- ECO code
- E41
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5
- Family
- Nimzo-Indian Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 356
- Average game length
- 41 moves
- Years covered
- 1930–2026
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System is the opening filed under ECO code E41, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5. It belongs to the Nimzo-Indian Defense family and is known as the Rubinstein System; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 356 games on this line — the 271st most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1930 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 1950s, with 66 games. An average game here lasts 41 moves.
White wins 30% of those games, 48% end in a draw, and Black wins 22%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 6 percentage points. Draws are more common here than usual, by 13 points.
From this position the most popular move is 5.Bd3, played in 212 games, followed by 5.Ne2 (98) and 5.Nf3 (33). After 5.Bd3 White scores 26% and Black 24%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Kortschnoj, Viktor (33 games); on the Black side, Smyslov, Vassily (23).
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Results in master games
- White 30% (107)
- Draws 48% (169)
- Black 22% (80)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.Bd3 | 212 | 26/50/24 | — |
| 5.Ne2 | 98 | 38/48/14 | — |
| 5.Nf3 | 33 | 37/33/30 | — |
| 5.a3 | 12 | 25/33/42 | — |
| 5.Bd2 | 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
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 · 1,893 games
Played most often by
As White
- Kortschnoj, Viktor 33
- Gligoric, Svetozar 20
- Bronstein, David I 15
As Black
- Smyslov, Vassily 23
- Spassky, Boris V 23
- Karpov, Anatoly 21
Games per decade
- 1930s 4
- 1940s 4
- 1950s 66
- 1960s 42
- 1970s 54
- 1980s 45
- 1990s 44
- 2000s 18
- 2010s 27
- 2020s 52
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Foreest,Jorden | Caruana,F | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | GCT Super ROM Classic |
| Caruana,F | Duda,J | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 30th Jun 2026 |
| Sarana,A | Caruana,F | 1-0 | 2026 | 3rd 3-0 Thu 25th Jun 2026 |
| Batsuren,Dambasuren | Ivanchuk,V | 1-0 | 2026 | FIDE World Bl Team Pool D |
| Gholami Orimi,Mahdi | Nepomniachtchi,I | 0-1 | 2025 | Titled Tue 13th May Late |
| Maghsoodloo,Parham | Praggnanandhaa,R | 1-0 | 2025 | 2nd UzChess Cup Masters |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System?
It is the opening with ECO code E41, reached after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5. It belongs to the Nimzo-Indian Defense family.
Is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System good for White or for Black?
In 356 master games on this line White wins 30%, 48% are drawn and Black wins 22%. 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: Rubinstein System?
5.Bd3 — played in 212 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System?
On the White side Kortschnoj, Viktor (33), Gligoric, Svetozar (20), Bronstein, David I (15); on the Black side Smyslov, Vassily (23), Spassky, Boris V (23), Karpov, Anatoly (21).
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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