Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation, Main Line
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Statistics from Lichess
161,129 games: White 54.3% / Draw 3.6% / Black 42.1%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 96,93497K | ||
| 25,40825K | ||
| 22,08522K | ||
| 9,4189,418 | ||
| 3,0243,024 | ||
| 1,3001,300 | ||
| 1,2531,253 | ||
| 399399 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 2, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.89 White is better
Best play: 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Ne2 Nf6 7. Qd3 O-O 8. e5 Ne8 9. Be3 d5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation, Main Line (ECO B00, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation, reached after 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 e5 3. dxe5 Nxe5 4. f4 Ng6 (4 moves).
In 161,129 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 54.3%, Black 42.1% and 3.6% were drawn. White's most played move here is 5. Nf3, in 60% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation, Main Line
5. Bc4 scores best for White: 61.9%, with White winning 60.1% and Black 36.4% of 22K games. The most played, 5. Nf3, scores 55.3% in 97K games, and 5. Be3 scores lowest: 55.3%. Stockfish's first choice is 5. Nc3.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation, Main Line (B00)”. Lichess data as of 2 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/nimzowitsch-defense-kennedy-variation-main-line