Nimzo-Indian defence facts for kids
The Nimzo-Indian Defence is a very popular way to start a chess game. It begins with these special moves: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4. Black's main goal is to challenge White's control of the important e4 square in the center of the board. Sometimes, Black might trade their bishop on b4 for White's knight on c3, especially if White tries to push it away with a move like a3. This opening is named after Aaron Nimzovich, a famous chess player who helped make it popular.
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
| 8 |
            |
8 | |||||||
| 7 | 7 | ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | ||||||||
| 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | ||||||||
| 2 | 2 | ||||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
- 1.d4 Nf6
- 2.c4 e6
- 3.Nc3 Bb4
- 4.e3 0-0
- 5.Bd3 d5
- 6.Nf3 c5
- 7.0-0 Nc6
- 8.a3 Bxc3
- 9.bxc3 dxc4
- 10.Bxc4 Qc7
In this opening, White's central pawns often can't move forward easily. This means White needs to plan carefully before trying to push them.
Contents
What is the Nimzo-Indian Defence?
The Nimzo-Indian Defence is a specific sequence of moves at the start of a chess game. It's one of the most common and trusted openings for Black. It helps Black create a strong position.
How the Game Starts
The Nimzo-Indian Defence begins after White plays 1.d4 and 2.c4, and Black responds with 1...Nf6 and 2...e6. The key move that makes it the Nimzo-Indian is Black's 3...Bb4. This move develops Black's bishop and puts pressure on White's knight on c3.
Why Black Plays This Way
Black's main goal in the Nimzo-Indian is to control the center of the board. Specifically, Black wants to challenge White's plans around the e4 square. By placing the bishop on b4, Black "pins" White's knight on c3. This means the knight cannot move without exposing White's king (if it's castled) or queen.
The Idea Behind the Moves
Black's moves aim to stop White from building a big pawn center. The bishop on b4 helps control important squares. It also prepares for Black to play moves like ...c5 and ...d5 later. These moves help Black claim their own space in the center. Even though it starts with a "hypermodern" idea (attacking the center from afar), it often turns into a more "classical" game. This happens when Black eventually moves pawns into the center.
Who Was Aaron Nimzovich?
The Nimzo-Indian Defence is named after Aaron Nimzovich (1886–1935). He was a very strong chess grandmaster from Latvia. Nimzovich was famous for his new ideas about chess strategy. He wrote important books like "My System," which taught players about concepts like prophylaxis (preventing your opponent's plans) and pawn chains. He believed in controlling the center without always putting pawns there right away.
Images for kids
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Abram Khasin, a chess master, in 1995.
See also
In Spanish: Defensa Nimzo-India para niños
