Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Taimanov Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
28,567 games: White 53.5% / Draw 4.7% / Black 41.8%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 7,1207,120 | ||
| 6,9686,968 | ||
| 5,5795,579 | ||
| 3,5423,542 | ||
| 3,1883,188 | ||
| 1,0221,022 | ||
| 393393 | ||
| 174174 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Sep 26, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.46 White is slightly better
Best play: 5. Bd2 O-O 6. Qc2 Re8 7. a3 Bxc3 8. Bxc3 e5 9. dxe5 Nxe5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Taimanov Variation (ECO E40, 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 Nc6 (4 moves).
In 28,567 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 53.5%, Black 41.8% and 4.7% were drawn. White's most played move here is 5. Bd3, in 25% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Taimanov Variation
5. Ne2 scores best for White: 57.8%, with White winning 54.6% and Black 38.9% of 3,542 games. The most played, 5. Bd3, scores 56.3% in 7,120 games, and 5. a3 scores lowest: 54.8%. Stockfish's first choice is 5. Bd2.
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
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System, Taimanov Variation (E40)”. Lichess data as of 26 Sep 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzo-indian-defense-rubinstein-system-taimanov-variation