Nimzo-Indian: Reshevsky 6.a3 Be7 7.cxd5 exd5

Nimzo-Indian: Reshevsky, 6.a3 Be7 7.cxd5 exd5

Definition

The line 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 Ø 5.Bd3 d5 6.a3 Be7 7.cxd5 exd5 belongs to the Reshevsky Variation of the Nimzo-Indian Defence (ECO codes E46–E48). White kicks the pinning bishop with 6.a3, but instead of exchanging on c3 Black preserves the piece by retreating to e7. After 7.cxd5 exd5 the game transposes into an IQP (Isolated Queen’s Pawn) middlegame in which Black has the more fluid piece placement while White enjoys the bishop pair and prospects of a kingside attack.

Typical Move Order

An illustrative sequence is:

1. 1. d4 Nf6
2. 2. c4 e6
3. 3. Nc3 Bb4
4. 4. e3 O-O
5. 5. Bd3 d5 (this pawn thrust gives the variation its name)
6. 6. a3 Be7 (the key Reshevsky retreat)
7. 7. cxd5 exd5

Strategic Ideas

• White:
  • Keep the two bishops (Bc1 and Bd3) aimed at the kingside.
  • Pressure the isolated pawn on d5 by Re1, Qf3/ Qc2, and sometimes doubling rooks on the d-file.
  • Use the a- and c-files for minority attacks if the centre becomes blocked.
  • Typical piece set-up: Nf3, Ne5 (outpost), Bf4/ Bg5, Qf3, Rac1.
• Black:
  • Exploit the active squares that the IQP grants: Ne4, Bf5, Rc8, Re8.
  • Aim for ...c5 or ...e5 breaks to liquidate the pawn weakness and open lines for the pieces.
  • Maintain flexibility by keeping the light-squared bishop, which often goes to g4 or f5 later.
  • Watch out for back-rank mates once rooks are lifted from the eighth rank.

Typical Tactical Motifs

• Breaks: …c5 and …e5 are the thematic freeing advances for Black.
• Minor-piece activity: Knight hops to e4 (Black) or e5 (White) create double attacks on queens and bishops.
• Bishop sacrifice on h7: Because White’s dark-squared bishop stays on d3, the classic Bxh7+ Greek-Gift is always in the air if Black’s pieces drift.
• Back-rank patterns: After heavy-piece exchanges on d5 the back rank can be vulnerable, e.g. Re8?? Qxe8#.

Historical Background

Grandmaster Samuel Reshevsky (1911-1992) regularly steered his Nimzo-Indian into 4.e3 structures and was one of the first elite players to adopt the quick Bd3 and a3 plan. By refusing the standard ...Bxc3+, Black avoids giving White doubled c-pawns but heads for dynamic IQP positions that Reshevsky enjoyed playing with either colour. The retreat 6…Be7 was first seen in the mid-1940s and became a reliable alternative to the more popular 6…Bxc3+.

Model Games

• Reshevsky – Najdorf, Zurich 1953
  White demonstrated the power of the bishops, eventually breaking through on f7.
• Karpov – Hübner, Milan 1980
  Karpov strangled Black’s IQP, showcasing textbook exploitation of the weak pawn.
• Anand – Carlsen, Wijk aan Zee 2013
  Carlsen equalised smoothly with precise piece play and timely …c5.

Practical Tips

• If you like French Tarrasch positions as Black, this Nimzo line will feel familiar.
• White should not rush dxc5; holding the tension often forces Black to resolve it on less favourable terms.
• After 8.Nf3 c6 9.O-O, studying typical endings with opposite-coloured bishops helps in assessing exchanges.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• In Reshevsky – Keres, Candidates 1953, Black forgot to play …c5 in time and was slowly ground down; Keres later quipped that he had “mistaken the IQP for a proud protected passer.”
• An early computer vs. human clash (Belle – Reshevsky, 1980) reached this exact structure; the veteran grandmaster won, proclaiming that “machines still don’t understand isolated pawns.”
• The move 6…Be7 is sometimes called the “Hájek Retreat” in Czech sources, crediting Petr Hájek, who used it successfully in domestic play before it caught on internationally.