Advocating for 1.b3 and 1...b6: The Nimzo-Larsen Attack and the Modern Defense

Hello fellow chess enthusiasts,

I wanted to take a moment to discuss two often underrated yet highly flexible opening moves: 1.b3 for White (known as the Nimzo-Larsen Attack) and 1...b6 for Black (leading to a Modern Defense, Owen's Defense, or the English Defense). These moves might not be the first that come to mind when thinking of opening strategies, but I believe they offer unique advantages that can throw opponents off their preparation and provide rich middlegame positions.

1.b3: The Nimzo-Larsen Attack

Starting with 1.b3 allows White to immediately fianchetto the queen's bishop, targeting the e5 square and preparing for quick development. The move is both flexible and deceptive. It avoids immediate central confrontations, which means you can often steer the game into less theoretical waters, forcing your opponent to think on their own early on.

1...b6: A Modern Defense 

On the flip side, starting with 1...b6 as Black is an excellent way to adopt a hypermodern stance, where you allow White to occupy the center initially, only to counterattack with precise play. The fianchetto of the queen’s bishop also puts immediate pressure on the e4 square, challenging White's plans right from the start.

Both 1.b3 and 1...b6 are moves that emphasize flexibility, surprise, and strategic depth. They may not be the most common opening moves, but in the hands of a prepared and creative player, they can lead to highly rewarding positions. If you're looking to add something new to your repertoire or want to steer your games into less-explored territories, I highly recommend giving these moves a try.

Happy playing, and let’s keep the conversation going—what are your thoughts on 1.b3 and 1...b6?

thats not the modern lol

It's not the main line, but it's a modern chess defense.

What's your take on this?

modern defense refers strictly to 1.g6 (usually vs 1.e4 although some people use it for other first moves too)

1.e4 b6 is the owen's defense 1.c4 b6 is the english defense (one of the two major move orders the other being 1.d4 e6 2.c4 b6) 1d4 b6 tecnically doesnt have a name but usually transposes to one of the two unless white plays it like a queen pawn game (torre,tromposwky or london set up usually).

i have play 1.b3 and 1.x b6 since i was a scholastic player and still do to this day. Owen's is my favorite defense and while i prefer 1.b4 , i like 1.b3 very much as well, in fact the game that snatched me NM was a b3 crush

I prefer 1. b4 to 1. b3 as a matter of taste despite the fact that they're objectively rather even, but I really don't like playing hypermoderns as Black given that White's extra tempo means a single misstep gives the full center over for literally no reason. If you enjoy games with a bishop on b7, play a b6 NID/QID or English Defense repertoire for best results. Delay the b6 Bb7 maneuver by 1-5 moves so you don't end up in a nightmare position like the one below.

Fischer opened 1 b3 in 4 classical games and won all 4.

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044318

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044299

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1019452

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1441737

GM Ulf Andersson was so impressed that he started playing it himself.

1 e4 b6 is different: risky for black.

1. e4 b6 isn't the Modern Defense. It's called the English Defense, named after Bird (who was the first master to play it) and Miles and Keene (who revived it almost a century later).

@7

Do not forget Owen and Basman.

The marginal objective inferiority of 1...b6 redeems itself by the fact that most people have no clear idea how to play against it. The result being that knowledge of territory becomes more important than the decision to actually play it. There are recurring themes 1...b6. Then if white goes really passive, black can doubledown with passivity and play the Hippo.

No, that's not the English Defense either unless White transpose into it with c4 included, like 1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 e6 4.c4 would be the English Defense.

But without c4, it is Owen's Defense, which is extremely dubious.

The two defenses are vastly different, and the difference is White's c-pawn, similar to the difference between the Pirc and King's Indian.

This is why many that play the English Defense also play the French, to avoid Owen's Defense.

1.d4 b6 allows 2.e4 WITHOUT ever playing c4.

1.d4 e6 allows 2.e4, after which 2...d5 is best, but if 2.c4, only then 2...b6. The idea is that with c4 played, ideas of attacking along the a5-e1 diagonal and hence e4 come into play, like 1.d4 e6 2.c4 b6 3.e4 Bb7 4.Nc3 Bb4!

Those that want to play the English Defense against 1.d4 should learn the French and play 1...e6.

Some people specifically play the English Defense only against 1.c4 (I did that for a brief while when I played the English Defense. I prefer the Dutch, preventing e4 long enough to where e4 can be answered by ...e5 or ...f4 rather than using tactics on g2 to attack e4 with ...f5, which is one major idea in the English Defense.

Basman wasn't much of an Owen's Defense player. He usually went for the St George (a6 and b5 - in some cases, like against 1.d4, 1...b5 can be played first). Not going to say he never played it, so posting a single game when he did doesn't mean jack (and I am well aware of your history of posting a single game and thinking that makes it gospel). But he was far better known for playing the St George, Borg, and 1...h6 as Black.

1...-b6 vs Queen pawn will be the Queen's Indian Defense (West Indian in French) which can transpose to the Owen Defense if White doesn't play a pawn on c4.

1...-b6 vs King's pawn is the Owen Defense, which I played for a while with various success when I was in the 1500+ OTB range.

Here the main/critical line of it, back in the days:

The fact it belongs to the group of Hyper Modern openings doesn't make it the Modern Defense. One has to understand that "The Modern Defense" and "A modern defense" are not the same thing.

Alright guys, I changed the b6 subtitle for clarity. Let's not get bogged down by semantics.

owen's defense reputation has improved considerably over the last 25 years,since you have players like GM Bauer, GM Smirnov IM Lacdawala and more recently Gothamchess advocating for it.

But you still have old players parroting its previous dubious reputation without even bothering to point any critical lines. Engines have actually given far more clarity on how harmless a lot of previously dangerous lines really are

this isnt a critical line, this is a composition , virtually no one plays 3....f5 here since the refutation is well known

I enjoy playing the Nimzo-Larsen, for sure. It's fun and can transpose into several different openings.

I'm not a fan of 1...b6 so much, though. I'll save that ...b6 move for later in the opening, if applicable.

I do like defenses that involve a queenside fianchetto (like the QID or the Hedgehog), but I'll save that queen bishop move until after dealing with some kingside and center issues, first.

Here is a game I played as white. I have had less success with my 1...b6 openings. I will share one as I improve.

I apologize for my nerdy username.

If you read properly, I said what it used to be, back then, not what it is now.

And what you call a "refutation" is barely accessible as such for players under 2000, or was so. I've win enough games as Black out of that line in classical so I can tell.