Caissa Codex
E56

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Bernstein Defense

Chess diagram: Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Bernstein Defense after 7…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

49,436 games: White 48.6% / Draw 6.0% / Black 45.4%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
28,92129K
10,26710K
3,0643,064
1,5671,567
1,2001,200
1,0751,075
971971
820820

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.19 The position is about equal

Best play: 8. cxd5 exd5 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. h3 Qe7 11. b3 Rd8 12. Bb2 Ne4

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

Overview

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Bernstein Defense (ECO E56, Indian Defenses) is a variation of the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Gligoric System, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O Nc6 (7 moves).

In 49,436 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.6%, Black 45.4% and 6.0% were drawn. White's most played move here is 8. a3, in 59% of those games.

It branches into 2 named variations; the most played is Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Bernstein Defense, Exchange Line. In all, 3 named lines continue from it.

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How to play against the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Bernstein Defense

8. dxc5 scores best for White: 52.9%, with White winning 50.0% and Black 44.2% of 3,064 games. The most played, 8. a3, scores 52.1% in 29K games, and 8. cxd5 scores lowest: 51.7%. Stockfish's first choice is 8. cxd5.

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 (2)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 7. O-O Nc6, the position after Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Gligoric System also goes on to:

All 3 named lines that continue from here

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Gligoric System, Bernstein Defense (E56)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzo-indian-defense-normal-variation-gligoric-system-bernstein-defense

https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzo-indian-defense-normal-variation-gligoric-system-bernstein-defense