Queen's Indian Defense
You play Black · 45 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
Take a quiz
10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 23
- Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation, Nimzowitsch AttackE151. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Qa45 moves
- Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation, Timman's LineE151. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. Qb35 moves
- Fianchetto Variation, Kramnik VariationE171. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Re17 moves
- Fianchetto Variation, Rubinstein VariationE151. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 c5 6. d5 exd5 7. Nh47 moves
- Fianchetto Variation, Check Variation, Intermezzo LineE151. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be76 moves
- Fianchetto Variation, Check Variation, Modern LineE151. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Qe76 moves
- Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Kasparov AttackE121. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Nc3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Qc27 moves
- Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Petrosian AttackE121. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Nc3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. e37 moves
- Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Polovodin GambitE121. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. Nc3 Bb7 5. a3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. e47 moves
- Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Rashkovsky AttackE121. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Nc3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Qa4+7 moves
- Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Romanishin AttackE121. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Nc3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Bd27 moves
- Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Classical VariationE121. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Nc3 d5 6. cxd5 exd56 moves
- Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Andersson VariationE121. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Nc3 Ne45 moves
- Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Hedgehog VariationE121. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Nc3 g65 moves
- Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Marco DefenseE121. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Nc3 Be75 moves
- Classical Variation, Traditional Variation, Main LineE191. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Qc2 Nxc3 9. Qxc39 moves
- Classical Variation, Polugaevsky GambitE171. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. d5 exd5 8. Nh48 moves
- Classical Variation, Taimanov GambitE171. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. d5 exd5 8. Nd48 moves
- Classical Variation, Tiviakov DefenseE181. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Na67 moves
- Classical Variation, Traditional Variation, Nimzowitsch LineE181. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 d57 moves
- Spassky SystemE141. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. e3 Bb7 5. Bd3 d55 moves
- Kasparov VariationE131. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 Bb76 moves
- Kasparov Variation, Botvinnik AttackE121. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. Nc3 Bb7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 g5 7. Bg3 Nh57 moves
Other variations · 22
- Queen's Indian Defense, with e3E141. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. Nbd2 c5 6. b3 Be7 7. Bb2 d6 8. O-O O-O 9. c49 moves
- Queen's Indian Defense, with e3E141. Nf3 d5 2. e3 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. d4 O-O 6. b3 b6 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Bb2 Bb7 9. Bd39 moves
- Queen's Indian Defense, with e3E141. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. e3 b6 5. b3 Bb7 6. Bd3 Nbd7 7. O-O Bd6 8. Bb2 O-O 9. Nbd29 moves
- Queen's Indian Defense, with e3E141. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. e3 Be7 5. b3 O-O 6. Bb2 b6 7. Nbd2 Bb7 8. Bd38 moves
- Queen's Indian Defense, with e3E141. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. e3 b6 5. Nc3 Bd6 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O Bb77 moves
- Queen's Indian Defense, with e3E141. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. O-O Be7 6. c4 O-O 7. Nc37 moves
- Queen's Indian Defense, with e3E141. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Nbd2 b6 5. a3 Bxd2+ 6. Qxd2 Bb7 7. e37 moves
- Queen's Indian Defense, with e3E141. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 b6 4. Bd3 Bb7 5. O-O c5 6. c4 g66 moves
- Queen's Indian Defense, with e3E141. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. e3 Be7 5. b3 O-O 6. Bd3 b66 moves
- Queen's Indian Defense, with e3E141. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. e3 b6 5. Nc3 Bb75 moves
- Queen's Indian Defense, with e3, Bb4+ LineE141. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Nbd2 b6 5. e3 Bb75 moves
- Capablanca VariationE161. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Bb4+ 6. Nbd2 O-O 7. O-O d57 moves
- Capablanca VariationE161. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Bb4+ 6. Nbd2 O-O 7. O-O a57 moves
- Averbakh VariationE141. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. e3 Bb7 5. Bd3 c5 6. O-O Be7 7. b3 O-O 8. Bb2 cxd4 9. Nxd49 moves
- Buerger VariationE151. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 c5 6. d5 exd5 7. Ng57 moves
- Euwe VariationE171. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. b37 moves
- Miles VariationE121. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. Bf44 moves
- Opocensky VariationE171. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. Nc3 Ne4 7. Bd27 moves
- Petrosian Variation, Farago DefenseE121. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Ba6 5. Qc2 Bb75 moves
- Riumin VariationE161. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Nc3 d58 moves
- Spassky System3E141. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. e3 Bb7 5. Bd3 c5 6. Nc3 cxd4 7. exd4 Be7 8. O-O d5 9. cxd5 Nxd59 moves
- Yates VariationE161. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 a5 5. g3 b6 6. Bg2 Bb76 moves
What is the Queen's Indian Defense?
The Queen's Indian Defense arises after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6. When White avoids the Nimzo-Indian by playing Nf3 instead of Nc3, Black fianchettoes the queen's bishop to fight for the light squares in the centre, above all e4. It is a solid, positional opening with a reputation for reliability rather than sharpness, and it is the natural partner of the Nimzo-Indian in many repertoires against 1.d4.
Main ideas and plans
Your pieces control the centre from a distance: the bishop on b7 or a6, the knight on f6 and sometimes a knight jump to e4 fight for e4 and d5, and you free your game later with ...d5 or ...c5. The main line is the Fianchetto Variation, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3, in which White opposes your bishop with his own on g2. The modern Nimzowitsch Variation, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Be7, attacks c4 at once, and after the check White's pieces stand slightly awkwardly. The older Classical Variation with ...Bb7, ...Be7, castling and ...Ne4 aims for exchanges and simple equality.
The Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3, prevents ...Bb4 and prepares Nc3 and a big centre. After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3 Bb7 5.Nc3 d5 6.cxd5 Nxd5 you play in classical style, while ...c5 and ...d6 lead to Hedgehog structures in which you wait behind a compact pawn chain and strike later with ...b5 or ...d5. White can also choose quieter moves such as e3, or Nc3, which allows ...Bb4 positions close to the Nimzo-Indian.
Who is it for?
The Queen's Indian suits patient, positional players who prefer clear plans and sound structures to sharp tactical theory, and it pairs naturally with the Nimzo-Indian. Its downside is that it can be passive: if you only aim for exchanges, a strong opponent can keep a small, lasting edge thanks to his extra space. First learn the fight for e4, the ...Ba6 idea against the fianchetto and the Hedgehog structure against the a3 system.