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Nimzo-Larsen Attack

13 variations · 36M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

Key Finding

Nimzo-Larsen Attack gives White a 52.2% expected score — a strong opening choice.

With a minimum advantage of 4.2%, this opening reliably outperforms the baseline 50% expected score.

You play
Play This
Rating
Time
White Expected Score0.0%Range (90% confident): 52.1% – 52.2%Aggregated from 13 variations
0%52.2%100%
Range (90% confident): 52.1% – 52.2%
ContextOverall · n=36M
Outcome Distribution
50.3%3.8%46.0%
Win
Draw
Loss
1.b3
Nimzo-Larsen Attack
Variations13
Games (Context)36M
Avg Length35 moves
Draw Rate3.8%

What Should I Play?

Player-controlled continuations for White · Overall

#1Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Ringelbach GambitTop Pick
1.b3 f5 2.Bb2 e6 3.e4
Min adv +16.2% · n=5.8K
59.2%
#2Nimzo-Larsen Attack
1.b3
Min adv +5.9% · n=9.1M
53.0%
#3Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Spike Variation
1.b3 Nf6 2.Bb2 g6 3.g4
Min adv +5.9% · n=156K
53.2%
#4Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Norfolk Gambit
1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 c5 3.e4
Min adv +4.9% · n=9.1K
53.3%
#5Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Graz Attack
1.b3 d5 2.Ba3
Min adv +2.3% · n=112K
51.4%
#6Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Pachman Gambit
1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.f4
Min adv -8.8% · n=33K
46.1%

Continuations show the most common variations from this opening. Higher expected scores indicate better statistical outcomes, but familiarity and playstyle matter too.

What is the Nimzo-Larsen Attack expected score for White?

Snapshot

Overall, the Nimzo-Larsen Attack family has a 52.2% expected score for White (we're 90% confident it's between 52.1% and 52.2%), aggregated from 13 variations and 36M Lichess games.

White Win% by Rating

Improves with rating: 49% → 51%

0
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
2200
2500+

  • 0-999: 48.6% win rate (868,496 games)
  • 1000-1199: 50.3% win rate (1,631,836 games)
  • 1200-1399: 50.4% win rate (3,293,826 games)
  • 1400-1599: 50.3% win rate (5,371,756 games)
  • 1600-1799: 50.1% win rate (6,987,534 games)
  • 1800-1999: 50.1% win rate (7,076,504 games)
  • 2000-2199: 50.1% win rate (5,574,090 games)
  • 2200-2499: 50.8% win rate (3,989,945 games)
  • 2500+: 51.3% win rate (1,173,378 games)

White Win% by Time Control

Similar across time controls (~52%)

UltraBullet
Bullet
Blitz
Rapid
Classical

  • UltraBullet: 51.6% win rate (535,457 games)
  • Bullet: 50.7% win rate (21,270,176 games)
  • Blitz: 49.7% win rate (11,725,239 games)
  • Rapid: 49.3% win rate (2,350,291 games)
  • Classical: 48.8% win rate (86,202 games)

Rating vs Time Control Matrix

Click cells to filter · White expected scores

White% by Rating × Time Control

Click any cell to filter. Green = above 50%, Red = below 50%.

RatingUBBulleBlitzRapidClass
0-999
1000-1199
1200-1399
1400-1599
1600-1799
1800-1999
2000-2199
2200-2499
2500+

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

  • 0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 46.0% expected score (3,013 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (298,817 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 50.5% expected score (432,762 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (132,825 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 44.3% expected score (1,079 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.4% expected score (10,342 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 52.0% expected score (638,017 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 51.8% expected score (763,717 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 51.3% expected score (215,715 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 50.2% expected score (4,045 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 51.4% expected score (38,117 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 51.9% expected score (1,490,550 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 51.8% expected score (1,409,253 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 51.8% expected score (345,821 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 52.4% expected score (10,085 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 51.4% expected score (88,825 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 52.0% expected score (2,502,188 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.7% expected score (2,240,063 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 51.6% expected score (515,352 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 51.3% expected score (25,328 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 52.3% expected score (164,872 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 51.9% expected score (3,645,968 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.7% expected score (2,615,285 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 51.6% expected score (537,882 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 51.7% expected score (23,527 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 53.3% expected score (138,458 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.0% expected score (4,291,624 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.1% expected score (2,247,779 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 52.0% expected score (382,884 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 52.5% expected score (15,759 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 55.0% expected score (64,843 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 52.0% expected score (3,967,842 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (1,370,134 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 53.5% expected score (166,427 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 57.0% expected score (4,844 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 54.2% expected score (25,494 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 53.2% expected score (3,343,869 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.5% expected score (569,926 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 55.0% expected score (49,523 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 56.9% expected score (1,133 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 62.8% expected score (1,493 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 55.2% expected score (1,091,301 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 56.2% expected score (76,320 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 57.0% expected score (3,862 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 53.8% expected score (402 games)

Matrix view reveals how performance varies across rating brackets and time controls. Green indicates favorable, red indicates challenging contexts.

Variations (13)

1
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Ringelbach Gambit5.8K games
59.2%
2
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Polish Variation72K games
54.9%
3
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Spike Variation156K games
53.2%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack9.1M games
53.0%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Norfolk Gambit9.1K games
53.3%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Dutch Variation320K games
52.4%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation9.4M games
52.1%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: English Variation2.3M games
52.1%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Modern Variation9.5M games
51.8%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Symmetrical Variation1.2M games
51.8%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Indian Variation3.7M games
51.4%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Graz Attack112K games
51.4%
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Pachman Gambit33K games
46.1%
Analyze Nimzo-Larsen Attack PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Nimzo-Larsen Attack win rate?

The Nimzo-Larsen Attack family has a 50.3% (90% CI: 50.2%-50.3%) win rate for white, aggregated from 13 variations and 36M rated games from Lichess.

How many Nimzo-Larsen Attack variations are there?

This analysis covers 13 Nimzo-Larsen Attack variations with sufficient game data. Each variation has its own statistics page with detailed win rates by rating and time control.

At what rating does the Nimzo-Larsen Attack perform best?

The Nimzo-Larsen Attack family performs best at 2500+ Elo with a 51.3% win rate for white (1.2M games). Performance may vary by specific variation.

Is the Nimzo-Larsen Attack better in blitz or rapid?

UltraBullet (51.6%) outperforms Classical (48.8%) by 2.8% across all Nimzo-Larsen Attack variations.

How sharp is the Nimzo-Larsen Attack?

Nimzo-Larsen Attack games are 96.2% decisive (non-draws), with an average length of 35 moves. Sharpness varies by specific variation.

Is the Nimzo-Larsen Attack a good opening family?

The Nimzo-Larsen Attack family is statistically favors white overall with a 50.3% (90% CI: 50.2%-50.3%) aggregated win rate. However, win rates vary significantly between the 13 variations—explore individual lines to find the best fit for your style.