Nimzowitsch Defence

This article is about the opening moves 1.e4 Nc6. For the more common 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4, see Nimzo-Indian Defence.
Nimzowitsch Defence
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8
a8 black rook
c8 black bishop
d8 black queen
e8 black king
f8 black bishop
g8 black knight
h8 black rook
a7 black pawn
b7 black pawn
c7 black pawn
d7 black pawn
e7 black pawn
f7 black pawn
g7 black pawn
h7 black pawn
c6 black knight
e4 white pawn
a2 white pawn
b2 white pawn
c2 white pawn
d2 white pawn
f2 white pawn
g2 white pawn
h2 white pawn
a1 white rook
b1 white knight
c1 white bishop
d1 white queen
e1 white king
f1 white bishop
g1 white knight
h1 white rook
8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
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Moves 1.e4 Nc6
ECO B00
Named after Aron Nimzowitsch
Parent King's Pawn Game

The Nimzowitsch Defence is a somewhat unusual chess opening characterised by the moves:

1. e4 Nc6

This opening is an example of a hypermodern opening where Black invites White to occupy the centre of the board at an early stage with pawns. Black's intent is to block or otherwise restrain White's central pawns and, if allowed to do so by inaccurate play by White, eventually undermine the White pawn centre by well-timed pawn advances of his own or by attacking the White pieces defending the centre. World Champion Garry Kasparov and Grandmaster Raymond Keene wrote that it "has never been fully accepted as a dependable opening. Nevertheless it is sound and offers the maverick spirit a great deal of foreign territory to explore."[1]

The Nimzowitsch is included under code B00 ("uncommon king's pawn opening") in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings.


Main variations

See also

References

  1. Garry Kasparov and Raymond Keene, Batsford Chess Openings 2, Collier Books, 1989, p. 228. ISBN 0-02-033991-7.
  2. The American International Master Jeremy Silman writes that "most players (even at the grandmaster level) avoid any pre-studied lines by the opponent by simply replying with 2.Nf3". Jeremy Silman, The Reassess Your Chess Workbook: How to Master Chess Imbalances, Siles Press, 2001, p. 383. ISBN 1-890085-05-7.
  3. For example, this was used by Magnus Carlsen against Bill Gates in a televised match on January 22, 2014
  4. Shaw vs. Salmensuu
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