Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation: what should Black play?

In the Classical Variation of the Nimzo-Larsen Attack, Black's most principled and statistically favored continuation is e5. This central advance occupies the e5 square, establishes a full pawn center, and holds an engine evaluation of -0.45. Black chooses e5 in 57.7% of the nearly two million recorded games in this position, creating immediate space while preparing active piece development.

Seizing the Center with 2...e5

The move e5 takes advantage of White's modest setup by claiming central territory and freeing the dark-squared bishop. In the recorded database, this move appears in roughly 1.15M recorded games, where White scores 52.0%. A standard continuation shown by the engine is e5 Bb2 Bd6 c4 c6 cxd5, where Black bolsters d5 with the c-pawn and develops the d6 to shield the e5 pawn from White's fianchettoed bishop on b2.

Alternative Setups: 2...Nf6 and 2...Bf5

Players seeking different pawn structures often opt for natural piece development instead of an immediate double pawn center. The second most frequent choice is Nf6, occurring in 30.8% of games (616K recorded) with an evaluation of -0.06, where White scores 49.0%; a typical sequence runs Nf6 Nf3 Bf5 Be2 h6 Ba3. Alternatively, Black can develop the light-squared bishop immediately via Bf5, played in 11.5% of games (229K recorded) with a -0.11 evaluation, leading into Bf5 Nf3 e6 d4 Nd7 Bd3.

Minor Continuations

Less common variations include h6 (eval +0.04), which can lead into h6 d4 Bf5 Bd3 Bxd3 Qxd3, and Nd7 (eval +0.06), which may be followed by Nd7 d4 e5 dxe5 Nxe5 Bb2. While playable, these moves concede central tempo compared to the immediate strike with e5.