Openings Flank openings

Nimzo-Larsen Attack (1.b3): Setups, Plans and Stats by Rating

1.b3 prepares Bb2, which aims down the long diagonal at e5 and g7. White keeps the center pawns back and decides later between e3 with f4, c4, or g3. It is flexible and rarely met with prepared theory.

For White1.b3Seen in 1.0% of rated games

Lichess rating

A01Nimzo-Larsen Attack

Games from this position (1600–1999): 71k

Played	Games	White · Draw · Black
30%	21k	50%46%
28%	20k	50%46%
11%	7,962	47%48%
7%	5,266	51%44%
6%	4,170	49%46%
4%	2,708	49%46%
4%	2,634	52%44%
3%	2,324	51%44%
3%	1,956	49%46%
1%	914	52%45%
1%	799	48%49%
0.8%	564	52%43%

Practice as White Practice as Black

Plans for both sides

White

Bb2 first, then e3, Nf3 and Be2 or Bb5; f4 grabs e5 when Black has played ...e5.
Against 1...e5 2.Bb2 Nc6, 3.e3 with Bb5 pins the knight that guards e5.
Against ...g6 and ...Bg7 the long diagonal is blocked; switch to c4 with d3 or g3.

Black

1...e5 takes the center and blocks the b2 bishop; ...Nc6, ...d5 and ...Bd6 build a big center.
1...d5 with ...Nf6, ...e6 or ...Bf5 is a quiet, solid answer.
...g6 and ...Bg7 meets the b2 bishop head-on; White scores only about 48% against it here.

Nimzo-Larsen Attack at each rating

How often the position after 1.b3 comes up in rated Lichess games, how it scores and what players answer next.

Rating	Games (Share of games)	White · Draw · Black	Top next move
<1200	20k0.7%	50%46%	1...e545%
1200–1599	59k1.0%	50%46%	1...e539%
1600–1999	71k1.1%	50%46%	1...e530%
2000+	25k1.2%	50%44%	1...d526%
All	175k1.0%	50%46%	1...e534%

What usually comes next

The most played moves from here, all ratings together. Thicker line = played more often.

Main variations

The main line. White pins the c6 knight and plans f4 or Nf3 to attack e5.
5,559 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 54%, 4% were drawn, Black won 41%.
Show on the board: 1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 d5 4.Bb5 Bd6
Black develops the c8 bishop first and builds a London-like setup; White plays c4 or d4 later.
179 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 50%, 4% were drawn, Black won 46%.
Show on the board: 1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.e3 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6
Both sides fianchetto; the long diagonals are shut and the game is slow.
873 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 47%, 5% were drawn, Black won 47%.
Show on the board: 1.b3 Nf6 2.Bb2 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O
A Sicilian with colors reversed: White aims at d5 and the long diagonal.
Too rare in our data for numbers.
Show on the board: 1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.c4 Nf6 4.e3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.a3

At club level

Below 1200, about 45% answer 1.b3 with 1...e5; at 2000+ replies spread out between 1...d5, 1...e5 and 1...Nf6. After 1...e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 d5 4.Bb5 Bd6, White scores about 56%, and at 2000+ about seven in ten push 5.f4.

Practice it

The trainer answers with the replies people at your rating choose, in the same proportions, and brings back your mistakes on a schedule.

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