Queen's Indian Defence
E12–E19Black1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6
E12–E19 · 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6
The idea
A calm, hypermodern reply to 3.Nf3. Instead of grabbing the centre with pawns, Black fianchettoes the light-squared bishop to b7 (sometimes a6) and fights for the key e4-square from a distance. The result is a solid, flexible position that is famously hard to crack.
Your plan (Black)
Develop the bishop to b7 (or a6 to hit c4), control e4, complete development with ...Be7 and castling, and look for the freeing ...d5 or ...c5 breaks at the right moment.
Heading into the middlegame
The Queen's Indian is a quiet fight for one square: e4. Your b7-bishop (or ...Ba6, hitting c4) controls it from afar; back it up with ...Ne4 jumps, ...d5, or ...f5 ideas. Finish developing (...Be7, ...O-O, then ...d5 or ...c5), neutralise White's central space by trading, and aim for a rock-solid position where White's edge is symbolic. ...Ba6 is the sharp try — it pressures c4 directly and provokes a concession (b3) before you reposition the bishop.
Lines
0/2 masteredYou fianchetto on b7 to fight for e4 from afar, then finish development and aim for ...d5 or ...c5, reducing White's edge to a symbol.
Your bishop hits c4 directly, provoking a concession like b3 before you reroute it — a sharper, more concrete way to challenge White's setup.