Bogo-Indian Defense: Exchange Variation
The Bogo-Indian Exchange Variation is 4.Bd2 Bxd2+, where Black trades the b4 bishop for White's dark-squared bishop at once. White picks a recapture with the queen or a knight, while Black plans ...O-O and a central pawn setup with ...d5 or ...d6.
- Moves
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Bxd2+
- ECO
- E11
- Engine
- +0.23 · level (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
- Played
- 301 games in our lichess sample
- White scores
- 52.8%
Key ideas for both sides
White
- 5.Qxd2 keeps both knights flexible; Nc3, g3 and Bg2 follow, as in the top engine line.
- 5.Nbxd2 supports a quick e4 push, gaining central space with e4 and e5 ideas.
- 5.Nfxd2 lets the queen's knight go to c3, then e3 and Be2 build a solid center.
Black
- Castle and play ...d5 with ...Nbd7 and ...c6, a solid setup against the fianchetto.
- Against an early e4, ...d6 and ...Nfd7 prepare ...e5, fighting for dark squares White can no longer cover with a bishop.
- ...b6 and ...Bb7 is another way to watch e4 after the bishops are gone.
Plans and pawn structure
With dark-squared bishops traded, the dark squares e5, c5 and d4 matter most. White wants Nc3, e4 and space, or a fianchetto and pressure on d5. Black aims for ...d5 or ...d6 with ...e5, putting pawns on dark squares only when they support each other. The game is quiet and strategic, with no early attacking plans for either side, so small edges in piece placement decide it.
What the engine plays from here
Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.23: level. Its three top choices for White:
- +0.23 5.Qxd2 O-O 6.g3 d5 7.Bg2 Nbd7
- +0.15 5.Nfxd2 O-O 6.Nc3 d5 7.e3 b6
- +0.15 5.Nbxd2 O-O 6.e4 d6 7.e5 Nfd7
Pawns, from White's side.
How it scores on lichess
301 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 52.8%.
Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.
How to play against it
Recapture with 5.Qxd2 for the most flexible game, then develop with Nc3 and g3. If you want a sharper center, 5.Nbxd2 and e4 is a good plan. Do not hurry; Black has given up the bishop pair to simplify, so steady development keeps a slight edge.
Questions
What are the moves of the Bogo-Indian Defense: Exchange Variation?
The Bogo-Indian Defense: Exchange Variation starts 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Bxd2+. Its ECO code is E11.
Is the Bogo-Indian Defense: Exchange Variation good for Black?
Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.23 at depth 20, which is level. In 301 lichess games from our sample, White scored 52.8%. Fine for Black players who want simple, low-theory positions, but it hands White an easy, slightly better game.
What is the main idea of the Bogo-Indian Defense: Exchange Variation?
Black simplifies by trading the b4 bishop for White's dark-squared bishop. White recaptures and develops normally, and the game is a quiet strategic fight over the central dark squares.
What should White play next?
The engine's first choice is Qxd2, with Nfxd2 and Nbxd2 close behind. 5.Qxd2 recaptures without blocking the knights, keeping Nc3 and a kingside fianchetto available.
Related lines
Updated October 2026. Sources and method.