Nimzo-Larsen Attack
A01you play whiteOne bishop, one diagonal, one promise: the b2 bishop stares at e5 and g7 forever — and every plan in your game flows from that stare.
The road to the tabiya
Step through the move order. Amber moves carry an idea — read them, don't memorise them.
Why this matters
One bishop, one diagonal, one promise: the b2 bishop stares at e5 and g7 forever — and every plan in your game flows from that stare.
The structure: Larsen structure (doubled c-pawns vs the b2 stare)
White pawns b3/c2/d2/e3 vs Black's a6/b7/c6/c7/e5: Black's doubled c-pawns can't create a passed pawn, so any pure pawn endgame favours you. The b2 bishop and g3 knight aim at e5/f5; Black's play is the bishop pair and a kingside space gain with ...h5 or ...e4 if you allow it.
Trades: yes and no
Bxc6 (already banked) was the good trade. Happily swap Black's light-squared bishop when it appears on e6/g4 — it's the better half of Black's pair. Trading into minor-piece endgames flatters your structure. Never trade the b2 bishop for a knight — it is the opening. Don't swap your g3 knight for the d6 bishop unless it wins the e5 pawn or lands f5 permanently.
Motifs to watch
- f4 at the right moment: exf4 exf4 opens the e-file and extends b2's diagonal
- Nd2–c4 hitting d6 and e5 — the knight tour of this opening
- The clamp d3+f3+e4: fix e5, then besiege it
- Black's ...h5–h4 kicking the g3 knight — meet ...h5 with h4
Go deeper
- Lichess opening page: Nimzo-Larsen Attack — Master games from 1.b3 — watch how often the b2 bishop decides the endgame.
- Wikipedia: Nimzo-Larsen Attack — Larsen's and Fischer's handling of the system — including Fischer's Bxc6 treatment.