Nimzo-Indian & Bogo-Indian Defense
16. Classical Queen's Indian Defense (3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6)
The attack of Nimzowitsch and Miles: bishop to a6 to attack the c4 pawn before White completes the fianchetto.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Be7 7.Bg2 c6 8.O-O d5 9.Qc2 Nbd7 10.Rd1 O-O 11.a4 c5 12.Na3 Bb7
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.Nf3 – White develops the kingside knight instead of Nc3 and avoids the Nimzo-Indian: without the knight on c3, ...Bb4 can't pin anything, but White controls e4 less.
- 3...b6 – The Queen's Indian Defense: Black prepares Bb7 or Ba6 to control e4 and the light squares. Without a knight on c3, ...Bb4 would have no pin.
- 4.g3 – White prepares the fianchetto to oppose Black's bishop on the long diagonal. However, the f1 bishop will no longer defend the c4 pawn.
- 4...Ba6 – The bishop attacks the c4 pawn, which the f1 bishop can no longer defend after g3. White must protect it with b3, Qa4, Qc2 or Nbd2.
- 5.b3 – White defends c4 with the b-pawn. It's the most solid answer, but it weakens the a5-e1 diagonal and the c3 square.
- 5...Bb4+ – Black exploits the diagonal weakened by b3 with a check: White must parry with Bd2, which takes the d2 square away from the b1 knight.
- 6.Bd2 – White parries the check with the bishop. The bishop on d2 is less active and takes the b1 knight's natural square away.
- 6...Be7 – Black retreats the bishop to e7 instead of exchanging it: the bishop on d2 is badly placed and blocks the b1 knight, so it's better to leave it there.
- 7.Bg2 – White completes the fianchetto and prepares castling. The g2 bishop controls the long diagonal and the d5 square.
- 7...c6 – Black prepares ...d5 and closes the g2 bishop's diagonal. The c6 pawn also holds the b5 square, if the a6 bishop moves.
- 8.O-O – White castles and puts the king safe. The center remains in tension and Black now chooses how to occupy it.
- 8...d5 – Black occupies the center and closes the g2 bishop's diagonal. The d5 pawn increases the pressure on c4, already attacked by the a6 bishop.
- 9.Qc2 – The queen defends c4 and controls e4. White prepares Rd1 and Nbd2 or Na3 to develop the b1 knight, blocked by the d2 bishop.
- 9...Nbd7 – Black develops the knight to d7, from where it supports ...c5 and e5. He prepares castling and the ...c5 break.
- 10.Rd1 – The rook goes to the d-file, behind the d4 pawn. White prepares e4 or cxd5 to open the file.
- 10...O-O – Black castles and puts the king safe. He is now ready for the ...c5 break.
- 11.a4 – White gains space on the queenside and prepares a5 against the b6 pawn. The b1 knight, which can't go to d2, will use the a3 square.
- 11...c5 – Black breaks with ...c5 and attacks d4. Black prepares ...cxd4 to open the c-file against the c2 queen.
- 12.Na3 – The knight develops to a3, the only free square: from a3 it defends c4 and can go to b5. The d2 square is occupied by the bishop.
- 12...Bb7 – The bishop returns to the long diagonal: the c4 pawn is now well defended, while on b7 the bishop supports ...Ne4 and presses on f3 and g2.
How to exploit the position
Balanced position: both sides have developed their pieces, but White's d2 bishop and a3 knight are not very active. Black has a solid center and pressure on d4.
- Jump to e4 with the knight: it attacks the d2 bishop and, with the b7 bishop behind it, controls the center and the light squares.
- Open the c-file with ...cxd4 and put the rook on c8 against the c2 queen.
- If White plays a5, answer with ...a6 or let him exchange on b6 and recapture with the a-pawn to keep the structure solid.
- Play ...dxc4 at the right moment: after Nxc4 or bxc4 White has hanging pawns or a knight exposed to ...Ne4 and ...Nb6.
Master tips
The provocation of the bishop on a6
With 4...Ba6 you force White to defend c4 with b3, Qa4 or Nbd2, spoiling the harmony of his development.