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Chess openings

Opening family

Queen's Indian Defense Lines and Variations

The Queen's Indian Defense family contains 53 named lines in this opening book, spanning ECO E12 to E19. Use this page as the map, then open individual lines for exact move orders and diagrams.

Named lines
53
ECO coverage
E12, E13, E14, E15, E16, E17, E18, E19
ECO volume
E (Indian defenses and other 1.d4 Nf6 systems)
Shortest line
E12 Queen's Indian Defense: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6

How to study this family

White

White should use the move order as a checkpoint: finish development, identify the central break, and compare the continuations below before memorizing moves.

Black

Black should ask what White is threatening in the center, then choose development moves that prepare a clean pawn break or a useful exchange.

Start with the shortest line, then branch to the variations that change the pawn structure or tactical target. Memorizing every branch before understanding the family plan is usually wasted work.

Main named lines

Deep theory branches

Start with the root lineDrill this family