There's a reason all Grandmasters play this defense · Road to GM, Game 326

I've added a new defense to my repertoire. After years of playing 1...d5, I switched to Nf6 to avoid getting symmetrical positions which tend to be balanced when it comes to pawn structure.
I chose to learn a defense almost every strong player plays if allowed - the Nimzo-Indian.
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Tukovic D. (2132) - Tomic S. (1961)
Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, 5.Bd2
Bošnjaci Open 2024, Rd. 5
#chess

[@HangingPawns]

For all of you who wish to make studying their repertoire much easier, visit Chessbook by following the link in the description!

[@abolbuna8418]

first thank you , i would love if you make videos about scotch opening and the 4 knight

[@HangingPawns]

The Scotch series is complete:) Look for it on the channel.@@abolbuna8418

[@bluefin.64]

I have my eye on Christoff Sielecki's Nimzo and Bogo Indian book. It's available in digital formats including pdf. Chessbook would be a great way to study it.

[@crustycarhartt]

If only it wasn't subscription based! I'm not rich enough to spend $5/month indefinitely for a website. I've got material from Chess King on openings. They're like $4 each, no subscriptions. I've owned all of them for years, and I haven't even finished CT Art 4.0 & Total Chess Endgames yet! Those 2 apps are amazing, and I'm eager to start using the opening material after I'm done!

[@mcronrn]

Joined Chessbook about a week ago on your recommendation… obsessed with it… my repertoire requires a lot of only moves early (🤣😳), so its perfect for people like me learning those type of openings/defenses… I wasn’t sure how to go about learning them otherwise (note cards, pics of the positions(??)), so this is definitely meeting a need for me… 🤷🏻‍♂️🙏

[@HangingPawns]

Very happy to hear that you find it useful!

[@JohnTerhorstPhD]

Same here, it is so cool!!

[@nicholashardie-sowash3034]

I pair it with chessable and it has done me wonders

[@KironKabir]

Darth Nimzović, Sith Grandmaster, perfected the art of attack and defence

[@joebrowse5338]

Hey Stjepan, long time watcher here, this is my favourite game recap you've made! Very clear strategy and very good decision making.. especially whilst feeling poorly! Thanks for the video

[@HangingPawns]

Very happy to hear that Joe! It was only 20 or so moves, but not simple at all.

[@bluefin.64]

It's great to see you play different openings. Besides variety for your fans, it will surely be good for your chess generally. I'm really curious to see your new answer to e4. It would be interesting to learn how you picked what to play in the Nimzo, what your thinking was, how your choice compares to what's popular in GM games, etc.

[@HangingPawns]

I chose my Nimzo setups based on the Dutch and the Bogo setups I like playing. If I can get a Dutch with no tactical downsides why not. In GM games they usually do play d5 or c5 or both. Just different systems.

[@bluefin.64]

@@HangingPawnsInteresting. Years ago I watched a GM defend his choice of the Dutch, saying it was like a Nimzo.

[@jaydub2971]

Hoping it's the Pirc, but I doubt it considering he enjoys facing it. 😂

[@bluefin.64]

@@jaydub2971 I hope it's a Sicilian, especially the Najdorf. Then he can do to us what Tal did to 16 year old Fischer in 1959, pretend he's putting his c pawn on c6, then put it on c5 instead. :-)

[@zeldaire7484]

Great game! I love how everything evolved around the F pawn at a certain point, including bringing your bishop back to C8 to support it.

[@MarcusHCrawford]

I have greatly enjoyed following your tutorials in the beginning, and now watching you review your games. I hope you continue to grow and can get that ELO up and keep it there. Thanks for the videos.

[@naimishtiakahmed9221]

The Nimzo is really fun. And it's playable by just knowing some thematic ideas at lower levels.

[@felicjanjagus2100]

@HangingPawns I have 2 question: 1: does it mean that now you assess nimzo-indian better than semi-slav? and 2) what opening do you use when your oponent choose Nf3 instead of Nc3 in the third move? do you go for queen-indian or you use something else? thanks in advance!

[@Yu-Cuber]

Very instructive game. Did you try nimzo-dutch via dutch moveorder and what do u think about it ?

[@mr_ghost_1080]

You are amazing, keep going man ❤

[@HangingPawns]

Thanks mate!

[@vitalylomov4124]

Did Stjepan get a new mike? Those 2 shiny "eyes" are new. Good job on content creation.

[@HangingPawns]

Old mic. Just in front of me now:D

[@KnightToRemember]

I saw your opponent’s game against GM Saric where he just blundered a piece while against you he played perfectly, I know that hurts to see

[@rotan2284]

Hi! I remember you said not that long time ago that you are thinking of updating your Caro kann videos since they are outdated compared to your current knowledge. Sorry for asking, maybe I missed something, but did you decide on it or it is just me mixing things up? As a Caro player, I would love to see that. Regardless, congrats for this game. I hope you can recover your 2000+ FIDE and go even further. You are by far the most likeable chess creator on youtube. Good luck.

[@HangingPawns]

Hey. Yes, I'll be adding to the CK playlist starting next week! And thanks!

[@crugy7]

Hey, I also really like the Nimzo, but I don’t like the idea of having to study it on top of another line. I saw that ding liren plays it coupled with the semi Slav (by transposition after Nf3) but then I asked myself why I should study both when I could just play the semi Slav instead… What do you think? I should add that I have not studied any opening in depth until now, my rating online is 2000.

[@HangingPawns]

I think the Nimzo is superior to 1...d5 if you're trying to win. The position cannot end up being symmetrical unless both players allow it. So more winning chances and more structures to play and learn plans in.

[@crugy7]

@@HangingPawns do you think it is worth it for me to study both now? Or should I start studying the semi Slav and at some point maybe add the nimzo and Nf6 move order to only use it against anti-nimzos later?

[@KeepChessSimple]

I believe Semi-Slav paired with Nimzo is the most theory heavy repertoire you can have. Anand used to play like that. You always have to pair it with another defense. Most common is QGD I believe. @@crugy7

[@daggerclick-ps4cc]

​@@crugy7 how do you even release your light squared bishop in the semislav? honestly in my opinion nimzo is both better and easier

[@crugy7]

@@daggerclick-ps4cc maybe it is better, and I would play nimzo exclusively if I could, but less than half the games after d4 allow nimzo. All the lines you can pair with it do not even come close to its depth. So I am asking - if you cannot play nimzo without a second line which is a full opening of itself, why bother at my level if the other second line can be my whole repertoire. Stjepan has played Semislav for many years now before starting to study nimzo. I don’t have any opening knowledge at the moment. Why should I study both now?

[@Misica11000]

He should continue playing,he has a couple ideas of attack and dominant position,a4 follow by bc3,and a5 is a dangerous,you must play like an engine to make a draw

[@HangingPawns]

Perhaps. But with 5 mins on the clock commiting to something unclear is not easy. I tried to find a good plan for white to play for an advantage but nothing seemed to work. Go deeper than a4. I can prevent a further expansion.

[@pawnquacker]

Well played!

[@sVnteen4live]

I’m a bit confused about practicality of the decision to offer a draw when you did. If you are really confident that white only has one active plan and that is bad, why would you not give him the chance to play it before offering a draw? Or was it more a health-related decision?

[@HangingPawns]

I had no moves other than Ee7-d8-e7-d8. I couldn't do anything but repeat without damaging my position. That's why I offered a draw.

[@KeepChessSimple]

I think he means that if white was really low on time maybe you could just hold the position and let white lose on time or blunder in time trouble. But besides that, I get why a draw is attractive. Opponent is higher rated and not losing is always tempting. @@HangingPawns

[@KeepChessSimple]

Nice. With you switching to more mainline stuff, will you ever drop your beloved Caro-Kann for something like 1...e5 or 1...c5? I just started to play the Caro myself.

[@abolbuna8418]

i think you cant play caro against those opening. its for e4 games

[@HangingPawns]

I have a defense prepped against e4. I just didn't get to play it yet. In rd.1 of this tournament I was feeling pretty bad and played a 1300 so I just went c6 to not have to think about too much. But the Caro will get a companion soon:D

[@atmeeinatmeaus4213]

@@abolbuna8418 i am confused by your comment. Of course you can only play the caro against e4 but main openings on top Level against 1.e4 are 1...e5 and 1...c5, even though 1...c6 still has lots of fans on the highest level.

[@KeepChessSimple]

Interesting! I'm not saying you should. I think the Caro is great! Your channel is one of the reasons I got interested in it.I love 1...e5 also but all those gambits.....I wish I had a memory like Carlsen sometimes.@@HangingPawns

[@BuggatiWeryon]

@@atmeeinatmeaus4213 Why confused? in this video opponent started with d4, of course you can not get the CaroKann

[@carlkligerman1981]

you should be using your sponsors platform more if you want to advertise it! 😂

[@PsychoCityzen17]

Perfect

[@auguststar]

Jedi Master Tomic

[@notAYUSHGAMING]

Gae Gotham