Queen's Indian Defense

A bishop on b7 stares across the whole board

Fianchetto
Positional play
Hypermodern

Black prepares to fianchetto the queen's bishop with …b6. The bishop on b7 presses on e4 and on White's centre, while Black leaves the centre pawns for later. White's 3.Nf3 also sidesteps the Nimzo-Indian, which would arise after 3.Nc3 Bb4. The positions are flexible and free of weaknesses, so the defence suits players who want safety without passivity.

Interactive Opening Board

7…Ne4

♚

Black

♔

White

7…Ne4

Speed:

Moves

(14 plies • 7 moves)

7…Ne4Tabiya

The knight jumps onto the very square White wanted for a pawn. The b7 bishop backs it up, and it is hard to chase the knight away without trading one of your own.

1–7moves
#WhiteBlack
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1.d4 The queen's pawn takes the centre and opens the road for the c1 bishop.

1…Nf6 The knight eyes e4 and d5, so Black need not hurry with pawns.

2.c4 The c4 pawn presses on d5 and prepares room for White in the centre.

2…e6 Black opens the road for the f8 bishop and keeps both …d5 and …b6 in reserve.

3.Nf3 The knight guards d4 and spares White the Nimzo-Indian that 3.Nc3 Bb4 would allow.

3…b6 This is the move that makes the Queen's Indian. The b6 pawn frees b7 for the c8 bishop, which will aim at e4 and at White's centre, while the e6 pawn stays put to give the f8 bishop room.

4.g3 White prepares a fianchetto too, to contest the long diagonal.

4…Bb7 The bishop takes the long diagonal and at once watches e4.

5.Bg2 Now the two bishops face each other across the centre.

5…Be7 The dark-squared bishop steps modestly to e7 and clears the way for castling.

6.O-O The white king tucks itself behind the bishop and the g3 pawn.

6…O-O Black castles too: time to turn to the centre.

7.Nc3 The knight eyes e4 and d5. White prepares e2-e4 or d4-d5.

7…Ne4 The knight jumps onto the very square White wanted for a pawn. The b7 bishop backs it up, and it is hard to chase the knight away without trading one of your own.

Defining move

3…b6! — the bishop gets its diagonal

The move that sets the Queen's Indian apart from the other Indian systems

Black does not pin the knight as in the Nimzo-Indian but puts the bishop on b7. From there it watches e4 and the whole long diagonal. Black leaves the centre alone for now, waits for White to commit pawns, and then hits them with pieces. The name says the same: this is all about the queen's bishop.

Tabiya

The main 4.g3 system

Both kings are safe and both bishops stand on long diagonals. The black knight has landed on e4 and contests the key square. White often follows with Qc2, trades knights on c3 and recaptures with the queen, and Black answers with …c5. White wants to use the extra space and set up pawns in the centre, while Black wants to keep the b7 bishop busy and avoid weaknesses.

The centre

A flexible centre: Black plays with pieces, White with space

White has pawns on c4 and d4 and a g3 pawn behind the bishop. Black has pawns on e6 and b6: few weak squares, but no centre yet. The fight is over who first manages to put a pawn on e4, d5 or c5.

Key squarese4d5c5

Outposts

e4The e4 square
The whole defence is built around it. A black knight on e4 keeps White from building a centre, and White tries to trade it off or take the square with a pawn.
b7The bishop on the long diagonal
The b7 bishop holds e4 and presses on White's centre. The white bishop on g2 faces it: each side wants to keep its diagonal.

Thematic breaks

c5Black
The …c7-c5 strike
Challenge the d4 pawn and open the way for the c6 knight and the queen.
What follows: If White has not shored up d4 in time, Black equalises.
d5Black
The …d7-d5 thrust
Take the centre with a pawn once the b7 bishop and the f6 knight are ready to support it.
What follows: A white knight often jumps to e5, and a sharp fight breaks out around that square.
e4White
The e2-e4 advance
Build a big centre and push away the knight or the bishop on the diagonal.
What follows: If Black has not struck at the centre in time, White keeps the space for a long time.

White’s plan

Do not let the black knight settle on e4: Qc2 and a trade on c3.
Use the space and prepare e2-e4 or d4-d5.
Keep the g2 bishop on its diagonal and press on the queenside.

Black’s plan

Put the knight on e4 and trade it to ease the cramp.
Win the centre back with …c5 or …d5.
Keep the b7 bishop on its diagonal and play without weaknesses.

History

The defence was developed by the hypermodernists of the early twentieth century, Aron Nimzowitsch among them. In the 1920s and 1930s strong masters took it up willingly. The move 4.a3 carries Petrosian's name, and Kasparov played that setup with success as White.