Caissa Codex
E26

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation 5…c5 6. e3

Chess diagram: Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation after 6. e3

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Statistics from Lichess

104,042 games: White 47.2% / Draw 5.1% / Black 47.7%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
35,41935K
24,20124K
O'Kelly Variation 12,73913K
10,72511K
8,2258,225
5,8985,898
3,5533,553
1,8901,890

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 25, 2026

Engine evaluation

−0.05 The position is about equal

Best play: 6... b6 7. Bd3 Bb7 8. f3 Nc6 9. Ne2 O-O 10. e4 Ne8 11. O-O

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

Overview

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation (ECO E26, 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 c5 6. e3 (6 moves).

In 104,042 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.2%, Black 47.7% and 5.1% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 6…O-O, in 34% of those games.

It continues into one named variation, Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, O'Kelly Variation.

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How to answer 6. e3

6…b6 (O'Kelly Variation) scores best for Black: 51.6%, with Black winning 49.0% and White 45.8% of 13K games. The most played, 6…O-O, scores 50.1% in 35K games, and 6…d5 scores lowest: 48.1%. Stockfish's first choice is also 6…b6.

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

Variations (1)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 4…Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 c5 6. e3, the position after Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation (E26)”. Lichess data as of 25 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzo-indian-defense-samisch-variation-3

https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzo-indian-defense-samisch-variation-3