Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation 5…O-O 6. Bg2
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Statistics from Lichess
21,779 games: White 53.2% / Draw 6.6% / Black 40.2%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 6,5016,501 | ||
| 5,6535,653 | ||
| 4,3844,384 | ||
| 1,6031,603 | ||
| 1,4011,401 | ||
| 1,0391,039 | ||
| 441441 | ||
| 290290 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 25, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.19 The position is about equal
Best play: 6... cxd4 7. Nxd4 d5 8. cxd5 Nxd5 9. Qb3 Bc5 10. Nxd5 exd5 11. Be3
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation (ECO E20, Indian Defenses) is a variation of the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. g3 O-O 6. Bg2 (6 moves).
In 21,779 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 53.2%, Black 40.2% and 6.6% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 6…cxd4, in 30% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to answer 6. Bg2
6…d6 scores best for Black: 46.4%, with Black winning 43.7% and White 50.9% of 1,603 games. The most played, 6…cxd4, scores 43.4% in 6,501 games, and 6…Ne4 scores lowest: 40.7%. Stockfish's first choice is 6…cxd4.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation (E20)”. Lichess data as of 25 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzo-indian-defense-romanishin-variation-2