- ECO code
- E20
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3
- Family
- Nimzo-Indian Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 309
- Average game length
- 42 moves
- Years covered
- 1938–2026
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Kmoch Variation is the opening filed under ECO code E20, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3. It belongs to the Nimzo-Indian Defense family and is known as the Kmoch Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 309 games on this line — the 299th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1938 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 128 games. An average game here lasts 42 moves.
White wins 35% of those games, 37% end in a draw, and Black wins 28%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%).
From this position the most popular move is 4...d5, played in 175 games, followed by 4...c5 (105) and 4...O-O (19). After 4...d5 White scores 35% and Black 26%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Mamedyarov,S (52 games); on the Black side, Carlsen,M (16).
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Results in master games
- White 35% (108)
- Draws 37% (113)
- Black 28% (88)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4...d5 | 175 | 35/39/26 | — |
| 4...c5 | 105 | 34/36/30 | — |
| 4...O-O | 19 | 47/21/32 | — |
| 4...Nc6 | 6 | 17/50/33 | — |
| 4...b5 | 1 | 0/0/100 | — |
| 4...Ba5 | 1 | 0/0/100 | — |
| 4...d6 | 1 | 0/100/0 | — |
| 4...Nh5 | 1 | 0/0/100 | — |
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 52
- Erigaisi,Arjun 32
- Shirov, Alexei 29
As Black
- Carlsen,M 16
- Karjakin,Sergey 14
- Aronian,L 13
Games per decade
- 1930s 2
- 1950s 10
- 1960s 5
- 1980s 7
- 1990s 44
- 2000s 42
- 2010s 71
- 2020s 128
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nepomniachtchi,I | Oro,Faustino | 1-0 | 2026 | Sardinia World Open A |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Saric,Iv | 1-0 | 2026 | GCT Super Rapid Croatia |
| Sevian,Samuel | So,W | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | American Cup Champ |
| Ding Liren | Wang Yue | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | CHN Team Men 2026 |
| Sarana,A | Praggnanandhaa,R | 1/2-1/2 | 2025 | Esports World Cup LC Lose |
| Carlsen,M | Xiong,Jeffery | 0-1 | 2025 | Titled Tue 7th Oct 2025 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Kmoch Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code E20, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3. It belongs to the Nimzo-Indian Defense family.
Is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Kmoch Variation good for White or for Black?
In 309 master games on this line White wins 35%, 37% are drawn and Black wins 28%. 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: Kmoch Variation?
4...d5 — played in 175 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Kmoch Variation?
On the White side Mamedyarov,S (52), Erigaisi,Arjun (32), Shirov, Alexei (29); on the Black side Carlsen,M (16), Karjakin,Sergey (14), Aronian,L (13).
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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