Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation (3. Nc3 dxe4)
1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4
The Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO B00, reached after 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4. It is a line of the Nimzowitsch Defense. 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 653 times by this move order. White won 44%, 4% were drawn and Black won 52%. The most popular continuation is 4. Nxe4 (51% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.15 (Stockfish, depth 53; best line 4. d5 Nb8 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 g6)
- ECO
- B00
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/ppp1pppp/2n5/8/3Pp3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 249 | |
| 1500-1999 | 289 | |
| 2000+ | 115 | |
| All | 653 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Nxe4 | 331 (51%) | |
| 4. d5 Berlin Gambit | 229 (35%) | |
| 4. Bb5 | 34 (5%) | |
| 4. f3 | 23 (4%) | |
| 4. Be3 | 17 (3%) | |
| 4. Bc4 | 10 (2%) | |
| 4. Bf4 | 6 (1%) | |
| 4. Nge2 | 2 (0%) |
Master games
5 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 20%, draw 40%, Black 40%). The strongest:
- IM Ezra Kirk (2416) – GM Alexander Cherniaev (2381) 1/2-1/2 · 4NCL 2023-24 · 2023-11-11
- FM Dusko Prelevic (2312) – FM Miodrag Ljubinkovic (2255) 1/2-1/2 · 1st League Cent-SRB 2013 · 2013-09-22
- WCM Aleksandra Tarnowska (1793) – FM Gabriele Franchini (2173) 0-1 · Titled Tue 30th Jan Early · 2024-01-30
- Andrei Heredia Madrigal (2040) – Luis Miguel Zempoalteca Estrada (1270) 1-0 · KCF University Cup 2022 · 2022-02-05
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Malyshok2012 (2640) – andy2342 (2622) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- TrainingAccount678 (2478) – lackbiTe65 (2579) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- WBoar (2543) – Protonteampro (2504) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation (2… d5 3. Nc3) 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
Continuations
- Van Geet Opening: Berlin Gambit B00 · 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. d5
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.