Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation, Erben Gambit
1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 g6
The Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation, Erben Gambit is a chess opening classified as ECO B00, reached after 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 g6. 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 6 times by this move order. White won 83%, 0% were drawn and Black won 17%. The most popular continuation is 4. exd5 (50% of games).
Engine evaluation: +1.34 (Stockfish, depth 30; best line 4. exd5 Nb4 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. Bc4 c6)
- ECO
- B00
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/ppp1pp1p/2n3p1/3p4/3PP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 g6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 2 | |
| 1500-1999 | 4 | |
| All | 6 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. exd5 | 3 (50%) | |
| 4. Nxd5 | 1 (17%) | |
| 4. Nf3 | 1 (17%) | |
| 4. e5 | 1 (17%) |
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Eskaspi (1841) – glou-glou (1856) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 300 + 3s
- dennis67 (1755) – makinshon2001 (1754) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 2s
- Jonathan81 (1718) – jacquellin (1761) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 600 + 0s
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.