Facing the Nimzo-Larsen Attack: English Variation Bb2 as Black

In this position, White's bishop on b2 looks scary but isn't yet threatening anything concrete. Your pawn on d5 controls e4, and your pawn on c5 eyes d4. Together they give you a share of the centre that's hard to crack. Black's main idea is simple: develop naturally, keep the centre solid, and watch for White's attempt to undermine d5 with an early e3 or f4. The statistics confirm this is no trap — Black wins more games than White does at this exact position (48.5% to 47.8%, with very few draws at just 3.7%). You should feel confident playing straightforward moves like e6 and Nf6, building a classical pawn chain that White's offbeat first move didn't disrupt.

The computer's top choice for White is 3.e3, a quiet but flexible move that prepares Nf3 and Be2 while keeping options open for a later d4 break. After 3.e3 e6 4.Nf3 Nc6, the game resembles a reversed Queen's Indian or a subtle Hedgehog setup, but with the bishop committed to b2. From Black's perspective, this is exactly the kind of position you want: clear plans, no early tactics, and chances to outplay your opponent in the middlegame. The engine says this line is dead level, so don't fear it — trust your development and your central control.

The statistics identify three moves White can make here that are clear inaccuracies, each costing about 0.8 pawns. If your opponent plays any of them, you should be alert for a chance to improve your position. 3.d4 (38,859 games) is tempting but lets you trade on d4 and open lines for your pieces. 3.d3 (70,683 games) is too passive — White wastes a tempo and lets you expand freely. 3.Nc3 (13,718 games) is the rarest of the three, but the least effective: it blocks the c-pawn and allows ...d4 with tempo. In each case your best response is simple: continue developing (Nf6, e6, Be7) and you'll emerge with at least equality, often a little more.

The real story is in the win rates. Across all 963,029 games in the Lichess database, every one of White's main moves — e3 (48.6% score), g3 (47.8%), Nf3 (48.9%) — lands White between 46% and 49%. None of them breaks 50%. That's remarkable for White in a practical opening: it means this variation is a fantastic choice for Black at club level. The draw rate (3.7%) is also telling — this is a fighting position where the better player wins. If you understand the simple ideas behind 2...d5, you're already playing above the average. Focus on piece activity and don't overreach; the engine says you're equal, and the stats say you'll score just fine.