The Queen's Indian Defense reaches a named position after 3 moves: 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6
In practical games, this line matters because the early pawn and piece choices decide which middlegame plans are natural. Use the board above to learn the move order, then complete Practice without hints before adding the opening to your regular queue.
If this exact branch does not appear in your games, study the related lines below. Openings often transpose, and recognizing the family pattern is more useful than memorizing one narrow sequence.
The idea behind this line
Black controls e4 with a queenside fianchetto and flexible central pressure.
What to look for
- Pressure e4 from b7.
- Use ...c5 or ...d5 to challenge the center.
- Keep the light-squared bishop active.
Position details
The defining move is b6.
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