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Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation

45K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

48.6%

45%55%
Floor48.2%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 48.9%.

Measured over 45K games at this level and clock.

Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level

Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.

Outcomes for Black

Draw 9.2 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 45K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
45K
Best context
51.8% at 2000-2199 Blitz
Worst context
40.4% at 2500+ Bullet
Average game length
40 moves
Games that end decisively
90.8%
Draws
9.2%

Best and worst are the strongest and weakest squares with at least 500 games behind them. The table further down shows every square, including thinner ones.

Where it holds · Black score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for Black, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 63.2% at 0-999, 40.6% at 2500+.

RatingUBBulleBlitzRapidClass
0-999——
1000-1199——
1200-1399—
1400-1599—
1600-1799
1800-1999
2000-2199—
2200-2499—
2500+—

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 61.8% expected score (7 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 57.7% expected score (5 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 64.3% expected score (9 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 47.3% expected score (17 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 39.5% expected score (8 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 48.1% expected score (24 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 35.0% expected score (45 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 36.7% expected score (6 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 46.4% expected score (94 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.0% expected score (158 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.7% expected score (75 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (6 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.4% expected score (250 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.2% expected score (585 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 53.1% expected score (211 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 51.3% expected score (38 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 47.1% expected score (653 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (3,064 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.6% expected score (491 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 56.3% expected score (86 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 49.7% expected score (1,655 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.8% expected score (8,867 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 51.1% expected score (1,268 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 47.3% expected score (91 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 50.3% expected score (3,888 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 49.7% expected score (14,104 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 49.2% expected score (1,364 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 42.1% expected score (49 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 40.4% expected score (3,862 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 41.4% expected score (3,761 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 33.7% expected score (338 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 47.0% expected score (15 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Queen's Indian Defense
47.9%
Variations (5)
Queen's Indian Defense: Kasparov Variation
48.3%
Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Traditional Variation, Nimzowitsch Line
49.8%
Queen's Indian Defense: Spassky System
48.5%
Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Traditional Variation
50.0%
Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Traditional Line
52.6%
Continuations (3)
Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation, Quiet Line
46.5%
Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation, Nimzowitsch Attack
48.1%
Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation, Timman's Line
47.5%
Analyze Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation scores 48.6% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 48.2% and 48.9% — from 45K Lichess games. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.

How the figures are made
Whose games these are
45K+ rated games played on Lichess (2023-12 to 2025-11). The games are Lichess’s and free for anyone to use. What is ours is the reading of them. Last rebuilt January 2026.
Which games we count
  • Rated games only — nothing casual.
  • Both players within 200 rating points of each other. A mismatch tells you about the gap, not about the opening.
  • At least 2 moves played.
  • A game is filed under White’s rating.
Why every number comes with a range
A number off a few hundred games is a guess. The same number off millions is a fact. The range is what tells them apart, and it is what the lists rank on — so an opening cannot reach the top on a lucky run of forty games. The more games behind a figure, the narrower its range.
How much we need before we say anything
An opening page needs 100 games. A gambit needs 50 games at a rating before we will say whether it pays there. The chaos and trap lists need 500 games overall and 250 games at one rating or clock.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation win rate?

Playing the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation, Black wins 44.0%, draws 9.2% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 45K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation perform best?

The Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation performs best for Black at 2000-2199, with an Expected Score of 51.4% (12K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 49.3% in Blitz (31K games) against 48.8% in Rapid (3.8K games).

How sharp is the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation?

The Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation has a sharpness score of 90.8 (decisive), meaning 90.8% of games end decisively. Average game length is 40 moves.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 46.5%, draws 5.2% and loses 48.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.1%. It rests on 333 Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 47.2%, draws 6.3% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.4%. It rests on 1.1K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 47.0%, draws 5.3% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 4.3K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 48.3%, draws 6.1% and loses 45.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.4%. It rests on 12K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 46.4%, draws 6.8% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 19K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 29.4%, draws 22.3% and loses 48.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 40.6%. It rests on 8.0K Lichess games, which average 50 moves.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 40.6%, draws 11.5% and loses 47.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.4%. It rests on 10K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 45.3%, draws 8.0% and loses 46.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 31K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 43.0%, draws 11.5% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 3.8K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 40.5%, draws 16.9% and loses 42.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.0%. It rests on 286 Lichess games.

Is the Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation a good opening?

The Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 44.0% of its games and loses 46.9%. It performs best at 2000-2199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.