ECO E15 · Queen's Indian Defense

Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Check Variation, Intermezzo Line

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be7

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

7. Nc3+0.25

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

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Check Variation, Intermezzo Line (E15), reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be7, Stockfish 18 recommends 7. Nc3 for White. The position is roughly equal (+0.25).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.257. Nc3 O-O 8. Bg2 d5 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Ne5 Re8 11. O-O Bb7
  2. +0.247. Bg2 O-O 8. Nc3 d5 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Ne5 Re8 11. O-O Bb7
  3. +0.147. Qc2 c5 8. Bg2 Nc6 9. dxc5 bxc5 10. O-O d5 11. Nc3 d4

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Check Variation, Intermezzo Line?
After 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be7, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 7. Nc3 for White, continuing O-O 8. Bg2 d5 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Ne5 Re8 11. O-O Bb7. The position is roughly equal (+0.25). The next best moves are 7. Bg2 (+0.24) and 7. Qc2 (+0.14).
Is the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Check Variation, Intermezzo Line a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.25: 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 Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Check Variation, Intermezzo Line?
E15. 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+).