- ECO code
- E48
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5
- Family
- Nimzo-Indian Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 481
- Average game length
- 44 moves
- Years covered
- 1939–2026
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Classical Defense is the opening filed under ECO code E48, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5. It belongs to the Nimzo-Indian Defense family and is known as the Normal Variation, Classical Defense; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 481 games on this line — the 218th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1939 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 228 games. An average game here lasts 44 moves.
White wins 28% of those games, 45% end in a draw, and Black wins 27%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%). Draws are more common here than usual, by 10 points.
From this position the most popular move is 6.Nf3, played in 218 games, followed by 6.a3 (133) and 6.cxd5 (103). After 6.Nf3 White scores 24% and Black 23%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Grischuk,A (33 games); on the Black side, Tal, Mihail (23).
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Results in master games
- White 28% (136)
- Draws 45% (214)
- Black 27% (131)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.Nf3 | 218 | 24/53/23 | — |
| 6.a3 | 133 | 32/37/31 | — |
| 6.cxd5 | 103 | 34/39/27 | — |
| 6.Ne2 | 27 | 22/33/45 | — |
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: Rubinstein System · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 · 1,893 games
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O · 1,218 games
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 · 742 games
Played most often by
As White
- Grischuk,A 33
- So,W 27
- Caruana,F 15
As Black
- Tal, Mihail 23
- Keymer,Vincent 19
- Hou Yifan 17
Games per decade
- 1930s 1
- 1940s 6
- 1950s 27
- 1960s 36
- 1970s 17
- 1980s 19
- 1990s 17
- 2000s 44
- 2010s 86
- 2020s 228
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caruana,F | Yakubboev,Nodirbek | 1-0 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
| Sarana,A | Keymer,Vincent | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Feb 2026 |
| Lazavik,Denis | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Narayanan,Suhaas | Keymer,Vincent | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Feb 2026 |
| So,W | Yanev,Tihomir | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 20th Jan 2026 |
| So,W | Wei Yi | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Tata Steel India Blitz |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Classical Defense?
It is the opening with ECO code E48, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5. It belongs to the Nimzo-Indian Defense family.
Is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Classical Defense good for White or for Black?
In 481 master games on this line White wins 28%, 45% are drawn and Black wins 27%. 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: Normal Variation, Classical Defense?
6.Nf3 — played in 218 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Classical Defense?
On the White side Grischuk,A (33), So,W (27), Caruana,F (15); on the Black side Tal, Mihail (23), Keymer,Vincent (19), Hou Yifan (17).
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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