Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
7,343,470 games: White 49.0% / Draw 4.9% / Black 46.2%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 6,763,6746.8M | ||
| 220,953221K | ||
| 80,93181K | ||
| Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Graz Attack | 64,56265K | |
| Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation | 63,07263K | |
| 43,87144K | ||
| 20,91021K | ||
| 17,89718K |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.05 The position is about equal
Best play: 2. Nf3 Bf5 3. Bb2 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. c4 h6 6. Nc3 c6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
Rating changes little here: Black scores 49% under 1400, 48% at 2200 and up and 48% in master games (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 2.6M | |
| 1400–1799 | 5.3M | |
| 1800–2199 | 3.8M | |
| 2200 and up | 578K | |
| Masters, over the board | 3,062 |
Master games
- Carlsen, M. – Ding Liren
- Nakamura, H. – Carlsen, M.
- Nakamura, H. – Carlsen, M.
- Carlsen, M. – So, W.
- Carlsen, M. – Giri, A.
Rated blitz, rapid and classical Lichess games by rating band, and over-the-board games of players rated 2200+ from the Lichess masters database, updated Sep 26, 2026
Overview
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation (ECO A01, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Nimzo-Larsen Attack, reached after 1. b3 d5 (1 move).
In 7,343,470 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.0%, Black 46.2% and 4.9% were drawn. White's most played move here is 2. Bb2, in 92% of those games.
It continues into one named variation, Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Graz Attack.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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Popularity by year
The Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation has gained ground since 2016: 0.31% of Lichess games in 2025, up from 0.22%.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.22% | 76,838 |
| 2017 | 0.24% | 130,967 |
| 2018 | 0.25% | 196,699 |
| 2019 | 0.26% | 323,218 |
| 2020 | 0.24% | 716,955 |
| 2021 | 0.27% | 1,036,747 |
| 2022 | 0.29% | 1,078,596 |
| 2023 | 0.31% | 1,147,928 |
| 2024 | 0.31% | 1,096,498 |
| 2025 | 0.31% | 1,078,677 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.31% | 343,541 |
Share of rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500 (blitz, rapid and classical) that reach this position, by year; 2026: January to April. Which openings are rising and falling
Variations (1)
Transpositions
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation (A01)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzo-larsen-attack-classical-variation