Caissa Codex
E41

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Hübner Variation

Chess diagram: Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Hübner Variation after 7…d6

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

14,578 games: White 40.5% / Draw 6.1% / Black 53.5%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
11,58412K
1,8281,828
255255
179179
123123
104104
9393
6767

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 13, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.12 The position is about equal

Best play: 8. e4 e5 9. h3 h6 10. Be3 Bd7 11. Qe2 O-O 12. O-O b6

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

Overview

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Hübner Variation (ECO E41, Indian Defenses) is a variation of the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 d6 (7 moves).

In 14,578 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 40.5%, Black 53.5% and 6.1% were drawn. White's most played move here is 8. O-O, in 79% of those games.

It continues into one named variation.

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How to play against the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Hübner Variation

8. e4 scores best for White: 49.6%, with White winning 46.7% and Black 47.4% of 1,828 games. The most played answer, 8. O-O, scores lowest: 42.6% in 12K games. Stockfish's first choice is also 8. e4.

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 (1)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 d6, the position after Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Hübner Variation (E41)”. Lichess data as of 13 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzo-indian-defense-rubinstein-system-hubner-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzo-indian-defense-rubinstein-system-hubner-variation