- ECO code
- E34
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5
- Family
- Nimzo-Indian Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 434
- Average game length
- 42 moves
- Years covered
- 1926–2026
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation is the opening filed under ECO code E34, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5. It belongs to the Nimzo-Indian Defense family and is known as the Classical Variation, Noa Variation; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 434 games on this line — the 237th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1926 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 115 games. An average game here lasts 42 moves.
White wins 26% of those games, 53% end in a draw, and Black wins 21%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 7 percentage points. Draws are more common here than usual, by 18 points.
From this position the most popular move is 5.cxd5, played in 271 games, followed by 5.a3 (138) and 5.Nf3 (14). After 5.cxd5 White scores 30% and Black 17%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Mamedyarov,S (46 games); on the Black side, Karjakin,Sergey (33).
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Results in master games
- White 26% (115)
- Draws 53% (227)
- Black 21% (92)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.cxd5 | 271 | 30/53/17 | — |
| 5.a3 | 138 | 22/50/28 | — |
| 5.Nf3 | 14 | 7/50/43 | — |
| 5.e3 | 8 | 13/62/25 | — |
| 5.Bg5 | 3 | 0/100/0 | — |
How the position is reached
- Queen's Pawn Game · 1.d4 · 45,810 games
- Indian Defense · 1.d4 Nf6 · 29,631 games
- Indian Defense: Normal Variation · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 · 22,243 games
- Nimzo-Indian Defense · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 · 4,729 games
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 · 1,555 games
Played most often by
As White
- Mamedyarov,S 46
- Karpov,Ana 22
- So,W 17
As Black
- Karjakin,Sergey 33
- Carlsen,M 27
- Anand,V 19
Games per decade
- 1920s 18
- 1930s 40
- 1940s 15
- 1950s 7
- 1960s 7
- 1970s 4
- 1980s 13
- 1990s 35
- 2000s 89
- 2010s 91
- 2020s 115
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firouzja,Alireza | Gukesh,D | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | GCT Super Rapid Croatia |
| Fedoseev,Vl3 | Gukesh,D | 0-1 | 2026 | 88th Tata Steel Masters |
| Ivanchuk,V | Xu,Xiangyu | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
| Ivanchuk,V | Short,N | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | FIDE World Bl Team Pool D |
| So,W | Sevian,Samuel | 1/2-1/2 | 2025 | ch-USA 2025 |
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Leko,P | 1-0 | 2025 | FIDE World Cup 2025 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code E34, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5. It belongs to the Nimzo-Indian Defense family.
Is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation good for White or for Black?
In 434 master games on this line White wins 26%, 53% are drawn and Black wins 21%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation?
5.cxd5 — played in 271 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation?
On the White side Mamedyarov,S (46), Karpov,Ana (22), So,W (17); on the Black side Karjakin,Sergey (33), Carlsen,M (27), Anand,V (19).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
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