Bogo-Indian Defense: Vitolins Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code E11, part of the Bogo-Indian Defense family. It goes 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Bd2 c5. White opens with 1. d4 (the queen's pawn) and Black answers 1... Nf6. After 8 moves it is White to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
1... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
2. c4 – White plays the pawn to c4
2... e6 – Black plays the pawn to e6
3. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
3... Bb4+ – Black plays the bishop to b4, giving check
4. Bd2 – White plays the bishop to d2
4... c5 – Black plays the pawn to c5
About the Bogo-Indian Defense
After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3, Black gives check with 3...Bb4+. It is a calm, solid cousin of the Nimzo-Indian.
White blocks with Bd2 or Nbd2; Black often trades bishops.
Black can play ...Qe7 and ...d6 with ...e5, or ...d5 for a QGD-like game.
The trade of dark-squared bishops makes Black's position easier.
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