Old Indian Defense
You play Black · 4 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
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10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 2
Other variations · 2
What is the Old Indian Defense?
The Old Indian Defense arises after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6, usually followed by ...Nbd7 and ...e5. As in the King's Indian you challenge White's centre with ...e5, but your dark-squared bishop goes to e7 instead of g7. It is a solid, somewhat passive but very sound defence with a closed or semi-closed character; it is not fashionable at the top, but it is a respectable choice if you want a reliable structure with less theory than the King's Indian.
Main ideas and plans
The typical set-up is ...Nbd7, ...e5, ...Be7, castling and ...c6, often followed by ...Re8, ...Bf8 and ...Qc7 to keep a firm pawn on e5. In the Normal Variation, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.e4 e5 5.Nf3, you complete development this way, and your main pawn moves are ...exd4 to free your pieces and open the e-file, ...a5 to secure the c5 square for a knight, and, if White closes the centre with d5, ...c6 or ...f5 depending on how the pawns lock. White usually aims for space with d5 or for pressure on the d-file after dxe5.
The Ukrainian Variation, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 e5, plays ...e5 at once. If White exchanges with 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 e5 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8, the queens are off and your king stays in the centre, which is perfectly playable because there is no queen left to attack it. The Duz-Khotimirsky Variation, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 e5 4.e3 Nbd7 5.Bd3, is a quieter set-up for White. If White develops the king's knight first, the Tartakower-Indian, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nf3 Bg4, pins that knight to fight for e5. Be ready too for direct tries such as the rare Aged Gibbon Gambit, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.g4.
Who is it for?
The Old Indian suits solid, patient players who like closed positions and manoeuvring, and those who want a King's Indian-like structure without its sharp main lines. Its downside is a lack of activity: the bishop on e7 is more modest than on g7, and if you are careless White's extra space can leave you cramped. Before playing it, learn the standard ...e5 structure, when to release the tension with ...exd4, and the queenless middlegame after the early exchange on e5.