Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation, Hammer Gambit
1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 e5 3. dxe5 f6
The Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation, Hammer Gambit is a chess opening classified as ECO B00, reached after 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 e5 3. dxe5 f6. It is a line of the Nimzowitsch Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 9 times by this move order. White won 33%, 0% were drawn and Black won 67%. The most popular continuation is 4. exf6 (67% of games).
Engine evaluation: +1.59 (Stockfish, depth 40; best line 4. Nf3 fxe5 5. Bc4 Qf6 6. O-O h6)
- ECO
- B00
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/pppp2pp/2n2p2/4P3/4P3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 e5 3. dxe5 f6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 4 | |
| 2000+ | 5 | |
| All | 9 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. exf6 | 6 (67%) | |
| 4. Bc4 | 1 (11%) | |
| 4. Bb5 | 1 (11%) | |
| 4. f4 | 1 (11%) |
Highest-rated Lichess games
- SSI77 (2199) – yusufbachtiar00 (2193) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- SSI77 (2167) – yusufbachtiar00 (2169) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- Thebestplayer13 (2046) – nikosadallas (2121) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 e5
More Nimzowitsch Defense lines (all)
- Nimzowitsch Defense (1. e4 Nc6) B00
- Nimzowitsch Defense (1… Nc6 2. d4) B00
- Nimzowitsch Defense: Breyer Variation B00
- Nimzowitsch Defense: Colorado Countergambit B00
- Nimzowitsch Defense: Colorado Countergambit Accepted B00
- Nimzowitsch Defense: Declined Variation B00
- Nimzowitsch Defense: El Columpio Defense B00
- Nimzowitsch Defense: El Columpio Defense, El Columpio Gambit B00
- Nimzowitsch Defense: El Columpio Defense, Exchange Variation B00
- Nimzowitsch Defense: El Columpio Defense, Pin Variation B00
- Nimzowitsch Defense: Franco-Nimzowitsch Variation B00
- Nimzowitsch Defense: French Connection B00
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.