Queen's Indian Defense
Move Sequence
d4— Queen's pawn.♞f6— Indian defense.c4— Flank attack.e6— Black readies ...Bb4 or ...b6.♞f3— White sidesteps the Nimzo pin.b6— Queen's Indian: the queenside fianchetto controls e4 on the long diagonal.
The Queen's Indian Defence begins with 1.d4 ♞f6 2.c4 e6 3.♞f3 b6 — Black fianchettos the queenside bishop to b7 to control the centre from a distance. The opening has connections to the hypermodern idea of the Nimzo-Indian. It was developed in the early 20th century and is particularly popular among positional players.
A typical main line is 4.g3 ♝a6 5.b3 ♝b7 6.♝g2 ♝e7 7.O-O O-O.
Strategy
The bishop on b7 controls the long diagonal and puts pressure on e4 without Black needing to advance a pawn into the centre. This hypermodern idea — control from a distance — makes the Queen's Indian very difficult to attack. Black prepares counterplay with c7-c5 or e6-e5 and is aiming for a quiet, strategic game.
Typical Continuation
After 7.O-O O-O both sides develop solidly. White aims for d4 and e4, Black counters with c7-c5 to destabilise the centre. The variation 4.g3 ♝a6 with the early bishop to a6 (instead of b7) targets the white bishop on b3 directly and is a modern, aggressive alternative. For beginners who want a solid defence without excessive complications, the Queen's Indian is a good choice.
Suitable for: Solid / positional — for players who prefer quiet strategic games and want to avoid complicated tactics.