ECO E16 · Queen's Indian Defense

Queen's Indian Defense: Yates Variation

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 a5 5. g3 b6 6. Bg2 Bb7

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

7. O-O+0.38

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Queen's Indian Defense: Yates Variation (E16), reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 a5 5. g3 b6 6. Bg2 Bb7, Stockfish 18 recommends 7. O-O for White. White is slightly better (+0.38).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.387. O-O O-O 8. Nc3 Bxc3 9. Bxc3 Ne4 10. Rc1 d6 11. Be1 Na6
  2. +0.327. Nc3 Bxc3 8. Bxc3 Ne4 9. Rc1 d6 10. O-O O-O 11. Be1 Na6
  3. +0.257. Qc2 Bxd2+ 8. Qxd2 O-O 9. O-O d5 10. Ne5 Nbd7 11. Rd1 c6

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Queen's Indian Defense: Yates Variation?
After 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 a5 5. g3 b6 6. Bg2 Bb7, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 7. O-O for White, continuing O-O 8. Nc3 Bxc3 9. Bxc3 Ne4 10. Rc1 d6 11. Be1 Na6. White is slightly better (+0.38). The next best moves are 7. Nc3 (+0.32) and 7. Qc2 (+0.25).
Is the Queen's Indian Defense: Yates Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.38: 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 Queen's Indian Defense: Yates Variation?
E16. 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+).