Chessy
Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Advance Variation: a6 — Playing as White
After 1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 a6 4.Be3, Black has just played the somewhat mysterious a6, and now it's their turn to choose a plan. This position, known as the Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Advance Variation: a6, is your chance as White to prove that Black's early pawn moves have left them with some awkward decisions. Over 3,289 online games, White scores a healthy 50.5% here, with only 3.9% of games ending in draws. The engine gives +0.45, a small but clear edge for White. That means you are already slightly better and can aim to build on that advantage with natural development.
Play the Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Advance Variation: a6 against the engine
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Create a free account →What Black Is Trying to Do — and Why You Shouldn't Worry
When Black plays 3…a6, they are anticipating a potential Bb5 pin against the knight on c6. By kicking the bishop before it arrives, Black hopes to keep their knight flexible. The problem is that a6 does nothing to help Black fight for the centre or speed up development — and after 4.Be3 you have already placed a useful piece on an active square. The engine evaluates this at +0.45, a small plus for you, and the statistics back that up: White wins 50.5% of games from here, while Black wins just 45.6%. Your job is straightforward: continue developing, keep your centre solid, and be ready to punish Black if they try premature breaks like ...f6 or ...e6 without first getting their pieces out.
The Engine's Top Move: Bf5 and the Follow-Up
Stockfish's first recommendation for Black is 4…Bf5, and though that may look like a harmless developing move, the engine still sees a clear edge for you. After 4…Bf5, the suggested continuation is 5.h4! — a sharp idea that immediately challenges the bishop. Black typically answers 5…h5 to protect it, and then 6.Bd3 trades off Black's best-placed piece. Why would you spend a tempo on h4? Because after Bd3, Black's bishop on f5 is forced to capture or retreat, and either way you get the bishop pair and a comfortable game. The h4-h5 push also gains space on the kingside and can set up attacking chances later. If Black avoids Bf5 and plays something more passive, the statistics show your results actually improve.
What the Statistics Reveal About Black's Options
The Lichess database shows six main replies Black tries here, and the numbers tell a clear story. The most popular move, 4…Bf5 (1,574 games), only scores 47.8% for White — still positive but Black's most resilient try. Everything else works in your favour more clearly: 4…e6 (488 games) gives White 53.7%, 4…h6 (478 games) yields 55.6%, 4…f6 (354 games) produces 52.3%, and 4…b5 (73 games) earns 53.4%. Only 4…g6 (123 games) dips to 43.1% for White, a reminder that if Black fianchettos their dark-squared bishop, you should be careful not to overpress. But across the board, the trend is clear: if Black doesn't play 4…Bf5, your winning chances climb. The engine also flags both 4…e6 and 4…b5 as inaccuracies, costing Black roughly 0.6 and 0.9 pawns respectively compared to the best move.
Two Common Mistakes You Can Punish
The engine identifies two inaccuracies in this position that you should know how to exploit. If Black plays 4…e6 — blocking their own light-squared bishop and giving you a classical French-type structure — you gain about 0.6 pawns of advantage. Your plan is simple: develop naturally with Nf3, Nc3, and consider a quick f4 to reinforce the centre. Black's bishop on c8 is stuck behind the pawn chain, and you have a comfortable space advantage. The other mistake is 4…b5, which loses nearly a full pawn's worth of equity (~0.9). Black pushes on the queenside but neglects development entirely. You can respond with a straightforward Nf3, Bxb5? is not possible yet because of …Nxe5, but you can simply develop and later play a4 to undermine Black's pawn structure. In both cases, trust your development and central space — Black will struggle to equalise.
Results across 3,289 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Bf5 | 1,574 | 47.8% |
| e6 | 488 | 53.7% |
| h6 | 478 | 55.6% |
| f6 | 354 | 52.3% |
| g6 | 123 | 43.1% |
| b5 | 73 | 53.4% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Nimzowitsch Defense a good opening for Black?
The Nimzowitsch Defense (1.e4 Nc6) is a solid but slightly passive system for Black. In this specific line with 3.e5 a6 4.Be3, White scores 50.5% and the engine gives +0.45, confirming that White has a small but real advantage from the start. It's playable but Black needs precise play to hold.
What is the best move for Black after 4.Be3?
The engine's top choice is 4…Bf5, developing the bishop to a natural square. This is also the most popular move in practice (1,574 games). After 5.h4 h5 6.Bd3, White trades off the bishop and keeps a comfortable edge. Alternatives like 4…e6 or 4…b5 are considered inaccuracies.
Should White play h4 in this line?
Yes — after Black plays 4…Bf5, the engine recommends 5.h4 as the best continuation. The idea is to chase the bishop away or provoke 5…h5, after which 6.Bd3 trades pieces on favourable terms. It's a concrete plan that maintains your small advantage.
Why is 4…e6 considered a mistake for Black?
4…e6 is labelled an inaccuracy because it loses about 0.6 pawns compared to the best move (4…Bf5). By blocking their light-squared bishop, Black makes it harder to complete development and leaves White with a comfortable space advantage in a French-like structure.