Caissa Codex
E42

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Rubinstein Variation, Main Line

Chess diagram: Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Rubinstein Variation, Main Line after 7. a3

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

13,324 games: White 47.1% / Draw 7.5% / Black 45.3%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
10,72511K
1,9511,951
566566
3535
2626
1616
44
11

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

Engine evaluation

+0.34 White is slightly better

Best play: 7... Be7 8. d5 exd5 9. cxd5 Re8 10. Be3 Ng4 11. Bd4 Bf8 12. Qc2

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

Overview

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Rubinstein Variation, Main Line (ECO E42, Indian Defenses) is a variation of the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Rubinstein Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Ne2 cxd4 6. exd4 O-O 7. a3 (7 moves).

In 13,324 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.1%, Black 45.3% and 7.5% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 7…Be7, in 80% of those games.

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

The most played answer, 7…Be7, also scores best for Black: 49.5%, with Black winning 45.6% and White 46.6% of 11K games. Of the main answers, 7…Bxc3+ scores lowest: 47.1%. Stockfish's first choice is also 7…Be7.

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

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 5…cxd4 6. exd4 O-O 7. a3, the position after Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Rubinstein Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Rubinstein Variation, Main Line (E42)”. Lichess data as of 13 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzo-indian-defense-rubinstein-system-rubinstein-variation-main-line

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