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Nimzo-Indian Defense

Normal Variation, Gligoric System

E53positionalsolid

  1. 1.d4Nf6
  2. 2.c4e6
  3. 3.Nc3Bb4
  4. 4.e3O-O
  5. 5.Bd3d5
  6. 6.Nf3c5
1,110 games46%47%

Nimzo-Indian line where Black adds 6...c5 to the Classical Defense, challenging d4 and keeping a balanced, heavily analyzed central structure.

Train it in Theoria

About the Gligoric System

The Gligoric System arises when Black, having already established a pawn on d5, adds 6...c5 to strike at d4 and contest the center from both flanks. White usually castles with 7. O-O, while 7. cxd5 and 7. a3 are less common. After 7. O-O, the Exchange Variation 7...dxc4 8. Bxc4 branches into the Bronstein (8...Nbd7) and Smyslov (8...Qe7) lines. Alternatives are 7...Nc6, the Bernstein Defense, and 7...b6, the Keres Variation. The engine considers the position roughly balanced.

Popular continuations

Named variations 5