East Indian Defense

Main line

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.e3 O-O 5.h3 d6 6.Be2 c5 7.c3 Nc6

Diagram shows the position after 6 half-moves of the main line. On SpeakChess you can drill this line move by move — the trainer plays the other side and corrects you instantly, then spaced repetition schedules each variation so you review it right before you would forget it.

Move by move

The first 12 moves of the main line, explained one at a time. Every move of every variation is annotated like this inside the trainer — this page shows the opening moves so you can judge the explanations before signing up.

1. 1.d4 White advances the pawn to d4, staking a claim right in the center of the board and opening paths for the bishop and queen to join the game.
2. 1...Nf6 Black jumps the knight to f6, a very active square in the center. The knight eyes d5 and e4, ready to challenge White's control of the middle.
3. 2.Nf3 The knight hops to f3, a strong central square. It supports the d4 pawn and helps White develop quickly toward kingside safety.
4. 2...g6 Black nudges the pawn to g6, making room for the dark-squared bishop to slide out to g7. This is the start of the fianchetto setup.
5. 3.Bf4 White brings the bishop out to f4, a nice open diagonal where it can be active and help control the center without getting in the way of other pieces.
6. 3...Bg7 Black develops the bishop to g7, completing the fianchetto. The bishop on g7 is powerful — it aims right down the long diagonal toward the center.
7. 4.e3 White plays the pawn to e3, giving the f1 bishop a chance to come out. This quiet move solidifies the center and keeps the position steady.
8. 4...O-O Black castles kingside, tucking the king safely behind the pawns on g8 and bringing the rook closer to the center where it can become active.
9. 5.h3 White pushes the pawn to h3, a useful little move that stops Black's knight from jumping to g4 and keeps the bishop on f4 safe.
10. 5...d6 Black advances the pawn to d6, giving the position more support in the center and preparing to expand with future pawn moves.
11. 6.Be2 White develops the bishop to e2, a solid square where it supports the kingside and prepares for castling to get the king to safety.
12. 6...c5 Black pushes the pawn to c5, striking at White's center right away. This challenges the d4 pawn and opens lines for Black's pieces.

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Win rates by rating

Results from real online games, measured after the line shown in each row. Most opening sites show one aggregate number — how an opening scores depends heavily on who is playing it.

Most played continuations (1400-1600 rating)

After 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.e3 O-O 5.h3 d6 6.Be2 c5:

• c3 — played 70.4% of the time (White wins 47.1%, draws 4.3%, Black wins 48.6%)
• O-O — played 16% of the time (White wins 47.4%, draws 4.2%, Black wins 48.4%)
• dxc5 — played 7.5% of the time (White wins 45.6%, draws 10%, Black wins 44.4%)

Frequently asked questions

Is this the London System?

The White setup is, yes: pawns on d4 and e3, bishop out to f4 before e3, knight on f3, and h3 to give the bishop a retreat. Because Black has fianchettoed rather than played ...d5, databases file it under A48 East Indian rather than under the London's usual codes. The plans for White are the same ones a London player already knows.

How should Black meet the Bf4 setup?

Challenge the centre rather than mirror it. The main tries are ...c5 hitting d4 as in this line, and ...d6 followed by ...Nh5 to attack the f4 bishop and win the bishop pair. Playing slowly and letting White complete the setup unopposed is what makes the London look stronger than it is.

Why does White play h3 so early?

To give the f4 bishop the h2 square before Black can trap or harass it, and to prevent ...Bg4 or ...Nh5 ideas from gaining time. It looks slow, but in a closed position where nothing is forcing, spending a move to secure the best piece is a reasonable investment — this is a system built on solidity rather than speed.