Completing the Triangle: The Final Piece of Roiz's Nimzo-Indian Framework
When GM Michael Roiz began developing his comprehensive Nimzo-Indian repertoire, he recognized that after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4, White's fourth move determines the strategic language of the entire game. Part 1 addressed 4.Qc2 and 4.e3, while Part 2 tackled 4.f3, 4.a3, and 4.g3. Yet a critical gap remained: White's most popular choice in contemporary practice, 4.Nf3.
Nimzo-Indian Defense According to Roiz – Part 3 closes this circle, completing the trilogy with a thorough examination of 4.Nf3 and rare alternatives. The centerpiece is the theoretically dense 5.g3 Catalan system, where White's setups blend Catalan structure with Nimzo-Indian tactics.
The Strategic Core: 4.Nf3 c5
Against 4.Nf3, the repertoire recommends the principled 4...c5, immediately challenging White's center. After 5.g3 cxd4 6.Nxd4 O-O 7.Bg2 d5, Black reaches the theoretical crossroads of the modern Nimzo-Indian—the most popular battleground in contemporary practice, where strategic understanding outweighs memorization.
The course dedicates six chapters to this critical position, examining White's most testing continuations and Black's counterplay in Catalan-style structures with tactical Nimzo-Indian themes. Chapter 7 addresses minor fifth-move alternatives, ensuring complete coverage of the 4.Nf3 complex.
Rare Lines and Practical Solutions
The relatively modern 4.Bf4 (Chapter 15) attempts a London System flavor but receives thorough refutation. The once-feared Leningrad (4.Bg5, Chapters 9-10) is met with 4...c5 5.d5 d6 6.e3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 h6 8.Bh4 Qe7, where Black's superior pawn structure provides long-term compensation.
The modest 4.Bd2 (Chapters 11-12) has evolved from a footnote to a popular sideline, while the once-overrated 4.Qb3 (Chapters 13-14) is met with 4...c5 5.dxc5 Nc6, where Black obtains comfortable play. Chapter 16 addresses various rare fourth-move alternatives.
The Authors
GMs Michael Roiz and Grigor Grigorov, in collaboration with IM Siegfried Baumegger, bring the same methodological rigor that defined the earlier installments. Roiz's positional understanding and tournament experience guide the repertoire choices, while Grigorov's pedagogical clarity ensures accessibility. Their unified philosophy across all three parts—favoring active central play and positions where understanding trumps memorization—creates a coherent system of play.
Course Features- 16 chapters organized by move orders
- Middlegame Understanding Section
- 30 test positions
- Memory Booster
- To-Go versions of each chapter
- Video instruction with detailed commentary
- Multilingual PGN availability (English, German, French, Spanish)
Variation Map:
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4
PART 3 – 4.Nf3 and Rare Lines
- 4.Nf3 c5
- 5.g3 cxd4 6.Nxd4 O-O 7.Bg2 d5 — Chapters 1-6 (main theoretical battleground)
- 5.Minor alternatives — Chapter 7
- 4.Bf4 — Chapter 15 (London attempt; refuted)
- 4.Bg5 (Leningrad) c5 5.d5 d6 6.e3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 h6 8.Bh4 Qe7 — Chapters 9-10
- 4.Bd2 c5 — Chapters 11-12
- 4.Qb3 c5 5.dxc5 Nc6 — Chapters 13-14
- 4.Rare alternatives — Chapter 16
A Complete Repertoire, Finally Realized
With Part 3, the Roiz trilogy delivers a complete, internally consistent repertoire against all significant variations of the Nimzo-Indian Defense. Students who work through all three parts will possess a unified strategic framework built on active central play, sound structural principles, and positions that reward understanding over memorization.
The trilogy is complete. The framework is unified. The path through the Nimzo-Indian is clear.
Explore Nimzo-Indian Defense According to Roiz – Part 3 and complete your repertoire against 1.d4.