Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack
abcdefgh
8
a8 black rook
b8 black knight
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
b3 white pawn
a2 white pawn
c2 white pawn
d2 white pawn
e2 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
abcdefgh
Moves1.b3
ECOA01–A06
Named afterAron Nimzowitsch, Bent Larsen
Synonym(s)
  • Nimzo-Larsen Attack
  • Larsen's Opening
  • Queen's Fianchetto Opening
  • Baby Orangutan[1] (colloq.)

The Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack (also known as the Nimzo-Larsen Attack, Larsen's Opening and Queen's Fianchetto Opening) is a chess opening typically starting with the move: 1.b3 but sometimes introduced by the move order 1.Nf3 and then 2.b3. The flank opening move 1.b3 prepares to fianchetto the queen's bishop where it will help control the central squares in hypermodern fashion and put pressure on Black's kingside.

Lines are classified under codes A01–A06 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings.

  1. ^ Hooper, David; Whyld, Kenneth (1996) [First pub. 1992]. "Larsen Opening". The Oxford Companion to Chess (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 216. ISBN 0-19-280049-3.