Nimzo-Indian: 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 c5 6.Ne2
Nimzo-Indian Defence, Rubinstein System (Move order: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 c5 6.Ne2)
Definition
The sequence 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 c5 6.Ne2 is a main-line branch of the Nimzo-Indian Defence, specifically the Rubinstein System. After the preliminary pawn move 4.e3, White solidifies the d4-pawn, prepares to develop the dark-squared bishop, and keeps options open for the queen’s knight and central pawn breaks. Black castles, strikes at the centre with ...c5, and White replies 6.Ne2, opting to develop the g1-knight to e2 rather than f3.
Typical Move Order
Starting from the initial position, the moves reach:
- 1.d4 Nf6
- 2.c4 e6
- 3.Nc3 Bb4 (the hallmark Nimzo-Indian pin on the knight)
- 4.e3 (the Rubinstein System: quiet, flexible, and solid)
- 4…O-O (Black castles early; other tries are 4…c5 or 4…d5)
- 5.Bd3 (White completes kingside development and eyes the h7-square)
- 5…c5 (Black challenges the centre, often aiming for …d5 later)
- 6.Ne2 (the “Kmoch Variation” within the Rubinstein; the knight supports c3, keeps the f-pawn free, and avoids pins)
Strategic Themes
- White’s Plan
- Maintain a strong pawn centre with d4–c4 supported by e3.
- Reinforce the centre by playing 0-0, f3, and eventually e4 to grab space.
- Use the bishop pair (after Black often gives up …Bxc3) to create pressure on both flanks.
- Black’s Plan
- Undermine White’s centre by combining …c5, …d5, and piece pressure on c4 and e4.
- Exchange minor pieces to reduce White’s latent bishop pair advantage.
- Create queenside majority play: …b6, …Ba6, and minority attacks on c4.
- Piece Placement
- The knight on e2 is flexible: it supports d4, can jump to g3 or f4, and allows f2–f3 for central expansion.
- The bishop on d3 targets h7 and adds latent kingside pressure, making …h6 or …g6 concessions awkward for Black.
- Black’s light-squared bishop (Bb4) may exchange on c3, doubling White’s pawns but conceding the bishop pair.
Historical Significance
The Rubinstein System was popularised by the Polish grandmaster Akiba Rubinstein in the early 20th century and has been a backbone of White’s Nimzo repertoire ever since. The sub-line with 6.Ne2 gained traction in the 1970s–1980s thanks to players such as Bent Larsen and Anatoly Karpov, who used it to avoid the highly theoretical 6.Nf3 Qe7 lines and to keep the position strategically rich and maneuvering.
Illustrative Game
Karpov vs. Hjartarson, Tilburg 1987
Karpov demonstrated the strength of the 6.Ne2 line by calmly exchanging in the centre, activating the bishops, and nursing a small but persistent structural edge that turned into a textbook technical win.
Key Ideas to Remember
- White keeps options for f2–f3 and e3-e4 breaks.
- Black often chooses between immediate …d5 or the more flexible …b6 and …Ba6.
- The doubled c-pawns after …Bxc3 are double-edged: they give White the bishop pair but hand Black concrete targets.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Anatoly Karpov’s lifetime score with 6.Ne2 in classical games is an impressive 70%+, underscoring the line’s solidity at the highest level.
- The move 6.Ne2 is sometimes nicknamed the “Gligorić System” in older literature, as Yugoslav GM Svetozar Gligorić used it frequently in the 1950s.
- Because the knight blocks the e-file, grandmasters advise postponing the development of White’s king’s bishop to e2 until the knight has rerouted, illustrating the subtle move-order nuances in the variation.
Practical Tips for Both Sides
- For White:
- Avoid premature e3-e4 unless the centre is fully protected.
- If Black delays …Bxc3, consider prompting it with a2-a3 to later recapture with the b-pawn and undouble.
- For Black:
- After 6…d5, be ready for cxd5 exd5 and the symmetrical IQP structures; after 6…b6, watch out for d4-d5 pawn breaks.
- Do not underestimate White’s latent kingside pressure—tactics on h7 can appear quickly once the centre opens.