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Nimzo-Indian, Classical (E33)
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 Nc6

Number of games in database: 1244
Years covered: 1928 to 2025
Overall record:
   White wins 38.5%
   Black wins 28.0%
   Draws 33.5%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Max Euwe  13 games
Salomon Flohr  12 games
Paul Keres  8 games
Erich Eliskases  11 games
Milner-Barry  10 games
Haije Kramer  9 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Keres vs Euwe, 1940
Capablanca vs V Mikenas, 1939
Alekhine vs Pachman, 1943
Kotov vs Botvinnik, 1939
M Gerusel vs Lombardy, 1957
I Lipnitsky vs Smyslov, 1951
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 page 1 of 50; games 1-25 of 1,244  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. G Marthinsen vs Gosta Johansson  0-1281928Nordic Congress Class 1BE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
2. A Nimzowitsch vs O Zimmermann  1-0311931Swiss ChampionshipE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
3. Flohr vs A Nimzowitsch 0-1641931BledE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
4. Flohr vs Milner-Barry 1-0251932LondonE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
5. S Khan vs Milner-Barry 1-0561932Cambridge PremierE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
6. J van den Bosch vs C H Alexander  1-0281932Cambridge PremierE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
7. Menchik vs Milner-Barry 1-0311932Cambridge PremierE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
8. A Staehelin vs H Johner  ½-½411932BernE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
9. G Goldberg vs G Miasoedov  1-0251932Leningrad ChampionshipE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
10. Flohr vs C H Alexander ½-½691933Hastings 1932/33E33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
11. E Andersen vs A Nimzowitsch  0-1411933Copenhagen PolitikenE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
12. M Chodera vs J Pelikan  1-0411934Kautsky mem 9thE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
13. Lilienthal vs Milner-Barry 1-0301934Hastings 1933/34E33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
14. G Wheatcroft vs C H Alexander 0-1191934British ChampionshipE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
15. G Stoltz vs A Nimzowitsch 0-1501934Nordic Congress, CopenhagenE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
16. S Belavenets vs Ragozin 1-0391934USSR Championship 1934/35E33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
17. Capablanca vs Milner-Barry 1-0511934Hastings 1934/35E33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
18. P Hage vs E Andersen  0-1271935Danish Championship playoffE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
19. Flohr vs P Romanovsky 1-0691935MoscowE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
20. Spielmann vs P Romanovsky  1-0761935MoscowE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
21. O Larsen vs E Andersen  0-1371935Danish ChampionshipE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
22. Reshevsky vs Milner-Barry  ½-½611935MargateE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
23. M Feigin vs W Michel  1-0371935Warsaw OlympiadE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
24. M Feigin vs H Mueller  1-0371935Warsaw OlympiadE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
25. V Mikenas vs I Appel  ½-½121935LodzE33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
 page 1 of 50; games 1-25 of 1,244  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
Dec-04-03  refutor: i imagine the popularity of this line has dropped immensely because modern players aren't so quick to block their c-pawn in queen's pawn openings?
Dec-04-03  Benjamin Lau: Yes, that's probably one big reason. The main exception to this rule though in the Nimzo Indian (when it is OK to block your c-pawn) is when your opponent plays 4. Qb3. Then modern theory suggests 4...Nc6 to protect the bishop instead of 4...c5, which gives black a problematic backward pawn. But in spite of this, ...c5 is still the more common move and even Reuben Fine who condemned ...c5 in his book Ideas Behind the Chess Openings played it occasionally so it's probably not that much worse.
Dec-25-04  bensoni: Also, remember that a many players are not getting to this position via the specified move order anymore. Benjamin, Yermolinsky among others are getting here via the Black Knights Tango, e.g., 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 e6 4.Qc2 Bb4 or 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Qc2 d6 and so on, instead of a move order involving 4...Nc6.
Aug-20-05  Dudley: This is the line featured in a repertoire book Chess Openings for Black Explained by Alburt, Dzindzichashvili, etc. The idea seems to be to choose similar lines to the Bogo Indian which is the sister opening in case of 3. Nf3.
Sep-13-11  ProjectR: When i see any chess video's on youtube,the 4.Qc2 move is always described as "Kasparovs pet move" or something similar.. And how come all the greats have moves/gambits/openings etc..named after them,yet im unaware of any named after Kasparov..And the popularity graph shows a steep decline in this opening played by top GM's...why ?? I dont mind this opening at all,iv had some really good games with it...
Sep-13-11  nummerzwei: <ProjectR: When i see any chess video's on youtube,the 4.Qc2 move is always described as "Kasparovs pet move" or something similar.. And how come all the greats have moves/gambits/openings etc..named after them,yet im unaware of any named after Kasparov..And the popularity graph shows a steep decline in this opening played by top GM's...why ?? I dont mind this opening at all,iv had some really good games with it...>

Note that this ECO code is for 4.Qc2 Nc6 only. Other lines after 4.Qc2 are more popular today.

As regards opening lines named after Kasparov, the reason is simply that he's a relatively modern player. When he was active, a lot of variations had already been named after other people.

Sep-15-11  ProjectR: <nummerzwei> thanks for you above post and help

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