Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Capablanca Variation

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO E29), reached after 18 half-moves: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 O-O 8. Ne2 b6 9. e4 Ne8.

Black rook — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

Black bishop — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

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No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

About this opening

Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, Capablanca Variation is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code E29. ECO group E (E00–E99) covers Indian defences against 1.d4, covering the Nimzo-Indian, Queen's Indian, King's Indian and Catalan systems. This particular variation is reached after 18 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 c5 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 O-O 8. Ne2 b6 9. e4 Ne8.

It belongs to the Nimzo-Indian Defense family. Within that family this is a level-2 branch (the Sämisch Variation → Capablanca Variation line). The immediate parent line is Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, transitioned via 9…Ne8.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.d4 Nf6, 2.c4 e6, 3.Nc3 Bb4, 4.e3 c5, 5.Bd3 Nc6, 6.a3 Bxc3+. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.