Opening Overview
Queen's Indian Defense
53 linesAbout This Opening
Queen's Indian Defense is a flexible, hypermodern opening that delays direct central occupation and instead pressures the center from the wings.
The opening usually invites White to occupy space, then challenges that center with piece pressure, pawn breaks, and flexible development.
In practice, the key is to know when to strike at the center and when to keep pieces flexible, because the wrong timing can leave the position passive.
Key ideas
- Typical theme: pressure on the center rather than immediate occupation.
- Common plans include fianchetto setups and timely pawn breaks.
- Best for players who like asymmetry and counterplay.
- Study the transition from setup to active central challenge.
Choose a variation
Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Polovodin Gambit
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. Nc3 Bb7 5. a3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. e4
Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Rashkovsky Attack
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Nc3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Qa4+
Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov-Petrosian Variation, Romanishin Attack
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Bb7 5. Nc3 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Bd2
Queen's Indian Defense: Miles Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. Bf4
Queen's Indian Defense: Petrosian Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3
Queen's Indian Defense: Petrosian Variation, Farago Defense
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. a3 Ba6 5. Qc2 Bb7
Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 Bb7
Queen's Indian Defense: Averbakh Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. e3 Bb7 5. Bd3 c5 6. O-O Be7 7. b3 O-O 8. Bb2 cxd4 9. Nxd4
Queen's Indian Defense: Spassky System
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. e3
Queen's Indian Defense: Spassky System
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. e3 Bb7
Queen's Indian Defense: Spassky System
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. e3 Bb7 5. Bd3
Queen's Indian Defense: Spassky System
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. e3 Bb7 5. Bd3 d5