Tree path 4 levels Nimzo-Indian Defense › Three Knights Variation › Korchnoi Variation › Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation, Euwe Variation
  1. Chess Codex
  2. Nimzo-Indian Defense E20
  3. Three Knights Variation E21
  4. Korchnoi Variation E21
  5. Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation, Euwe Variation E21 you are here
E21

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation, Euwe Variation

Open in Lichess
Share: X Reddit Telegram Facebook
Play from here → Click pieces to play, or use ← / → arrows.

Overview

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation, Euwe Variation is a variation within the Indian Defenses family, indexed as ECO E21.

The Indian Defenses group covers Indian defences — hypermodern lines where Black challenges the centre with pieces rather than pawns.

Play reaches this position via 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 c5 5. d5 Ne4, after 10 plies of opening development.

It is a variation of Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation, Korchnoi Variation, which itself descends from the root opening Nimzo-Indian Defense.

Step through the moves on the interactive board below, review the live Lichess statistics, or play this position against Stockfish at one of six difficulty levels.

ECO code
E21
Group
Indian Defenses (E)
Plies
10
Parent
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Three Knights Variation, Korchnoi Variation

This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.

Statistics from Lichess

4,450 games · White 49.8% / Draw 4.3% / Black 45.9%

MovesGamesW / D / B
Qc22,615
Bd21,295
Qd3257
Qb3193
dxe642
Nd210
a39
Qd26

Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 02:22:43

Write a description

Markdown supported (headings ###, bold, lists, links). Submissions are reviewed before publishing.