Nimzo-Larsen Attack
ECO A01 · 1. b3
The Nimzo-Larsen Attack, 1.b3, prepares Bb2 to control the long diagonal and the e5 square. Named after Aron Nimzowitsch and Bent Larsen, who made it a serious weapon at top level in the 1960s and 70s, it is one of the most respectable flank openings.
Plans for White
White plays Bb2, e3, Nf3 and often c4 or f4, keeping a flexible structure and pressuring the center from the flank. Against ...e5, the bishop on b2 attacks e5 and White can transpose into reversed Sicilian or reversed Queen's Indian ideas.
Plans for Black
The direct 1...e5 occupies the center; other replies include ...d5, ...Nf6 and ...c5. Black should take central space while White's development is slow, and be ready to blunt the b2 bishop with ...d6 or ...f6.
Typical pawn structures
Flexible: often reversed Queen's Indian or reversed Sicilian structures, with the a1-h8 diagonal as the main battleground.
Who it suits
Original players who like flank openings and long maneuvering games.
Common traps
The b2 bishop can be blunted by ...e5 and ...d6; White must not let Black's center grow too fast.
Variations
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation — 1. b3 d5
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Dutch Variation — 1. b3 f5
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: English Variation — 1. b3 c5
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Indian Variation — 1. b3 Nf6
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Modern Variation — 1. b3 e5
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Polish Variation — 1. b3 b5
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Symmetrical Variation — 1. b3 b6
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Graz Attack — 1. b3 d5 2. Ba3
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Norfolk Gambit — 1. Nf3 d5 2. b3 c5 3. e4
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Pachman Gambit — 1. b3 e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. f4
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Ringelbach Gambit — 1. b3 f5 2. Bb2 e6 3. e4
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Spike Variation — 1. b3 Nf6 2. Bb2 g6 3. g4