Larsen's Opening

← Irregular Openings List of chess openings   Bird's Opening → Larsen's Opening (ECO code: A01) is an opening named after Grandmaster Bent Larsen. Notation Larsen's Opening 1.b3 Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation 1.b3 d5 Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Dutch Variation 1.b3 f5 Nimzo-Larsen Attack: English Variation 1.b3 c5 Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Indian Variation 1.b3 Nf6 Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Modern Variation 1.b3 e5 Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Norfolk Gambit 1 1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 Nf6 3.Bb2 c5 4.e4 Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Norfolk Gambit 2 1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 c5 3.e4 Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Paschmann Gambit 1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.f4 Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Ringelbach Gambit 1.b3 e6 2.Bb2 f5 3.e4 Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Spike Variation 1.b3 Nf6 2.Bb2 g6 3.g4 Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Symmetrical Variation 1.b3 b6 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack: Polish Variation 1.b3 b5 Explanation This simple opening moves the knight's pawn out of the way, allowing White to fianchetto quickly. Although Larsen was successful many times using this technique, the opening proved to be helpless during the 1970 USSR vs. Rest of the World match against Boris Spassky. Responses The most common response for Black is 1. ... e5, which cuts off the bishop's scope.