Nimzo-Indian & Bogo-Indian Defense
12. The rare 4.Qa4: the exposed queen
The queen on a4 attacks the b4 bishop but doesn't defend the c3 knight. Black develops with ...Nc6, castles and occupies the center with ...d5, preparing discovered attacks with ...Bd7.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qa4 Nc6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.e3 d5
Move by move
- 1.d4 – White occupies the center with the d-pawn, protected by the queen, and frees the c1 bishop. This is the move that starts Queen's Gambit, Catalan and Nimzo-Indian games.
- 1...Nf6 – Black develops the knight toward the center and immediately prevents 2.e4. With Nf6 Black stays flexible: he can choose between the Nimzo-Indian, Queen's Indian, King's Indian or the Queen's Gambit Declined.
- 2.c4 – White gains space on the queenside and attacks the d5 square from a distance. White now threatens Nc3 and e4 to build a big pawn center.
- 2...e6 – Black opens the diagonal for the f8 bishop and prepares both d5 and Bb4. Compared with 2...d5, Black stays elastic: he waits to see whether White plays Nc3, which allows the Nimzo-Indian.
- 3.Nc3 – White develops the knight and prepares e4: if Black doesn't react, 4.e4 would give White the ideal center with pawns on c4, d4 and e4.
- 3...Bb4 – The move of the Nimzo-Indian: the bishop pins the c3 knight to the king, so Nc3 no longer controls e4 and the e4 push becomes difficult. Black is ready to capture on c3 to double White's pawns.
- 4.Qa4 – A rare move: the queen attacks the b4 bishop, but goes to an exposed square and doesn't defend the c3 knight. Black can develop with a tempo against the queen.
- 4...Nc6 – Black defends the b4 bishop and closes the a4-e8 diagonal toward the king. The knight on c6 also controls d4 and e5.
- 5.Nf3 – White develops the kingside knight and controls e5. He now prepares e3 and Bd3 in order to castle.
- 5...O-O – Black castles and puts the king safe: the king is no longer on the a4-e8 diagonal and the d7 pawn can advance without creating pins.
- 6.e3 – White opens the path for the f1 bishop and reinforces d4. The queen on a4 remains out of the center, though.
- 6...d5 – Black occupies the center and attacks c4. With the bishop pinning the c3 knight and White's queen on a4, Black already has good play.
How to exploit the position
Black has solid development and center; White's queen on a4 is out of play and the b4 bishop pins the c3 knight. Black is doing well.
- The b4 bishop is attacked by the queen and defended only by the c6 knight: before moving the knight, exchange on c3 or protect the bishop.
- Play ...Bd7: every move of the c6 knight becomes a discovered attack on the a4 queen.
- The knight on e4 attacks the pinned c3 knight: with ...Ne4 you increase the pressure on c3.
- If a3 Bxc3+ bxc3, after ...Bd7 the d4 pawn becomes a target: ...Nxd4 uncovers the attack on the queen.
Master tips
The discovered attack on a4
With the bishop on d7, the c6 knight is the only piece between the bishop and the a4 queen.