Chess opening · ECO E40
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System
With 4.e3, White answers the pin with a modest pawn move. It frees the f1 bishop for d3, keeps d4 firmly supported, and clears the way to castle once the bishop and the g1 knight are out. White does not try to win the e4 square by force. The plan is to finish development, then decide where the pawns should go based on what Black has done.
- Rank by weighted share
- #140 of 159
Key moves
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3
- 3... Bb4This is the pin that defines the Nimzo-Indian. In the Rubinstein White does not spend a move to break it and simply carries on developing.
- 4. e3Opens the f1-a6 diagonal so the bishop can reach d3, where it covers e4 and points at the black kingside. The pawn on e3 also backs up d4, so if Black plays ...c5 and ...cxd4, White can recapture with the e-pawn. The cost is that the c1 bishop is now shut in behind the e3 pawn.
Where the g1 knight goes
White has two homes for the king's knight. On f3 it is natural and covers e5. On e2 it can retake on c3 if Black trades the bishop, so White avoids doubled pawns. The cost of the e2 route is that the knight blocks the f1 bishop for a while.
Black's three main answers
Castling first keeps every option open. 4...c5 hits d4 at once and often leads to ...Nc6 and a trade on c3 followed by ...d6 and ...e5, building a dark-square wall against White's bishops. 4...b6 goes back to the fianchetto plan and adds the bishop on b7 to the fight for e4.
Many games reach a center where Black has played both ...d5 and ...c5. There the fight is about who gains from the pawn trades in the middle, since an isolated pawn on d4 or a pair of hanging pawns can easily appear.
The main line with ...d5 and ...c5
4... O-O 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nf3 c5 7. O-O
Both kings are safe and Black has hit White's center with two pawns. White can trade on d5 or c5, keep the tension, or play a3 to ask the bishop to declare itself. Black often adds ...Nc6 to raise the pressure on d4.
Top replies by rating
Castling leads every band. In the 2000 and up band, b6 overtakes c5 for second place.
| Rating | Top | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1400–1599 | O-O 32% | c5 20% | Bxc3+ 18% |
| 1600–1799 | O-O 32% | c5 16% | Bxc3+ 15% |
| 1800–1999 | O-O 36% | c5 31% | b6 12% |
| 2000 and up | O-O 37% | b6 25% | c5 22% |
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.