Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

• At a glance

  Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

  320 games, 94.1%: Hikaru's 1.b3. A b2 bishop aimed at e5 and the long diagonal, and knights that go after Black's e4 pawn.

  15 cards, one idea each. Swipe to move on.

• The big idea

  Your games: 533× · you score 94%

  1.b3 then 2.Bb2: Hikaru doesn't take the center with pawns, he watches it with a bishop. The b2 bishop eyes e5 and g7, and the whole game is played on that long diagonal.

• The big idea

  Your games: 19× · you score 95%

  320 games, 94.1%: his most played opening with White in this dossier. Stockfish disputes two recurring moves, both 3.d3 against 1…d5, and the course shows what the engine plays instead.

• The big idea

  Your games: 135× · you score 92%

  The thread of the course: against 1…e5, c4 then Nf3, and the knight jumps to d4, f5 and g3 to attack the e4 pawn. Against 1…d5, d3, Nd2 and e4, or e3 and d4 when Black plays …c5.

• Principle

  The b2 bishop holds the long diagonal

  Your games: 135× · you score 92%

  From 2.Bb2 on, the bishop eyes e5 and, behind it, g7. Every black plan has to reckon with it.

• Principle

  Invite …e4, then attack it

  Your games: 17× · you score 91%

  4.Nf3 attacks e5. If the pawn advances to e4, it is far from its base: the knights go after it via d4, f5 and g3.

• Principle

  e3 first, Nc3 second

  Your games: 9× · you score 100%

  After 7…Re8, 8.e3 stops …e3 and prepares Nc3. In the other order, …e3 wrecks White's structure.

• Principle

  Against the g4 bishop, the g-pawn

  Your games: 8× · you score 100%

  When Black puts the bishop on g4, h3 then g4 chase it, and Nh4 comes to take it on g6.

• Principle

  Against …c5, the center with e3 and d4

  Your games: 6× · you score 100%

  When Black plays …d5 and …c5, Hikaru answers with e3 then d4: he opens the game for his b2 bishop.

• Imbalance

  A bishop against a center

  Your games: 116× · you score 91%

  Black takes the center with pawns. White eyes it from afar with the b2 bishop, then strikes it with c4.

• Imbalance

  The advanced e4 pawn

  Your games: 40× · you score 89%

  After …e4, Black gains space, but the pawn becomes a target for every white knight.

• Imbalance

  A reversed Sicilian

  Your games: 25× · you score 96%

  With c4 against …e5, White plays a Sicilian with an extra tempo. The fianchetto with g3 and Bg2 is its quietest version.

• The trade-off

  What you gain

  • The same setup against almost everything: Bb2, then c4 or d3.
  • Positions where the player who understands the plans gets the upper hand.
  • An enemy e4 pawn that often becomes a target.
• The trade-off

  What you give up

  • Black takes the center for free: you have to know how to aim at it.
  • Against 1…d5, 3.d3 gives Black easy play according to Stockfish.
  • Move order matters: 8.Nc3 before e3 allows …e3.
• That's all

  Your turn

  These ideas only stick once you play the moves. The chapters make you find the right ones.

  Start chapter 1

Card 1 of 15: Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

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