- ECO code
- E32
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2
- Family
- Nimzo-Indian Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 1,555
- Average game length
- 43 moves
- Years covered
- 1915–2026
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation is the opening filed under ECO code E32, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2. It belongs to the Nimzo-Indian Defense family and is known as the Classical Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 1,555 games on this line — the 76th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1915 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 474 games. An average game here lasts 43 moves.
White wins 29% of those games, 48% end in a draw, and Black wins 23%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 5 percentage points. Draws are more common here than usual, by 13 points.
From this position the most popular move is 4...O-O, played in 727 games, followed by 4...d5 (434) and 4...c5 (225). After 4...O-O White scores 27% and Black 21%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Mamedyarov,S (137 games); on the Black side, Caruana,F (56).
1 named variation branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation.
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Results in master games
- White 29% (458)
- Draws 48% (732)
- Black 23% (365)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4...O-O | 727 | 27/52/21 | — |
| 4...d5 | 434 | 26/53/21 | Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation |
| 4...c5 | 225 | 39/35/26 | — |
| 4...d6 | 66 | 27/38/35 | — |
| 4...Nc6 | 56 | 39/29/32 | — |
| 4...b6 | 38 | 37/18/45 | — |
| 4...Bxc3+ | 3 | 33/67/0 | — |
| 4...h6 | 3 | 34/33/33 | — |
Variations from this position
- Noa Variation · 4...d5 · 434 games
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
Played most often by
As White
- Mamedyarov,S 137
- So,W 75
- Karpov,Ana 63
As Black
- Caruana,F 56
- Nakamura,Hi 54
- Aronian,L 53
Games per decade
- 1910s 1
- 1920s 40
- 1930s 75
- 1940s 56
- 1950s 32
- 1960s 22
- 1970s 25
- 1980s 52
- 1990s 167
- 2000s 310
- 2010s 301
- 2020s 474
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holt,C | Caruana,F | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 26th May 2026 |
| Caruana,F | Aronian,L | 1-0 | 2026 | American Cup Elim |
| Praggnanandhaa,R | Keymer,Vincent | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | GCT Super ROM Classic |
| Indjic,A | Nepomniachtchi,I | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 13th Jan 2026 |
| Bok,B | Erigaisi,Arjun | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 26th May 2026 |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Gukesh,D | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | GCT Super Rapid Croatia |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code E32, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2. It belongs to the Nimzo-Indian Defense family.
Is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation good for White or for Black?
In 1,555 master games on this line White wins 29%, 48% are drawn and Black wins 23%. 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?
4...O-O — played in 727 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation?
On the White side Mamedyarov,S (137), So,W (75), Karpov,Ana (63); on the Black side Caruana,F (56), Nakamura,Hi (54), Aronian,L (53).
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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