Old Indian: 4.Nf3 Nc6 – overview

Old Indian: 4.Nf3 Nc6

Definition

“Old Indian: 4.Nf3 Nc6” is a specific branch of the Old Indian Defence that arises after the moves 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Nc6. Black combines the traditional Old Indian pawn structure (…d6/…e5) with rapid development of the queen’s knight to c6 instead of the more common King’s Indian move …g6. The line is ECO-coded A53–A55.

Typical Move Order

The canonical sequence is:

• 1. d4 Nf6
• 2. c4 d6
• 3. Nc3 e5
• 4. Nf3 Nc6

At this point the critical continuations include 5. e4, 5. g3, or 5. d5. Black intends …Be7, …0-0, and sometimes …Bg4 or …Bf5 followed by an eventual …f5 or …Nd4 break.

Strategic Ideas

• Centrally-anchored pawn chain. Black’s pawns on d6 and e5 aim to restrain White’s center and prepare counterplay with …exd4 or …f5.
• Early knight pressure. By playing …Nc6 before committing the dark-squared bishop, Black fights for the d4 and e5 squares, sometimes provoking d4-d5 when the knight can reroute via e7-g6.
• Flexible kingside development. Black may castle short with …Be7 and later choose between a solid setup (…Re8, …Bf8) or a more dynamic plan with …f5.
• White’s options. • 5. e4 transposes to a Philidor-type centre. • 5. g3 steers toward Catalan-style pressure on the long diagonal. • 5. d5 gains space but cedes control of e5 and may allow …Ne7 followed by …g6 and a fluid pawn break.

Historical Background

The name “Old Indian” originated in the early 20^th century to distinguish it from the then-newer King’s Indian setups featuring an early …g6. The 4…Nc6 line experienced brief popularity in the 1950s, championed by Soviet grandmasters such as Efim Geller and Isaac Boleslavsky, before falling behind the more dynamic King’s Indian Defence. Modern grandmasters occasionally revive it as a surprise weapon to avoid heavy opening theory.

Illustrative Game

Geller – Keres, Moscow 1956, shows typical themes:

Black’s …Nc6 knight later jumped to e5 and c4, illustrating its flexibility, but White’s timely central pawn break eventually decided the game.

Modern Evaluation

Engines tend to give White a small edge (+0.30 to +0.50) because the queen’s knight sometimes blocks Black’s c-pawn, limiting queenside counterplay. Nevertheless, the line is fully playable:

• Rapid & blitz: popular as a surprise choice.
• Classical: appears sporadically in elite practice; e.g., Grischuk – Nepomniachtchi, Russian Ch. 2019.

Practical Tips

1. For Black: be ready to meet 5. e4 with precise moves (…exd4 and …g6) to neutralize the space grab.
2. For White: delaying e2-e4 (e.g., 5. g3) keeps the position flexible and prevents early liquidation on d4.
3. Both sides should watch the d4–d5 break; if played at the wrong moment, it can either clamp Black or loosen White’s center.

Trivia & Anecdotes

• The move …Nc6 was once considered an “anti-Indian” approach because it clashes with the stereotypical …c7-c5 pawn thrust; yet, Boleslavsky demonstrated that …c5 can still appear later via …a6, …Rb8, and …c6–c5.
• In the 1971 Candidates match, Fischer prepared the 4…Nc6 line as a backup against Petrosian but never got to unveil it.
• Some databases label the setup “Ukrainian Defence” owing to its revival by Ukrainian GMs in the 1990s.