Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation (2… d5 3. Nc3)
1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
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. It is a line of the Nimzowitsch Defense. Black is to move. 5 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1,026 times by this move order. White won 47%, 4% were drawn and Black won 49%. The most popular continuation is 3… dxe4 (64% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.11 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 3… dxe4 4. d5 Nb8 5. Nxe4 c6 6. Bc4)
- ECO
- B00
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/ppp1pppp/2n5/3p4/3PP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 1 3- PGN
1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 415 | |
| 1500-1999 | 402 | |
| 2000+ | 209 | |
| All | 1,026 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… dxe4 Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation (3. Nc3 dxe4) | 653 (64%) | |
| 3… e6 | 186 (18%) | |
| 3… Nf6 Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation, Vehre Variation | 101 (10%) | |
| 3… e5 Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation, Heinola-Deppe Gambit | 44 (4%) | |
| 3… Be6 | 17 (2%) | |
| 3… g6 Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation, Erben Gambit | 6 (1%) | |
| 3… a6 Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation, Brandics Gambit | 4 (0%) | |
| 3… Nb4 | 3 (0%) |
Master games
40 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 35%, draw 20%, Black 45%). The strongest:
- FM Dmitry Rostovtsev (2305) – GM Dmitry Andreikin (2729) 0-1 · Titled Tue 24th Jan Late · 2023-01-24
- GM Nikolai Ninov (2466) – GM Krasimir Rusev (2508) 1/2-1/2 · 70th TCh-BUL Rapid 2020 · 2020-09-08
- IM Mahel Boyer (2418) – GM Andrew Hong (2542) 0-1 · Titled Tue 13th Feb Early · 2024-02-13
- GM Nenad Ristic (2372) – GM Athanasios Mastrovasilis (2501) 0-1 · 1st Pelion Open 2018 · 2018-06-23
- IM Jonathan Carlstedt (2461) – FM Carlos Nava Pereda (2262) 1-0 · Gibraltar Masters 2016 · 2016-02-02
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM dclasby (2779) – kasparik_garik (2618) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- Malyshok2012 (2640) – andy2342 (2622) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- IM Arrowlimit (2551) – IM filolog (2687) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5
Continuations
- Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation (3. Nc3 dxe4) B00 · 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4
- Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation, Brandics Gambit B00 · 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 a6
- Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation, Erben Gambit B00 · 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 g6
- Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation, Heinola-Deppe Gambit B00 · 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 e5
- Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Bogoljubow Variation, Vehre Variation B00 · 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6
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.