Chessy
Facing the Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation, Linksspringer Variation (Nb8)
After 1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 e5 3.d5, Black retreats with 3...Nb8. This is the Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation, Linksspringer Variation, and it signals that Black is already willing to lose time to reach a playable setup. You are White, and the engine gives +0.46 — a small but clear edge for you. That means you are slightly better here. The position is not crushing, but you have a lead in development and more space. Your job is to make Black pay for that early knight retreat. Let's see how to punish it.
Play the Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation, Linksspringer Variation: Nb8 against the engine
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This opening begins unconventionally: instead of occupying the centre with 1...e5 or 1...c5, Black throws in 1...Nc6. After 2.d4 e5 you push 3.d5, and Black's knight falls back to b8 — back where it started. That is a real achievement for you: you have gained two tempi on the knight while establishing a space advantage in the centre. Black will try to chip away at your centre with moves like ...d6 or ...c6, or develop pieces to active squares like ...Bc5. Your plan is straightforward: develop quickly, keep your centre intact, and exploit your head start in mobilising your pieces.
The Engine's First Choice: Bc5
From the position after 4.Bd3, Stockfish points to Bc5 as Black's best reply. The computer's optimal continuation runs: 4...Bc5 5.Nc3 d6 6.Na4. Why does the engine like Bc5? It develops a piece to an active diagonal and puts pressure on the f2 square. In response, your plan with Nc3 and Na4 is to challenge and eventually trade off that bishop, neutralising Black's most active piece. After the bishop swap, you are left with a space advantage and a comfortable game. Even though 4...Bc5 is Black's best try, you still hold a +0.46 edge — so you should be happy to see it.
The Statistics: What Black Actually Plays
Over 8,677 games at this exact position, the numbers reveal what happens in practice: - d6 (3,649 games) is by far Black's most common move. You score 51.6% — a solid result. - Bc5 (1,820 games) is the engine's top pick, yet you still score 46.8% here. - Nf6 (1,203 games, your score 51.5%) and c6 (1,105 games, your score 52.9%) are also frequent. - Bb4+ (200 games, your score 50.0%) and h6 (127 games, your score 53.5%) appear less often. The takeaway? Black most often plays d6, and you win more than half the time against it. Your edge is real and consistent across the board.
Three Mistakes to Watch For
The engine identifies three Black moves that are clear inaccuracies, each worse than the best move Bc5. If your opponent plays one of these, you gain a bigger edge: - Nf6 loses about 0.5 pawns of advantage. Black develops the knight, but it temporarily blocks the f-pawn and doesn't challenge your centre. - Bb4+ loses about 0.6 pawns. This check looks active but the bishop only retreats after c3, and Black has wasted a tempo. - h6 loses about 0.7 pawns. This is a pure waste of time — it doesn't develop or contest the centre. Of these, Nf6 is the most common trap (1,203 games). If Black plays it, you can be confident that you are already doing better than the position's baseline +0.46 edge. Develop naturally and keep your centre.
Results across 8,677 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| d6 | 3,649 | 51.6% |
| Bc5 | 1,820 | 46.8% |
| Nf6 | 1,203 | 51.5% |
| c6 | 1,105 | 52.9% |
| Bb4+ | 200 | 50.0% |
| h6 | 127 | 53.5% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation a good opening for Black?
At this exact position, the engine gives White a +0.46 advantage, meaning White is slightly better. Black is playable but has already lost time moving the knight twice. In practice, White scores 51.2% wins, so the opening slightly favours you.
What is Black's best move after 4.Bd3 in this line?
The engine's best move is 4...Bc5, developing the bishop to an active diagonal and threatening f2. The recommended continuation is 4...Bc5 5.Nc3 d6 6.Na4, where White trades off Black's best minor piece.
How should White respond to 4...d6?
4...d6 is Black's most common move (3,649 games). You score 51.6% against it — a good result. Develop naturally with Nc3, Nf3, and castle kingside. Your space advantage from the d5 pawn gives you a comfortable game.
What are the biggest mistakes Black can make here?
The engine flags three inaccuracies: 4...Nf6 (loses ~0.5 pawns), 4...Bb4+ (loses ~0.6 pawns), and 4...h6 (loses ~0.7 pawns). If Black plays any of these, you have an even larger edge than the baseline +0.46.