Kasparov Variation

The Kasparov Variation of the Queen's Indian Defense arises when White answers 3...b6 with the natural developing move 4. Nc3. The knight is aimed at e4 and d5. Unlike 4. a3, this does not prevent the pin 4...Bb4, which Black chooses in about a third of games. That reply produces a hybrid with the Nimzo-Indian.

The usual answer is 4...Bb7, which contests e4 at once. White can then transpose to the Petrosian Variation with 5. a3 or pin the knight with 5. Bg5. The pin leads to the Botvinnik Attack, 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 g5 7. Bg3 Nh5. Here Black gains kingside space and harasses the bishop to break the pressure on f6, at the cost of loosening the pawns in front of the king. The rarer 4...Ba6, which hits c4, has scored better for White. The engine regards the position as roughly balanced. In the database Black's results slightly exceed White's against both 4...Bb7 and 4...Bb4.