Indian defenses

The broad name for an opening family in which Black answers the queen pawn by moving the kingside knight out first.

A defense to d4 in which ...Bb4 pins the c3-knight and pressures White's center without filling it with black pawns.

A Nimzo-Indian variation where White's queen goes to c2 to support e4 and prepare a queen recapture on c3.

A broad Nimzo-Indian system defined by the e3 advance, a solid move that frees the king's bishop and permits flexible development.

A Nimzo-Indian system where White develops with e3, a knight on f3, and a bishop on d3 while Black attacks the center.

A Nimzo-Indian line where Black exchanges the bishop for the c3-knight, damages White's structure, and aims to close the center.

A Nimzo-Indian variation where Black answers e3 with b6 and prepares to develop the queen's bishop on b7.

A Nimzo-Indian variation where White advances the a-pawn, invites the exchange on c3, and accepts doubled pawns for two bishops.

An ambitious Nimzo-Indian variation where White advances the f-pawn to prepare a broad center with e4.

A Nimzo-Indian variation where White develops the dark-squared bishop to g5 before restricting it with e3.

A flexible Nimzo-Indian variation where White advances the g-pawn and prepares the king's bishop for g2.

A Nimzo-Indian variation where White's queen goes to b3 to attack Black's bishop on b4 immediately.

A Nimzo-Indian variation where White develops the king's knight to f3 before fixing the central pawn structure.

A defense to d4 in which Black prepares ...Bb7 with ...b6 and controls the center with pieces rather than occupying it immediately.

A White system that prepares the bishop on g2 to control a long diagonal, support the center, and help secure the king.

A line in which both sides develop a bishop on a long diagonal before deciding how to occupy or challenge the center.

A White system that advances the a2-pawn to a3, preventing Black’s bishop from reaching b4 and preparing the knight on c3.

A line where White immediately develops the b1-knight to c3 and allows Black’s bishop to move to b4.

A flexible system that advances the e2-pawn to e3, frees the f1-bishop, and helps White secure the king quickly.

A defense to d4 in which Black develops the bishop to b4 with check after White's king knight has moved to f3.

A Bogo-Indian line in which White blocks the check with Bd2 and Black supports the bishop with ...Qe7.

A Bogo-Indian branch in which Black gives a bishop check and, after White blocks it, retreats without exchanging.

A defense to d4 in which Black allows White to build a large pawn center and later challenges it with moves such as ...e5 or ...c5.

A major King's Indian line where White builds a broad center while Black prepares pawn advances that attack it.

A closed King's Indian line where White advances on the side where the queen began and Black advances on the side where the king began.

A King's Indian branch where White rapidly advances pawns on the side where the queen began.

A King's Indian variation where White locks the center before securing the king and tries to restrict Black's play.

A King's Indian system where White moves the bishop beside the queen out before deciding whether to lock the center.

A King's Indian variation where White plays f3 to reinforce e4 and prepare an aggressive expansion.

A Black formation against the Sämisch that prepares expansion and pressure on the side where the queens began.

A King's Indian variation where White develops the bishop to g2 for king safety and long-range pressure.

A variation where White places pawns on c4, d4, e4, and f4 to gain major space and dominate the center.

A King's Indian variation where White actively places the queenside bishop to restrain Black's central pawn advance.

A King's Indian variation where White advances the h-pawn early to control a square used by Black's knight.

A queen-pawn defense where Black builds a compact setup, prepares a central challenge with the e-pawn, and commonly develops the king-side bishop to e7.

A defense to d4 in which Black plays an early ...d5 and challenges White's pawn center immediately.

A Grünfeld line where White removes a central black pawn and builds a broad pawn center that Black immediately tries to attack.

A Grünfeld variation where White plays Qb3 to defend c4, pressure d5, and support a broad pawn center.

A Grünfeld variation in which both white knights and one black knight leave their starting squares early.

A response to the Grünfeld where White moves the bishop beside the queen out early, before pawns can close its diagonal.

An opening family where White develops the king's knight first and Black answers with a fianchetto and a central d5 strike.

A flexible defense to 1.d4 in which Black moves both knights before deciding how to advance the central pawns.