- ECO code
- A06
- Moves
- 1.Nf3 d5 2.b3
- Family
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 449
- Average game length
- 50 moves
- Years covered
- 1923–2026
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation is the opening filed under ECO code A06, reached after 1.Nf3 d5 2.b3. It belongs to the Nimzo-Larsen Attack family and is known as the Classical Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 449 games on this line — the 230th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1923 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 324 games. An average game here lasts 50 moves.
White wins 56% of those games, 20% end in a draw, and Black wins 24%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 4 percentage points. Draws are less common here than usual, by 15 points.
From this position the most popular move is 2...Nf6, played in 164 games, followed by 2...Bg4 (97) and 2...c5 (85). After 2...Nf6 White scores 64% and Black 16%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Nakamura,Hi (162 games); on the Black side, Caruana,F (22).
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Results in master games
- White 56% (249)
- Draws 20% (91)
- Black 24% (109)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2...Nf6 | 164 | 64/20/16 | — |
| 2...Bg4 | 97 | 46/21/33 | — |
| 2...c5 | 85 | 51/18/31 | — |
| 2...Bf5 | 80 | 48/26/26 | — |
| 2...c6 | 13 | 69/8/23 | — |
| 2...e6 | 7 | 86/0/14 | — |
| 2...g6 | 2 | 50/50/0 | — |
| 2...f6 | 1 | 0/100/0 | — |
How the position is reached
- Zukertort Opening · 1.Nf3 · 14,933 games
- Zukertort Opening · 1.Nf3 d5 · 5,559 games
Played most often by
As White
- Nakamura,Hi 162
- Firouzja,Alireza 29
- Keymer,Vincent 16
As Black
- Caruana,F 22
- Giri,A 22
- Shirov,A 13
Games per decade
- 1920s 18
- 1930s 3
- 1940s 3
- 1950s 1
- 1960s 3
- 1970s 5
- 1980s 4
- 1990s 8
- 2000s 5
- 2010s 75
- 2020s 324
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gukesh,D | Fedoseev,Vl3 | 0-1 | 2026 | GCT Super Blitz Poland |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Wojtaszek,R | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | GCT Super Rapid Poland |
| Mendonca,Leon Luke | Caruana,F | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 30th Jun 2026 |
| Erigaisi,Arjun | Bartel,Mat | 1-0 | 2026 | Bundesliga 2025-26 |
| Materia,Marco | Nakamura,Hi | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 25th Jun 2026 |
| Gukesh,D | Wojtaszek,R | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | GCT Super Blitz Poland |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code A06, reached after 1.Nf3 d5 2.b3. It belongs to the Nimzo-Larsen Attack family.
Is the Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation good for White or for Black?
In 449 master games on this line White wins 56%, 20% are drawn and Black wins 24%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation?
2...Nf6 — played in 164 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation?
On the White side Nakamura,Hi (162), Firouzja,Alireza (29), Keymer,Vincent (16); on the Black side Caruana,F (22), Giri,A (22), Shirov,A (13).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
Try this line on the board
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