Queen's Indian: 6.O-O O-O 7.Re1 d5

Queen's Indian: 6.O-O O-O 7.Re1 d5

Definition

The sequence 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 d5 forms one of the main branches of the Queen’s Indian Defence, classified by ECO as E15. After both sides castle, White plays Re1 to reinforce the e-pawn and keep the option of advancing e2–e4. Black replies …d7–d5, striking the center before White can obtain space. The position is balanced, flexible, and has been employed at the highest level for decades.

Move Order & Basic Position

The critical diagram after 7…d5 (White to move) is shown below:

Strategic Ideas

• White
  • Maintain the long-term pressure of the g2-bishop on the long diagonal.
  • Prepare e2–e4 (usually after cxd5 exd5 or Nc3) to seize central space.
  • Exploit the semi-open e-file created by Re1, especially if Black exchanges on c4 and plays …c5.
  • Recapture on d5 with a knight (Ne3-d5) in some lines, gaining an outpost.
• Black
  • Challenge the center immediately with …d5 to avoid being squeezed.
  • Keep the light-squared bishop flexible—sometimes retreating to a6 or c8 after …dxc4 and …c5.
  • Aim for an eventual …c5 break, leading to Queen’s Gambit—type structures.
  • Exploit the a8–h1 diagonal with the Bb7, especially after the thematic …dxc4.

Main Continuations

1. 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Nc3
   Classical approach—symmetrical pawn structure. Black chooses between solid setups (…Nbd7, …Re8) or dynamic play with …c5.
2. 8.Nc3 Nbd7 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Bf4
   White delays the capture and develops pieces first, keeping more tension.
3. 8.Ne5 Nfd7 9.Nxd7 Nxd7 10.Nc3
   White heads for piece play; Black enjoys a rock-solid pawn chain.

Historical Significance

The line became fashionable in the 1970s when grandmasters such as Bent Larsen and Lajos Portisch used it to sidestep the heavily analyzed 4…Ba6 variations. Anatoly Karpov regularly employed the Black side in his World Championship matches, trusting the inherent solidity of the structure. More recently, elite players like Fabiano Caruana, Viswanathan Anand, and Ding Liren have kept the variation alive, proving that it still offers chances for both sides.

Illustrative Games

• Kasparov – Karpov, Linares 1993
  A textbook demonstration of White’s pressure after 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Nc3 c5 10.Bg5, ending in a kingside attack.
• Caruana – Anand, Wijk aan Zee 2015
  Black equalized comfortably with accurate piece placement, showing the robustness of 7…d5 8.Nc3 Nbd7.
• Ding Liren – Giri, Candidates 2020
  Features the modern 8.Ne5 idea; the game was drawn after deep maneuvering on the queenside.

Typical Plans & Motifs

• Minor-Piece Imbalance: White often aims for a knight on e5 or d5 versus Black’s light-squared bishop, banking on the long-term strength of the g2-bishop.
• Pawn Breaks:
  • White – e2–e4, sometimes even f2–f3 followed by e4–e5.
  • Black – …c5 or …dxc4 combined with …c5 to open the bishop on b7.
• Endgame Considerations: Because the pawn structure is often symmetrical, endgames hinge on the activity of the bishops and the potential weakness of the isolated d-pawn if one arises after exchanges.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• The ECO code E15 covers only positions where White has played Re1 before Nc3; a single move order tweak (7.Nc3) re-labels the game as E14.
• In the 1997 Kasparov vs. Deep Blue match, IBM’s super-computer briefly considered 7…d5 but rejected it in favor of 7…c5, illustrating the computer era’s impact on opening theory.
• Some theoreticians call 7.Re1 the “Petrosian System,” yet Tigran Petrosian almost never used it—he preferred 7.Nc3. The misnomer persists in several older books.