Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation, Brandics Gambit
1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 a6
The Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation, Brandics Gambit is a chess opening classified as ECO B00, reached after 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 a6. 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 4 times by this move order. White won 75%, 0% were drawn and Black won 25%. The most popular continuation is 4. Nxd5 (50% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.96 (Stockfish, depth 29; best line 4. exd5 Nb4 5. Bc4 Nf6 6. Nf3 Nbxd5)
- ECO
- B00
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/1pp1pppp/p1n5/3p4/3PP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 a6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 2 | |
| 2000+ | 2 | |
| All | 4 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Nxd5 | 2 (50%) | |
| 4. exd5 | 2 (50%) |
Highest-rated Lichess games
- clorelli (2142) – eeum (2098) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 2s
- maison_zw (2081) – Modali (2119) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 2s
- Amazingaarnavi (1357) – direcat2024 (1242) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 600 + 5s
Comes from
Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation (2… d5 3. Nc3) 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
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.