Caissa Codex
E44

Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation, American Variation

Chess diagram: Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation, American Variation after 5…Ne4

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Statistics from Lichess

7,499 games: White 48.4% / Draw 7.0% / Black 44.6%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
3,8423,842
1,5951,595
1,0991,099
580580
195195
9191
6868
1414

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.48 White is slightly better

Best play: 6. Qc2 Bb7 7. a3 Bxc3+ 8. Nxc3 Nxc3 9. Qxc3 d6 10. h4 Qe7

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

Overview

Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation, American Variation (ECO E44, Indian Defenses) is a variation of the Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Ne2 Ne4 (5 moves).

In 7,499 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.4%, Black 44.6% and 7.0% were drawn. White's most played move here is 6. Qc2, in 51% of those games.

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How to play against the Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation, American Variation

6. Bd2 scores best for White: 55.0%, with White winning 51.1% and Black 41.1% of 1,099 games. The most played, 6. Qc2, scores 52.3% in 3,842 games, and 6. a3 scores lowest: 48.9%. Stockfish's first choice is 6. Qc2.

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

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 5…Ne4, the position after Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation, American Variation (E44)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzo-indian-defense-st-petersburg-variation-american-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzo-indian-defense-st-petersburg-variation-american-variation