what are the moves?
Studying the Nimzo Indian.
Sort:
The Nimzo-Indian Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
Other move orders, such as 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.d4 Bb4, are also feasible. In the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings, the Nimzo-Indian is classified as E20–E59.
Magnus Carlsen playing the Nimzo Indian as Black
One of my favourite opening variations:
I love playing this variation, especially in OTB chess where I can see the confusion on my opponents face. Although objectively white can get a sizeable advantage, it is quite tricky to work out OTB as white, and fairly rare.
Just to clarify, you love playing that as Black, correct? At the risk of asking a stoopid question that may be obvious to others, what makes it advantageous for Black?
Yeah I play the black side. There's no way black will be favourable after 5 moves in any opening, unless white plays horribly.
If you mean what are its strong points. Probably the connected advantages of it being rare, it being complex and it forcing white into blacks preparation.
These three combined make it quite difficult for white to play towards an openin advantage because
1)They are likely to be unprepared for it (cause it is rare)
2) It is hard to find the best moves when unprepared (cause it is complex)
3) Even if white finds the best moves, black will be in preparation and will be able to respond with the best move quickly, forcing white once again to try their luck at continuing in the correct way.
The drawback is that if white is prepared, very strong, or just lucky they will emerge with some decent sized advantage.
Just out of curiosity, what kind of caliber of OTB players are you facing?
I was relying on this "they don't know about this line, they won't know the best moves", and a 1900 FIDE proceeded to find out the best moves OTB in Rapidplay.
Don't play "hope chess", it never works out if you go against decent players.
plutonia wrote:
Just out of curiosity, what kind of caliber of OTB players are you facing?
I was relying on this "they don't know about this line, they won't know the best moves", and a 1900 FIDE proceeded to find out the best moves OTB in Rapidplay.
Don't play "hope chess", it never works out if you go against decent players.
I'm about 1900 FIDE. It's hardly hope chess, Topalov and Carlsen have played it. It doesn't completely equalise with correct play by white, but it most definately isn't losing or bad. ''Decent sized'' in my mind would be an advantage of about +0.40-0.50 for white.
Do you often blame your results on your openings?
This thread is for discussing the Nimzo Indian. Please discuss (from both White and Black perspectives) variations, pros, cons, how it compares and contrasts to other openings (e.g., KID, QGD, Semi-Slav, Sicilian, etc.).