenses family, indexed as ECO E49.
The Indian Defenses group covers Indian defences — hypermodern lines where Black challenges the centre with pieces rather than pawns.
Play reaches this position via 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3, after 13 plies of opening development.
It is a variation of Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Classical Defense, which itself descends from the root opening Nimzo-Indian Defense.
It continues primarily into one named line, Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Bernstein Defense.
Step through the moves on the interactive board below, review the live Lichess statistics, or play this position against Stockfish at one of six difficulty levels.
- ECO code
- E49
- Group
- Indian Defenses (E)
- Plies
- 13
- Direct variations
- 1
This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Statistics from Lichess
42,768 games · White 52.2% / Draw 5.6% / Black 42.2%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| dxc4 | 14,878 | |
| c5 | 10,770 | |
| b6 | 5,830 | |
| c6 | 3,363 | |
| Nbd7 | 2,718 | |
| Nc6 | 1,733 | |
| Ne4 | 886 | |
| a6 | 714 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 02:53:56
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