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Capablanca Variation
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.Nc3 Ne4
Black's ...Ne4 jump is a classic Queen's Indian idea. It fights for dark squares and often prepares ...Nxc3 followed by structural pressure on c4.
ECO Code
E17
Difficulty
Intermediate-Advanced
Style
Positional/Counterplay
Key Theme
Dark-square outpost
Main Plans
White: Control e4
Qc2, Rd1
White aims to reduce the knight's impact and maintain c4-d4 control.
Black: Structural Pressure
...Nxc3 and ...c5
Black can exchange into favorable pawn targets and activate the bishop pair.
Long Diagonal
Bb7-g2 tension
Both sides coordinate around the long diagonal and central pawn breaks.
Classic Queen's Indian Piece Play
This variation is a model for understanding dark-square strategy.
Back to Queen's Indian Defense ...c5 Counterattack