You've pushed 1.e4 and Black answers with the provocative 1...Nc6 — the Nimzowitsch Defense. After 2.d4 e5 3.d5 Nce7 you have chased the knight back, and now 4.Nc3 brings you to the Kennedy Variation, Linksspringer Variation: Nce7. The engine says +0.59, a small but clear plus for White, meaning you are already slightly better. Black's knight on e7 is awkwardly placed, and you have a space advantage in the centre. Over 395,000 games have reached this exact position — the drill below will show you how to capitalise before Black can untangle.
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Play the Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation, Linksspringer Variation: Nce7 against the engine
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Play through the position now and practise punishing Black's inaccuracies like 5...c6 and 5...f5. Create a free account to track your progress as you drill this
Find your own #1 mistake — free →Your Small Edge: What the Numbers Tell You
Stockfish rates this +0.59 — a definite edge for White, which means you are slightly better right from the start. Across almost 400,000 Lichess games, White wins 48.6% and draws 3.6%, while Black wins 47.8%. The winning margin is slim, but it's real, and it comes from your central space advantage and Black's cramped knight on e7. With accurate play you can build on this lead; the key is knowing which replies from Black to welcome and which to punish.
Where to Develop: The Engine's Recommendation
The engine's top choice for Black is 6...a6 (which continues a6 Nf3 d6 a4). This modest pawn move prepares ...b5 to challenge your queenside space. As White, you should respond with natural development: Nf3, eyeing the centre, followed by a4 to clamp down on Black's queenside expansion. You're not rushing to attack — you're preventing counterplay while your space advantage does the work. The knight on f3 also supports an eventual push of the c- or e-pawns.
The Most Popular Replies and Your Best Responses
Black's most common move by far is 5...d6 (136,339 games, White scores 50.4%). It's solid but passive — you can continue with standard development, maybe Nf3 or Bd3, keeping your centre intact. The second-most popular, 5...Ng6 (126,047 games, White scores just 42.8%), is actually risky for you — Black tries to reroute the knight to f4. Watch out for that! Your best reply is probably Be3 or Bd3, preventing ...Nf4 ideas. If Black plays 5...Nf6 (60,814 games, White scores 49.5%), you have a symmetrical position where your extra centre space matters. With 5...c6 (White scores 55.7%) and 5...f5 (White scores 54.0%), Black is losing — see the next section.
Punish Black's Two Biggest Mistakes
Two moves by Black are known inaccuracies that cost real material. 5...c6 is an inaccuracy that loses about 0.7 pawns; the engine says the better move was a6. This means you can punish it with dxc6 (or a strong reply like Bb5+ depending on the follow-up) to shatter Black's pawn structure and leave White with a near-winning advantage. Even worse for Black is 5...f5, an inaccuracy that loses about 0.9 pawns (better was a6). Meet it with exf5 — Black's king is suddenly exposed and your development lead becomes crushing. In both cases, Black's deviation hands you the chance to turn a small edge into a big one.
Results across 395,197 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | d6Main line | 136,339 | 50.4% |
| 2 | Ng6 | 126,047 | 42.8% |
| 3 | Nf6 | 60,814 | 49.5% |
| 4 | c6 | 45,957 | 55.7% |
| 5 | f5 | 10,113 | 54.0% |
| 6 | a6 | 4,322 | 47.6% |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation, Linksspringer Variation: Nce7?
It's a line of the Nimzowitsch Defense that starts 1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 e5 3.d5 Nce7 4.Nc3. Black's knight retreats to e7, giving White a space advantage in the centre. The 'Linksspringer' nickname references the knight's strange path (German for 'left knight').
Is the Nimzowitsch Defense a good opening for Black?
In this variation, the engine gives +0.59 — a small edge for White — so you are slightly better as White. Black's position is playable but cramped. Over 395,000 games, White wins 48.6% and Black wins 47.8%, making it a close battle that rewards good opening knowledge.
How should White respond to 5...Ng6 from Black?
Black's 5...Ng6 aims to bring the knight to f4. You can prevent this with Be3 or Bd3. In the Lichess database, White scores only 42.8% after 5...Ng6 across 126,047 games, so it's a tricky reply that requires caution. Denying the f4-square keeps your advantage secure.
What is the engine's best move for Black in this position?
Stockfish recommends 5...a6, preparing ...b5 to gain queenside space. The engine's suggested continuation is a6 Nf3 d6 a4. As White, you respond with Nf3 and a4 to clamp down on Black's expansion, maintaining your central edge.