Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation (1. b3 d5)
1. b3 d5
The Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO A01, reached after 1. b3 d5. It is a line of the Nimzo-Larsen Attack. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 33,808 times by this move order. White won 49%, 5% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 2. Bb2 (91% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 58; best line 2. Bb2 Bf5 3. Nf3 e6 4. c4 Nf6)
- ECO
- A01
- Moves
- 2 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/ppp1pppp/8/3p4/8/1P6/P1PPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 2- PGN
1. b3 d5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 10,819 | |
| 1500-1999 | 18,179 | |
| 2000+ | 4,810 | |
| All | 33,808 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2. Bb2 | 30,647 (91%) | |
| 2. e3 | 861 (3%) | |
| 2. g3 | 580 (2%) | |
| 2. Ba3 Graz Attack | 502 (1%) | |
| 2. Nf3 | 249 (1%) | |
| 2. d4 | 236 (1%) | |
| 2. c4 | 136 (0%) | |
| 2. d3 | 130 (0%) |
Master games
9,847 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 48%, draw 16%, Black 36%). The strongest:
- RubiChess 20230823 (3508) – Ethereal 14.24 (3535) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 25 Premier 2023 · 2023-09-06
- Ethereal 14.24 (3535) – RubiChess 20230823 (3508) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 25 Premier 2023 · 2023-09-06
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2840) – GM Hikaru Nakamura (2810) 1-0 · Titled Tue 16th Dec 2025 · 2025-12-16
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2847) – GM Liren Ding (2799) 0-1 · Goldmoney Asian Rapid KO · 2021-07-04
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2853) – GM Alireza Firouzja (2785) 1/2-1/2 · 11th Norway Blitz 2023 · 2023-05-29
Search all games of the Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- GM athena-pallada (2885) – GM JanistanTV (2729) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- RoDoSfAtiHi (2788) – GM Fabsid (2809) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- GM sillyMASTER (2825) – FM Guary1 (2768) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Nimzo-Larsen Attack 1. b3
Continuations
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Graz Attack A01 · 1. b3 d5 2. Ba3
More Nimzo-Larsen Attack lines (all)
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Dutch Variation A01
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: English Variation A01
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Indian Variation A01
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Modern Variation (1. b3 e5) A01
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Modern Variation (2. Bb2 Nc6) A01
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Modern Variation (2… Nc6 3. e3) A01
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Modern Variation (3. c4 Nf6) A01
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Pachman Gambit A01
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Polish Variation A01
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Ringelbach Gambit A01
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Spike Variation A01
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Symmetrical Variation A01
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.