Queen's Indian Defense, with e3 · E14

Main line, after 1. d4, through 9. Nbd2, line 14

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. c4 e6 4. e3 b6 5. b3 Bb7 6. Bd3 Nbd7 7. O-O Bd6 8. Bb2 O-O 9. Nbd2

White's queenside bishop takes the long diagonal and Black's queenside bishop takes the long diagonal. ...b6 and ...Bb7 control e4 from the flank: a sound, flexible sister of the Nimzo where piece pressure replaces pawn contact.

The first 4 moves, explained

• 1. d4 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e5, and frees the bishop and queen.
• 1... Nf6 Develops the knight to f6, eyeing d5 and e4.
• 2. Nf3 Develops the knight to f3, eyeing d4 and e5. It also props up the d4 pawn. Theory calls this the Knights Variation.
• 2... d5 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e4, and frees the bishop and queen. Theory calls this the Symmetrical Variation.

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