Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack, Modern Defense & Pachman Gambit
Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack (1.b3)
Definition
The Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack is an irregular White opening that begins with 1.b3, preparing to fianchetto the queen’s bishop to b2 and exert long-diagonal pressure on the centre and kingside. Because it avoids the most heavily analysed main-line pawn structures, it is a favourite of creative or surprise-seeking players.
Typical Move Order
One of the most common sequences is:
- 1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 d5 4.Bb5 Bd6 5.Nf3 Qe7
- 1.b3 d5 2.Bb2 Nf6 3.e3 c5 4.Bb5+ Bd7 5.Bxd7+ Nbxd7
Transpositions to the English Opening, Queen’s Indian, or even a reversed Dutch are common.
Strategic Ideas
- Rapid development: White’s light-squared bishop is immediately activated on b2, eyeing the sensitive e5 and g7 squares.
- Flexible centre: White can later choose between c4, d4, or f4 depending on Black’s setup.
- King safety: By delaying g1-knight development, White can sometimes castle long and launch a kingside pawn storm with f4–f5 or g4.
Historical Notes
Aron Nimzowitsch experimented with 1.b3 in the 1920s, but it was Danish GM Bent Larsen who turned it into a fighting weapon during the 1960s–70s, scoring notable wins against World Champions such as Boris Spassky and Anatoly Karpov.
Illustrative Game
Boris Spassky – Bent Larsen, USSR vs. Rest of the World, Belgrade 1970
Interesting Facts
- Magnus Carlsen used 1.b3 twice in elite classical events in 2019–20, reviving interest in the line.
- Bent Larsen famously annotated, “Why should I fight for the centre when I can attack it from afar?”—a slogan that perfectly captures the opening’s spirit.
Modern Defense (1…g6 vs. 1.e4 or 1.d4)
Definition
The Modern Defense is a hyper-modern system for Black in which a kingside fianchetto with …g6 and …Bg7 is played immediately, usually avoiding an early development of the king’s knight to f6. Instead of occupying the centre with pawns, Black invites White to construct a broad pawn centre and intends to undermine it later with …c5, …d6, …e5, or …c6.
Typical Move Orders
Against 1.e4:
- 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Nf3 a6 (the “Tiger Modern”)
- 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nf3 c5 (a quick strike at d4)
Against 1.d4 the move order 1…g6 2…Bg7 3…d6 often transposes to the King’s Indian, but Black can keep Modern-only structures by delaying …Nf6.
Strategic Ideas
- Flexible Counter-attacks: Black keeps the structure fluid, choosing the correct pawn break based on White’s set-up.
- Piece Activity: The fianchettoed bishop becomes a long-term powerhouse once the centre opens.
- Psychological Edge: Because theory is less forcing than in the Pirc or King’s Indian, thematic understanding often outweighs computer prep.
Historical Significance
Although hyper-modern ideas date to the 1920s (Réti, Nimzowitsch), the Modern’s widespread adoption started in the 1950s with Austrian IM Karl Robatsch; the line was therefore long known as the “Robatsch Defense.” In the computer era, players such as Alexander Beliavsky, Tiger Hillarp Persson, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Hikaru Nakamura have used it as a surprise weapon at top level.
Illustrative Game
Vassily Ivanchuk – Tiger Hillarp Persson, Wijk aan Zee 2012
Interesting Anecdotes
- The Modern is sometimes jokingly advertised as “equal on move 1”—not because of an objective evaluation, but because Black forces White to think from the very start.
- Grandmaster Raymond Keene once called it a “Swiss-army opening” because it can cut in many different directions depending on Black’s mood.
Pachman Gambit (Exchange Grünfeld, 5…e5)
Definition
The Pachman Gambit is a sharp pawn sacrifice for Black in the Exchange Variation of the Grünfeld Defense. After the rare knight retreat 5.Na4, Black strikes in the centre with 5…e5, offering the e-pawn to accelerate development and seize dark-square control.
Main Line
- 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Na4 e5!? 6.dxe5 Bb4+
If White declines with 6.e4, Black still obtains strong piece activity after 6…Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Qh4.
Strategic Themes
- Development vs. Material: Black relies on rapid piece play—…Bb4+, …Nc6, and pressure on d4—to compensate for the sacrificed pawn.
- Dark-square Domination: The central pawn trades leave Black’s Bg7 unopposed on the long diagonal.
- Practical Surprise: Because 5.Na4 is uncommon, many White players are unprepared for the immediate gambit.
Origin and Naming
Czech grandmaster and renowned opening theoretician Luděk Pachman pioneered the idea in the 1950s. Though seldom seen in modern elite play, it remains a dangerous weapon in blitz and rapid games.
Illustrative Game
Luděk Pachman – Lothar Schmid, Prague 1957
Interesting Facts
- Pachman used the gambit mainly with Black despite being a prolific White-opening author—proof that he trusted its dynamic potential.
- The line offers a textbook example of “temporary gambit”—Black often regains the pawn around moves 15–20 while retaining the initiative.