Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation 5. bxc3 O-O
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Statistics from Lichess
289,937 games: White 48.2% / Draw 4.8% / Black 47.0%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 74,41474K | ||
| 62,77363K | ||
| 48,65449K | ||
| 38,65339K | ||
| Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation | 36,33836K | |
| 6,4196,419 | ||
| 6,3136,313 | ||
| 3,3543,354 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.26 The position is about equal
Best play: 6. f3 d5 7. cxd5 exd5 8. e3 Bf5 9. Ne2 Nc6 10. Ra2 h5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
The stronger the players, the worse this line does for Black: Black scores 49% under 1400, 46% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 35K | |
| 1400–1799 | 182K | |
| 1800–2199 | 148K | |
| 2200 and up | 31K | |
| Masters, over the board | 259 |
Master games
- Carlsen, M. – Karjakin, S.
- Carlsen, M. – Yoo, C. W.
- Salem, A. – Socko, B.
- Eljanov, P. – Martirosyan, H. M.
- Salem, A. – Kovalev, V.
Rated blitz, rapid and classical Lichess games by rating band, and over-the-board games of players rated 2200+ from the Lichess masters database, updated Sep 27, 2026
Overview
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation (ECO E27, Indian Defenses) is a variation of the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 O-O (5 moves).
In 289,937 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.2%, Black 47.0% and 4.8% were drawn. White's most played move here is 6. Nf3, in 26% 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 5…O-O
6. f3 scores best for White: 55.6%, with White winning 53.2% and Black 42.0% of 49K games. The most played answer, 6. Nf3, scores lowest: 48.8% in 74K games. Stockfish's first choice is also 6. f3.
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
Popularity by year
This line has lost ground since 2016: 0.0091% of Lichess games in 2025, down from 0.014% (its peak: 0.016% in 2018).
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.014% | 4,877 |
| 2017 | 0.014% | 7,655 |
| 2018 | 0.016% | 12,189 |
| 2019 | 0.014% | 16,954 |
| 2020 | 0.013% | 37,617 |
| 2021 | 0.011% | 44,087 |
| 2022 | 0.012% | 43,632 |
| 2023 | 0.011% | 40,902 |
| 2024 | 0.01% | 36,198 |
| 2025 | 0.0091% | 31,571 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.0088% | 9,601 |
Share of rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500 (blitz, rapid and classical) that reach this position, by year; 2026: January to April. Which openings are rising and falling
Transpositions
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation (E27)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzo-indian-defense-samisch-variation-2