- ECO code
- E47
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3
- Family
- Nimzo-Indian Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 742
- Average game length
- 44 moves
- Years covered
- 1926–2026
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation is the opening filed under ECO code E47, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3. It belongs to the Nimzo-Indian Defense family and is known as the Normal Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 742 games on this line — the 145th 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 321 games. An average game here lasts 44 moves.
White wins 26% of those games, 46% end in a draw, and Black wins 28%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%). Draws are more common here than usual, by 11 points.
From this position the most popular move is 5...d5, played in 481 games, followed by 5...c5 (231) and 5...b6 (12). 5...d5 leads into Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Classical Defense. After 5...d5 White scores 28% and Black 27%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Grischuk,A (42 games); on the Black side, Nakamura,Hi (33).
1 named variation branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Classical Defense.
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Results in master games
- White 26% (195)
- Draws 46% (340)
- Black 28% (207)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5...d5 | 481 | 28/45/27 | Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Classical Defense |
| 5...c5 | 231 | 22/50/28 | — |
| 5...b6 | 12 | 8/42/50 | — |
| 5...Re8 | 10 | 40/20/40 | — |
| 5...d6 | 6 | 33/50/17 | — |
| 5...Bxc3+ | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
| 5...Nc6 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
Variations from this position
- Classical Defense · 5...d5 · 481 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
- 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
Played most often by
As White
- Grischuk,A 42
- So,W 40
- Kortschnoj, Viktor 27
As Black
- Nakamura,Hi 33
- Kortschnoj, Viktor 27
- Tal, Mihail 26
Games per decade
- 1920s 2
- 1930s 3
- 1940s 11
- 1950s 47
- 1960s 62
- 1970s 43
- 1980s 32
- 1990s 30
- 2000s 72
- 2010s 119
- 2020s 321
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nosach,Roman Al | Nepomniachtchi,I | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 29th Jan 2026 |
| Praggnanandhaa,R | Gukesh,D | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | GCT Super Rapid Croatia |
| Caruana,F | Yakubboev,Nodirbek | 1-0 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
| Sarana,A | Keymer,Vincent | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Feb 2026 |
| Deac,Bogdan-Daniel | Carlsen,M | 0-1 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 15th Jan 2026 |
| Tregubov,P | Shirov,A | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code E47, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3. It belongs to the Nimzo-Indian Defense family.
Is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation good for White or for Black?
In 742 master games on this line White wins 26%, 46% 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: Normal Variation?
5...d5 — played in 481 of the master games on this line, which leads into Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Classical Defense.
Which grandmasters play the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation?
On the White side Grischuk,A (42), So,W (40), Kortschnoj, Viktor (27); on the Black side Nakamura,Hi (33), Kortschnoj, Viktor (27), Tal, Mihail (26).
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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