ECO E11 · Bogo-Indian Defense

Bogo-Indian Defense: Retreat Variation

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7

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White to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

5. Nc3+0.26

The position is roughly equal. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Bogo-Indian Defense: Retreat Variation (E11), reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7, Stockfish 18 recommends 5. Nc3 for White. The position is roughly equal (+0.26).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.265. Nc3 d5 6. Bf4 O-O 7. e3 c5 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. Qc2 Nc6
  2. +0.265. g3 d5 6. Bg2 c6 7. Qc2 O-O 8. O-O Nbd7 9. Rc1 a5
  3. +0.245. Qc2 d5 6. g3 O-O 7. Bg2 c6 8. O-O Nbd7 9. Rd1 b6

Other move orders

  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 O-O
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Qc2 c6 8. O-O
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. O-O O-O 8. Qc2 c6
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. O-O O-O 8. Qc2 c6 9. b3
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. O-O O-O 8. Qc2 c6 9. Rc1
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. O-O O-O 8. Qc2 c6 9. Rd1
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 d5 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. O-O O-O 8. Qc2 c6 9. Rd1 h6
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O c6 8. Qc2 Nbd7 9. Bf4 b6 10. Nbd2
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O c6 8. Qc2 Nbd7 9. Bf4 b6 10. Nbd2 Ba6

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Bogo-Indian Defense: Retreat Variation?
After 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 Be7, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 5. Nc3 for White, continuing d5 6. Bf4 O-O 7. e3 c5 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. Qc2 Nc6. The position is roughly equal (+0.26). The next best moves are 5. g3 (+0.26) and 5. Qc2 (+0.24).
Is the Bogo-Indian Defense: Retreat Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.26: the position is roughly equal. Evaluations this early in the game are small, so practical results depend far more on knowing the plans and typical structures than on the engine's number.
What is the ECO code of the Bogo-Indian Defense: Retreat Variation?
E11. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; E is the volume for indian defenses.

Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).