Nimzo-Larsen Attack
Initial Moves: 1.b3
Strategic Summary & Main Idea
The Nimzo-Larsen Attack starts with 1.b3 and fianchettoes the queen's bishop before deciding the centre: the long diagonal presses e5 and g7, and the rest of the set-up adapts to Black's choice. The measurement gives the opening near equality, −0.04 after 1.b3. The danger lies not in the starting number but in the temptation to attack early: Larsen–Spassky, Belgrade 1970, is the most famous example, and the 10.f4 push that decided it measures −4.13.
The pawn structure this opening produces
The Nimzo-Larsen starts with no central structure: White plays b3 and Bb2 and leaves the centre to Black, who usually answers 1...e5 or 1...d5. Against 1...e5, the b2 bishop attacks the pawn at once, and Black defends it with ...Nc6 or ...d6. The most common structure arises from e3 and Bb5: White pins the knight defending e5 and gives bishop for knight to double Black's c-pawns, in exchange for Black's bishop pair. With c4 instead of e3, the position becomes an English with the bishop already on b2, and Black gains space with ...e4, driving away the f3 knight. Against 1...d5, White sets up e3, Nf3, Be2 and c4, a reversed Réti in which the b2 bishop controls e5 and the play is manoeuvring. White's structural weakness is the h4-e1 diagonal when the f-pawn advances: with e3 and f4 played and the king still on e1, any check on h4 forces g3, and the kingside is opened.
Typical Plans for White
- Fianchetto with b3 and Bb2 and press e5 before moving the central pawns
- Against 1...e5 2.Bb2 Nc6, play e3 and Bb5 and double Black's pawns by giving the bishop for the knight
- Against 1...d5, set up e3, Nf3, Be2 and c4 and manoeuvre without opening the game
- Do not bring the queen to h5 against ...Bd6: 5.Qh5 measures −1.20
- Castle before pushing the f-pawn: Larsen's 10.f4 against Spassky measures −4.13
Typical Plans for Black
- Occupy the centre with ...e5 and ...d5 and block the long diagonal with a pawn
- Against 3.c4, gain space with ...Nf6 and ...e4 and drive away the f3 knight
- Against Bb5, develop with ...Bd6 and ...Ne7 and accept doubled pawns for the bishop pair
- Castle long when White delays castling and attack with the g- and h-pawns
- Against 1.b3 with ...d5, play ...Bf5 and ...e6 before White sets up c4
Main Variations of the Nimzo-Larsen Attack
| Variation | Move Sequence | Evaluation | Style / Characteristic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1...e5 with e3 and Bb5 | 1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 d5 4.Bb5 Bd6 |
−0.09 | The pin that doubles Black's pawns; the main line |
| With 5.f4 Qh4+ | 1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 d5 4.Bb5 Bd6 5.f4 Qh4+ 6.g3 Qe7 |
−0.08 | The push against e5 costs the check on h4 and the weakening of g3 |
| 1...e5 with 3.c4 and 4.Nf3 | 1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Nf3 e4 5.Nd4 Bc5 6.Nxc6 dxc6 7.e3 |
−0.49 | The knight is driven away by ...e4 and exchanged; the lowest evaluation in the entry |
| 1...e5 with 3.c4 and 4.e3 | 1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.c4 Nf6 4.e3 |
−0.17 | The knight stays home and ...e4 loses its target |
| 1...e5 2.Bb2 d6 | 1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 d6 3.e3 Nf6 4.c4 |
+0.12 | Black defends e5 with a pawn and White sets up an English |
| 1...d5 with Nf3 and e3 | 1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.Nf3 e6 4.e3 c5 5.Be2 Nc6 6.O-O |
+0.12 | A manoeuvring reversed Réti; the highest White evaluation in the entry |
| 1...d5 with ...Bf5 | 1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.e3 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 |
−0.07 | Black's bishop comes out before ...e6 and the game stays symmetrical |
| 1...Nf6 with e4 | 1.b3 Nf6 2.Bb2 g6 3.e4 d6 4.d4 Bg7 |
+0.02 | White occupies the centre and the position becomes a Pirc with b3 |
Evaluations measured by us with Stockfish 19, depth 22, on 15/09/2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Nimzo-Larsen Attack good?
It is an equality opening: 1.b3 measures −0.04. White's best measured line is the Réti set-up against 1...d5, at +0.12. What the Nimzo-Larsen buys is flexibility and little-studied positions; what it does not buy is an advantage.
How to play against 1.b3?
By occupying the centre. The line 1...e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Nf3 e4 measures −0.49 after the exchanges, Black's best in this entry: the ...e4 push drives the knight away and leaves Black with space. Against 3.e3, the position stays near balance.
What happened in Larsen–Spassky, 1970?
Larsen played 1.b3 against Spassky in the USSR versus Rest of the World match in Belgrade, and pushed 10.f4 with his king still on e1. The position, which measured −0.84, went to −4.13. Spassky answered 10...Ng4, opened the h-file, sacrificed a rook on h1 and promoted a pawn on f1 with check; Larsen resigned on move 17.
Common Mistakes & Where Most Amateurs Go Wrong
- 01 Attacking e5 with 5.Qh5? in the Bb5 line. The queen comes out alone, and 5...Nf6 drives it away with tempo while Black develops: −1.20, against −0.09 for the previous position. The line:
1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 d5 4.Bb5 Bd6 5.Qh5−1.20 - 02 Pushing 10.f4? with the king still in the centre, as Larsen did against Spassky in Belgrade, 1970. Black answered 10...Ng4 and opened the h-file with ...h5-h4; the game ended on move 17. The position before 10.f4 measured −0.84; after it, −4.13. The line:
1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Nf3 e4 5.Nd4 Bc5 6.Nxc6 dxc6 7.e3 Bf5 8.Qc2 Qe7 9.Be2 O-O-O 10.f4−4.13
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