ECO E43 · Nimzo-Indian Defense

Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6

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

5. Ne2+0.30

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation (E43), reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6, Stockfish 18 recommends 5. Ne2 for White. White is slightly better (+0.30).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.305. Ne2 O-O 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Nxc3 d5 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Be2 Ba6
  2. +0.205. Nf3 O-O 6. Bd3 Bb7 7. O-O c5 8. Bd2 cxd4 9. exd4 Bxf3
  3. +0.205. Bd3 Bb7 6. Ne2 Bxg2 7. Rg1 Bf3 8. Rg3 Bh5 9. e4 Nc6

Other move orders

  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Ne2
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6 5. e3 Ne4 6. Qc2
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3 O-O
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O c5
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 Ne4 5. Qc2 f5 6. Nf3 b6 7. Bd3 Bb7
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 b6 6. e3 Bb7 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 c5 6. Nf3 b6 7. O-O Bb7 8. Na4 Qe7
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6 5. e3 Ne4 6. Qc2 Bb7 7. Bd3 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 f5 9. O-O
  • 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6 5. Bd3 Bb7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O c5 8. Na4 cxd4 9. a3 Be7

Variations

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation?
After 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 b6, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 5. Ne2 for White, continuing O-O 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Nxc3 d5 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Be2 Ba6. White is slightly better (+0.30). The next best moves are 5. Nf3 (+0.20) and 5. Bd3 (+0.20).
Is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.30: white is slightly better. 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 Nimzo-Indian Defense: St. Petersburg Variation?
E43. 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+).