If you like DVDs, Rustam Kasimdzhanov's "Meet the Nimzo-Indian with 4.Qc2" is a nice overview of the lines along with analysis to some key games.  Obviously the coverage lacks the depth of a book but can be helpful as a supplement.

On 4.Qc2 there are many decent replies, especially for non-2700 players. I am working on a book that will feature 4...Nc6. The existing material is not exactly great, but especially 'analysis' by Dzindzi is to be avoided. In the book "Chess Openings for Black, Explained" the coverage is simply a disaster, as it fails to spot even the most obvious points. If you want to play 4...Nc6, just wait for my book In the meantime, there is plenty to choose from, like 4...0-0 and also ...c5, which is a very simple answer if you like to play hedgehogs.

The 4.Qc2 c5 lines are solid, not overly theoretical and scoring well at the moment. And one of them, 5.dxc5 Bxc5 6.Nf3 Qb6, was the topic of a short but good chapter in "The Nimzo-Indian Move by Move" by John Emms. Black forces e2-e3 and will typically retreat with ...Qc7 and continue in Hedgehog style.

As an aside, most of my 4.Qc2 Nimzo experience is on the White side. I face 4...0-0 and 4...c5 almost exclusively (against opponents rated 1900 to 2200) - I fear when someone finally dares to play the sharper 4...d5 I will have forgotten all the theory on it!

If you decide to try Nc6 line against Q2, you need to be prepared for some surprises, since Dzindzi (as usual) didn't mention some important lines for white....

tony37 wrote on 02/05/13 at 18:02:08:


I used that combo as my first real repertoire against 1.d4. From experience, I can think of several reasons why that is not a very usual combo, and I may have chosen otherwise if I had a chance to go back (that said, I would have missed a couple of beautiful Blumenfeld wins in my youth).

1) You will not get to play the Blumenfeld very often. While this may of course vary depending on where you live, in my experience, you will face 3.Nc3 and 3.g3 somewhat more often than 3.Nf3. In addition, not everyone will play 4.d5, and there is also the d-pawn specials.

2) Even if you get to play the Blumenfeld, you will face 5.Bg5 more often than 5.dxe6. Theoretically that may not be a bad thing, but it can be a little discouraging to learn a gambit where the most usual choice for White is to decline it.

3) The Blumenfeld does not make a very natural combo with the other openings you have to learn. You have to know something rather different against 3.Nc3 and 3.g3. The NID/QID and NID/Bogo combos feel more natural, as the arising position will be rather similar. The NID/Benoni combo is less natural in that sense, but at least, the Benoni makes a weapon against both 3.Nf3 and 3.g3.

For these reasons, I am reluctant to recommend the Blumenfeld as a repertoire opening. It makes more sense to use it as a supplement once you have a comfortable repertoire based on 1...Nf6/2...e6.

Oh, and one final point: If you like the Blumenfeld, it is quite likely that you will like the Benko as well. And if you play the Benko, you will probably get it in the majority of your 1.d4 games.

Is there a reason why there aren't more players using the Blumenfeld gambit as a companion to the Nimzo?

Not really applicable to me, I'm afraid.

gewgaw wrote on 12/27/12 at 18:12:56:


So thought Joel Benjamin (YB 101).