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Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System (E49)
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e3 O-O 5 Bd3 d5 6 a3 Bxc3+
7 bxc3

Number of games in database: 848
Years covered: 1930 to 2025
Overall record:
   White wins 36.8%
   Black wins 29.4%
   Draws 33.7%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Vadim Milov  20 games
Alexey Sarana  14 games
Boris Gulko  10 games
Haik M Martirosyan  7 games
Wolfgang Unzicker  6 games
Herman Steiner  4 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Euwe vs H Steiner, 1946
Furman vs Lilienthal, 1949
Granda Zuniga vs A Ivanov, 2003
I Sokolov vs J Polgar, 2006
Gulko vs Adams, 2000
Szabo vs Smyslov, 1949
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 page 1 of 34; games 1-25 of 848  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. E Andersen vs A Ribera Arnal  1-0591930Hamburg OlympiadE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
2. S Erdelyi vs H Mattison  1-0321931Prague OlympiadE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
3. G Holtey vs B H Villegas  0-1391934Mar del PlataE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
4. Lilienthal vs R Michell 1-0391934Hastings 1934/35E49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
5. Bogoljubov vs Reshevsky 0-1721936NottinghamE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
6. Petrov vs E Steiner ½-½661937KemeriE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
7. J Sorli vs O Nedeljkovic  0-1601938LjubljanaE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
8. J Siska vs Gligoric  0-1621939Yugoslav Amateur Championship sf-AE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
9. A Olivera vs L Zavala 1-0281939Buenos Aires Olympiad qual-2E49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
10. Fine vs H Steiner  1-039194041st US OpenE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
11. Stahlberg vs J Bolbochan 1-0411941Mar del PlataE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
12. R Palme vs H Mueller  ½-½181941German ChampionshipE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
13. J Dobias vs Pachman  ½-½661943UJCS-17.KongressE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
14. J Dobias vs K Prucha  0-1511943UJCS-17.KongressE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
15. Denker vs A Pinkus  1-0551944USA-chE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
16. V Mikenas vs Ragozin 1-0521944USSR ChampionshipE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
17. Kotov vs Lilienthal 1-0331944USSR ChampionshipE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
18. Lilienthal vs I Aramanovich  1-0411945Moscow Championship 1944/45E49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
19. V Lyublinsky vs V Baturinsky  0-1451945URS-sf MoscowE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
20. J Feuer vs B Kazic  1-0661945Yugoslav ChampionshipE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
21. C Purdy vs G Koshnitsky  1-0271946Interclub MatchE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
22. Euwe vs H Steiner 1-0381946GroningenE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
23. Gligoric vs F Zita  0-1831946PragueE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
24. Kashdan vs H Steiner  1-0421946United States ChampionshipE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
25. Reshevsky vs H Steiner  1-0301946United States ChampionshipE49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System
 page 1 of 34; games 1-25 of 848  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
Nov-18-05  AlexanderMorphy: i prefer the Rubinstein variation/main line....
Nov-18-05  RookFile: Well, we all go through phases, play
what you like best. For a while I
preferred 4. Bg5. Botvinnik's system,
and the Saemisch, immediately secure
the 2 bishops, at a cost to the pawn
structure.

In the end, the better player will win.

Nov-18-05  CapablancaFan: I personally prefer the standard "kings indian defence". To me it is a more solid set up and makes it hard for white to break through unless you are playing carelessly. This system (Botvinnik) exchanges off the dark squared bishop early in exchange for rapid development in hopes of siezing the initiative. I'm not debating which opening is better as I said it's "my preference". If one chooses to go with this line at least have 3 or 4 variations worked out in case your opponent dosen't respond the way you expect.
Nov-25-05  AlexanderMorphy: <rookfile> it's not about playing what you like best...it's about playing the line which will give you the biggest advantage.
Nov-25-05  RookFile: Well, in that case, the correct move is 4. Qc2. Capablanca was sure with every ounce of his being that 4.Qc2 is the best move on the board.

A guy like Reshevsky made a living winning with White in the Nimzo, playing his own systems, and playing them well. As a general rule, if you played the Nimzo as black against Reshevsky, you were asking for trouble.

Nov-25-05  KingG: Yes, even if you were Fischer. Reshevsky vs Fischer, 1965
Nov-25-05  RookFile: This one started as a QGD, but transposed into the Nimzo, and Reshevsky smashed him:

Reshevsky vs Fischer, 1961

Reshevsky beat a bunch of other guys
as white in the Nimzo, of course....

Nov-25-05  Dudley: On the other hand, what would have been the appropriate thing to play against Reshesky? He was murder in the QG exchange line and I suspect he didn't treat the King's Indian too kindly either. I think the Nimzo is maybe more difficult to learn than the King's Indian, but basically more sound for the average player.
Dec-16-05  ipk89: hi
Dec-21-05  AlexanderMorphy: which is the Saemisch variation?
Dec-21-05  misguidedaggression: 4.a3 = Saemisch (Usually followed by f3 and e4)

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