ecocodes
Volume E · Indian defenses‹ E48E50 ›
a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8
Reference position · Black to move

E49 Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Botvinnik System

E49 holds a single named line. It leaves E48 (Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Classical Defense) with 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3. Black’s pieces and pawns attack three squares in White’s half, the third-lowest count of the 40 Nimzo-Indian Defense codes. That final move, by the b-pawn, covers b4 and d4 and opens a line for the bishop on c1.

Score sheet
#WhiteBlack
1d4Nf6
2c4e6
3Nc3Bb4
4e3O-O
5Bd3d5
6a3Bxc3+
7bxc3

Moves only E49 plays

Same as E48 up to 5...d5, then:

  1. 6.a3 The a-pawn advances to a3, covering b4, opening a line for the rook on a1, attacking the bishop on b4.
  2. 6...Bxc3+ The bishop on b4 takes the knight on c3, giving check.
  3. 7.bxc3 The b-pawn takes the bishop on c3, covering b4 and d4, opening a line for the bishop on c1.

The road to E49

  1. 1.d4 … 4...O-Osix earlier stops: A40, A45, A50, E20, E40, E46
  2. 5.Bd3E47 Normal Variation
  3. 5...d5E48 Classical Defense
  4. 7.bxc3E49

The position after 7.bxc3

White has brought out the bishop on d3; Black the knight on f6. White has a half-open b-file. Black could capture with dxc4. Black is to move and has 27 legal moves.

WhiteBlackMaterial (pawn units)3636Minor pieces developed11Moves spent on pawns52Pawns on d4, e4, d5, e511Squares attacked in the other half83Doubled pawns10not castledcastled kingside, move 4

Closest boards in other codes

CodeLineDiffers on
E28Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variationfour squares: f1, d3, d5, d7
E27Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variationsix squares: f1, e2, d3, e3, d5, d7
E29Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variationsix squares: c5, d5, c6, c7, d7, b8
E47Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variationseven squares: a2, b2, a3, c3, b4, d5, d7
E46Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variationnine squares: f1, a2, b2, a3, c3, d3, b4, d5 …
E51Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Ragozin Variationnine squares: f1, g1, a2, b2, a3, c3, d3, f3 …
E52Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Schlechter Defensenine squares: g1, a2, b2, a3, c3, f3, b4, b6 …

Where lines continue from here

One named line filed under other codes passes through the position after 7.bxc3. It belongs to E59.

Volume E

  1. 00
  2. 01
  3. 02
  4. 03
  5. 04
  6. 05
  7. 06
  8. 07
  9. 08
  10. 09
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
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  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
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  92. 91
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  95. 94
  96. 95
  97. 96
  98. 97
  99. 98
  100. 99

Open this line in the finderAll Nimzo-Indian Defense codes