The Nimzo-Indian Defence, Classical Variation – Chess Openings Explained

Jonathan Schrantz demonstrates how to play the classical Nimzo, characterized by 4. Qc2. See different lines played by grandmasters.

2016.03.14
E34 Nimzo-Indian, classical, Noa variation
Alexander Morozevich vs Alexander Beliavsky, European Team Chess Championships (2007): E32 Nimzo-Indian, classical variation
Chao Li vs. Yue Wang, 2011: E38 Nimzo-Indian, classical, 4…c5

24 Comments

  1. Strangely this guy seemed to copy the same commentary of Kingscrsher's 10 yr. old video of the same Kasparov vs Spassky game. Weird.

  2. 41:24 you do know you can just play Rxc1 first and after he is forced to recapture with the Rook then play Qxf3, right?

  3. Can we please get a video on the King's Indian Attack?

  4. Hey can you please do the Queen's Indian Defense?

  5. Glad I'm not the only one going insane from the constant water chugging. It's maddening lol

  6. Throwing the empty water bottle away like that? Not a good example for the kids!

  7. Stop guzzling water while your giving a lecture. It's fucking gross.

  8. Clicked off when you got the second water. I can't take another bottle of that.

  9. Discovered a neat little trap!
    At 31:00, after the piece exchange and 8. b4, Black can play Na4, and if 9. Qb3 Ne4 and the queen captures the knight, 10… Qf6 hitting the rook gives White an immediate +2 point advantange.

    If White attempts to save the rook with 11. Rb1, Black has a forced mate in 2 starting with Qc3+. If White moves Ra2, Qf2+ followed by Nc3+ forks the king and queen.
    The best response by White is to just concede the exchange and play 11. Nf3.

  10. At around 17:50 after cxd4 why is it 'clumsy' to take with the e pawn but better to take with a piece?

  11. 1st: he explains very well
    2nd: I really don't know why chess guys always drink something during their lectures or videos, sometimes drink a lot, and I must hear the frequent swallowing sound! Pretty annoying and disruptive!

  12. How many openings and variations exist? Google says upwards of 1300….? Can that be real? These grandmasters memorized all of them? What kind of IQ is that? I can’t even make sense of these tutorials. I feel like I watched, 10 openings in the last 6 weeks and all I can remember is the first 5 moves of each. Then I’m lost.

  13. when I start as white with queen's pawn to d4,
          and black responds with his first move as king's side knight to fc6 (presumably initiating the Nimzo-Indian  defense),
          is there a specific attack (? Catalan, ? London, ? other)
          that works best against the Nimzo-Indian defense
          (in order for me to know what best 2nd move I should make as white) ?

    thank you for all you have done for the chess community!

  14. too bad moves r not marked with arrows or something? he moves so fast its hard to keep up.. i mean, i'am constantly asking myself "what jst happened???"

  15. These videos are amazing chess learning tools.

    At 42:00, if Black blunders with Ra2????, White wins with g5+ forcing Qxg5, then Nxg5 with the threat of Nxf7# or Nxe6#. Black's only defense is … Rxc1+, Rxc1 Kxg5, but … Black's just down a rook AND a bishop.

  16. Stunning, vivacious, thanks for the nice ideas

  17. 8:14 you say the main move here is e3. What is wrong with Bishop e5 right away ? with the idea of Bishop d4 or f3 to either chase the knight or force the exchange ?

  18. could this guy PLZ get a freaking glass for his water so he wont need to play with the bottle every 30 secs ?!?!

  19. I'm still! laughing about that one where you hum the intro music

  20. How many times re u going to play with the water bottle?

  21. Excellent tutorial, Jonathan; thank you for your work to develop the chess community!

  22. I like Qc2 to support e4 instead of to prevent double pawns

    I like a big pawn majority, central control, 2 bishops, and dont mind double c pawns

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