Nimzo-Indian Defense
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4
A defense for Black
Pin the knight and fight for the centre with piece activity.
Show me the opening
0 / 6 moves
The idea
Black pins White's c3 knight with the bishop, threatening to double White's pawns after ...Bxc3+. Black gives up the bishop pair but gets excellent positional compensation through pawn weaknesses and active piece play.
The plan
Double White's pawns with ...Bxc3+ at the right moment, then exploit the weak c3 or c4 pawn. Develop actively with ...d5, ...O-O, and counterplay on the queenside.
What to play next
In the Classical Nimzo (4.e3), Black castles immediately and plays ...d5 to contest the centre. White develops with Bd3 and Nf3, then castles. Black plays ...c5 to attack White's centre and ...Nc6 to develop. The resulting position has slight structural tension where Black targets the c4 or c3 pawn.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O Nc6
Watch the typical continuation
Show me the opening
0 / 14 moves
One tip for beginners
The Nimzo-Indian is one of the most respected defenses in chess. The key concept is that doubling White's pawns with ...Bxc3+ gives you long-term positional pressure.
What to watch out for
Don't trade the bishop for the knight too early unless it serves a purpose. The pin itself already gives Black good pressure.
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