ECO Index E - Home of the Indians

Welcome to ECO Index E. This is the final part of the series following directly from ECO Index D. In Volume E we get to grips with the Indian Defenses for Black. Black will allow White to build a center, content to prepare an attack on the center from the flanks.


Starting with the Catalan Opening in the first 10 entries we then move on through the Bogo-Indian Defense to the Queen's Indian Defense. The next 40 entries of ECO Index E deal with the Nimzo-Indian Defense. Then finally the King's Indian Defense takes us home wrapping up the series.


This volume is another that offers Black an alternative to competing immediately and directly with White for the center. Depending on your style it may be the ideal approach for you. Anyway see what you think.

ECO Index E: E00-09
E00 QPG, Neo-Indian A, Trompowski A, Catalan O
E01 Catalan, Closed
E02 Catalan, Open, 5.Qa4
E03 Catalan, Open, Alekhine Variation
E04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
E05 Catalan, Open, Classical Line
E06 Catalan, Closed, 5.Nf3
E07 Catalan, Closed, 6...Nbd7
E08 Catalan, Closed, 7.Qc2
E09 Catalan, Closed, Main Line

Play through the Catalan Opening.

ECO Index E: E10-19
E10 Queen's Pawn Game 3.Nf3
E11 Bogo-Indian Defense
E12 Queen's Indian Defense
E13 Queen's Indian, 4.Nc3, Main Line
E14 Queen's Indian, 4.e3
E15 Queen's Indian, 4.g3
E16 Queen's Indian, Capablanca Variation
E17 Queen's Indian, 5.Bg2 Be7
E18 Queen's Indian, Old Main Line, 7.Nc3
E19 Queen's Indian, Old Main Line, 9.Qxc3

Play through the variations of the Queen's Indian.

ECO Index E: E20-59
E20 Nimzo-Indian Defense
E21 Nimzo-Indian, Three Knights Variation
E22 Nimzo-Indian, Spielmann Variation
E23 Nimzo-Indian, Spielmann, 4...c5, 5.dc Nc6
E24 Nimzo-Indian, Saemisch Variation
E25 Nimzo-Indian, Saemisch V, Keres V
E26 Nimzo-Indian, Saemisch V, 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 c5 6.e3
E27 Nimzo-Indian, Saemisch V, 5...0-0
E28 Nimzo-Indian, Saemisch V, 6.e3
E29 Nimzo-Indian, Saemisch V, Main Line
E30 Nimzo-Indian, Leningrad V
E31 Nimzo-Indian, Leningrad V, ML
E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical V
E33 Nimzo-Indian, Classical V, 4...Nc6
E34 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Noa V
E35 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Noa V, 5.cxd5 exd5
E36 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Noa V, 5.a3
E37 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Noa V, ML, 7.Qc2
E38 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, 4...c5
E39 Nimzo-Indian, Classical, Pirc V
E40 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3
E41 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 c5
E42 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 c5, 5.Ne2; Rubinstein V
E43 Nimzo-Indian, Fischer V
E44 Nimzo-Indian, Fischer V, 5.Ne2
E45 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Bronstein (Byrne) V
E46 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O
E47 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O, 5.Bd3
E48 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O, 5.Bd3 d5
E49 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik S
E50 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O, 5.Nf3, w/o ...d5
E51 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O, 5.Nf3 d5
E52 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, ML w ...b6
E53 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, ML w ...c5
E54 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Gligoric S w 7...dc
E55 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Gligoric S, Bronstein V
E56 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, ML w 7...Nc6
E57 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, ML w 8...dxc4 and 9...Bxc4 cxd4
E58 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, ML with 8...Bxc3
E59 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, ML

Play through the variations of the Nimzo-Indian (E20-59).

ECO Index E: E60-99
E60 King's Indian Defense
E61 King's Indian Defense, 3.Nc3
E62 King's Indian, Fianchetto V
E63 King's Indian, Fianchetto, Panno V
E64 King's Indian, Fianchetto, Yugoslav S
E65 King's Indian, Yugoslav, 7.O-O
E66 King's Indian, Fianchetto, Yugoslav Panno
E67 King's Indian, Fianchetto with ...Nd7
E68 King's Indian, Fianchetto, Classical V, 8.e4
E69 King's Indian, Fianchetto, Classical Main Line
E70 King's Indian, 4.e4
E71 King's Indian, Makogonov System, 5.h3
E72 King's Indian, e4 and g3
E73 King's Indian, 5.Be2
E74 King's Indian, Averbakh, 6...c5
E75 King's Indian, Averbakh, Main Line
E76 King's Indian, Four Pawns Attack
E77 King's Indian, Four Pawns Attack, 6.Be2
E78 King's Indian, Four Pawns Attack, Be2 and Nf3
E79 King's Indian, Four Pawns Attack, Main Line
E80 King's Indian, Saemisch V
E81 King's Indian, Saemisch V, 5...O-O
E82 King's Indian, Saemisch V, Double Fianchetto V
E83 King's Indian, Saemisch V, 6...Nc6
E84 King's Indian, Saemisch V, Panno Main Line
E85 King's Indian, Saemisch V, Orthodox V
E86 King's Indian, Saemisch V, Orthodox, 7.Nge2 c6
E87 King's Indian, Saemisch V, Orthodox, 7.d5
E88 King's Indian, Saemisch V, Orthodox, 7.d5 c6
E89 King's Indian, Saemish V, Orthodox Main Line
E90 King's Indian, 5.Nf3
E91 King's Indian, 6.Be2
E92 King's Indian, Classical V
E93 King's Indian, Petrosian System, Main Line
E94 King's Indian, Orthodox V
E95 King's Indian, Orthodox, 7...Nbd7, 8.Re1
E96 King's Indian, Orthodox, 7...Nbd7, Main Line
E97 King's Indian, Orthodox, Aronin-Taimanov V; Yugoslav A, Mar del Plata V
E98 King's Indian, Orthodox, Aronin-Taimanov, 9.Ne1
E99 King's Indian, Orthodox, Aronin-Taimanov, Main Line
Play through the variations of the King's Indian (E60-99).

That wraps up the ECO Index E and with it the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings series. If you've browsed through the whole five volumes you may have found some systems that you would like to use to create your openings repertoire. You can always take another look starting with ECO Index A. Eco Index E contains interesting defensive strategies for Black.

In order to have a solid knowledge of chess openings I would urge you to get an idea of all of the main families or groups of openings. You will most likely encounter many of them against various opponents with diverse playing styles. This will help make you competent in the openings. You will have a good chance of surviving to the later stages without ceding positional or material advantages to your opponents.

You should then also take three or four of your favorite openings each for Black and White and study them well, gaining a forensic knowledge of them. This will give you opportunities to catch your opponents cold in the openings, taking advantages of varying magnitude to the later stages.