Nimzo-Indian defence

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The Nimzo-Indian defence is a popular chess opening with these initial moves: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4. The basic idea is for Black to challenge for control of the central square e4. This comes at the cost of exchanging his Bb4 for the white Nc3 when White plays a3. The opening is named after Aaron Nimzovich, who developed and promoted it. Initially a hypermodern opening, it usually transposes (changes) into classical form, as black occupies central squares by ...c5 and ...d5.

The Nimzo-Indian defence
abcdefgh
8
a8 black rook
b8 black knight
c8 black bishop
d8 black queen
e8 black king
h8 black rook
a7 black pawn
b7 black pawn
c7 black pawn
d7 black pawn
f7 black pawn
g7 black pawn
h7 black pawn
e6 black pawn
f6 black knight
b4 black bishop
c4 white pawn
d4 white pawn
c3 white knight
a2 white pawn
b2 white pawn
e2 white pawn
f2 white pawn
g2 white pawn
h2 white pawn
a1 white rook
c1 white bishop
d1 white queen
e1 white king
f1 white bishop
g1 white knight
h1 white rook
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
abcdefgh
White to move
1.d4 Nf6
2.c4 e6
3.Nc3 Bb4
4.e3 0-0
5.Bd3 d5
6.Nf3 c5
7.0-0 Nc6
8.a3 Bxc3
9.bxc3 dxc4
10.Bxc4 Qc7

The white central pawns are under restraint. Much preparation is needed before they can move forward.