Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation (1… d5 2. b3)

1. Nf3 d5 2. b3

The Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO A06, reached after 1. Nf3 d5 2. b3. It is a line of the Nimzo-Larsen Attack. Black is to move. 4 named lines continue from this position.

In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 4,888 times by this move order. White won 52%, 5% were drawn and Black won 43%. The most popular continuation is 2… Nf6 (25% of games).

Engine evaluation: −0.02 (Stockfish, depth 65; best line 2… Bf5 3. e3 e6 4. Bb2 Nd7 5. c4)

ECO: A06
Moves: 3 plies
FEN: rnbqkbnr/ppp1pppp/8/3p4/8/1P3N2/P1PPPPPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 2
PGN: 1. Nf3 d5 2. b3

Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess

Results by rating

Average rating	Games	White / draw / Black
0-1499	970	54%43%
1500-1999	2,400	52%44%
2000+	1,518	50%42%
All	4,888	52%43%

Most played moves

Move	Games	White / draw / Black
2… Nf6	1,218 (25%)	51%44%
2… Nc6	971 (20%)	52%45%
2… c5	955 (20%)	53%42%
2… e6	450 (9%)	54%41%
2… Bf5	346 (7%)	47%47%
2… c6	283 (6%)	53%42%
2… Bg4	278 (6%)	54%42%
2… f6	105 (2%)	50%44%

Master games

9,188 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 45%, draw 20%, Black 35%). The strongest:

GM Veselin Topalov (2793) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2868) 0-1 · Norway Supreme Masters Blitz 2013 · 2013-05-07
GM Magnus Carlsen (2840) – GM Fabiano Caruana (2795) 1/2-1/2 · World Blitz Final KO 2025 · 2025-12-30
GM Magnus Carlsen (2832) – GM Hikaru Nakamura (2802) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 17th Sep Late · 2024-09-17
GM Magnus Carlsen (2832) – GM Hikaru Nakamura (2802) 1-0 · Titled Tue 6th Aug Late · 2024-08-06
GM Veselin Topalov (2793) – GM Levon Aronian (2813) 0-1 · Norway Supreme Masters Blitz 2013 · 2013-05-07

Search all games of the Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation and its sub-variations

Highest-rated Lichess games

IM Kostik_Mostik (2902) – Nana_jede_cevape (2898) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
IM Kostik_Mostik (2917) – vistagusta (2842) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
winx_m (2925) – vistagusta (2827) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s

Comes from

Zukertort Opening (1. Nf3 d5) 1. Nf3 d5

Continuations

Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Norfolk Gambit (2… c5 3. e4) A06 · 1. Nf3 d5 2. b3 c5 3. e4
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Norfolk Gambit (3… c5 4. e4) A06 · 1. Nf3 d5 2. b3 Nf6 3. Bb2 c5 4. e4
Zukertort Opening: Regina-Nu Gambit A06 · 1. Nf3 d5 2. b3 c5 3. c4 dxc4 4. Nc3
Réti Opening: Anglo-Slav Variation, Bled Variation A12 · 1. Nf3 d5 2. b3 Nf6 3. Bb2 g6 4. c4 c6

More Nimzo-Larsen Attack lines (all)

Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.