1.b3 Chess Opening for White (More POWERFUL Than You Think!)

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🔹 1.b3 Part-1 –
🔹 1.b3 Part-2 –
🔹 1…b6 as Black (Owen’s Defense) –

📥 Download the PGN of this 1.b3 chess opening from this blog-post –

In this video lesson, GM Igor Smirnov will share with you an universal chess opening for White, 1.b3 – it is called as the Larsen’s Opening, or the Nimzo–Larsen Attack, or the Queen’s Fianchetto Opening.

The flank opening move 1.b3 prepares to fianchetto the queen’s bishop where it will help control the central squares in hypermodern fashion and put useful pressure on Black’s kingside. The b2-bishop is often a source of recurring irritation for Black, who should not treat it lightly.

You will learn the common ideas for White if Black plays 1…e5 or 1…d5, which are the most common replies. GM Igor Smirnov tests your knowledge at the end with the famous game where the Indian grandmaster Adhiban Baskaran beat David Navara in just 9 moves in this opening.

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► Chapters

00:00 1.b3 chess opening (Larsen’s Opening)
00:46 Line-1: Black plays 1…e5
02:03 New idea: Undermine Black’s center
04:32 If Black castles queenside
05:02 If Black castles kingside
05:58 Black playing similar setup 1.e4 b6
07:07 Terrible blunder by Black
11:16 Line-2: Black plays 1…d5
13:16 White’s attacking plan
14:38 If Black is well prepared
16:03 If Black plays b6
16:55 Quiz: Adhiban won in 9 moves

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129 Comments

  1. I like to sacrifice a pawn in this opening
    1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 d5 4.Bb5 Ne7! with the idea of getting a very strong initiative as compensation

  2. If anyone wants to get their hands on Larsen's book it's named Zoom 007.

  3. Playing Nf3 before b3 cuts out blacks option of e5 and usually leads to positions discussed in the second half of this video. Pretty much the same opening but with half the theory to worry about. Ideal for lazy people like me:)

  4. I played against an interesting response to B3
    b3 e5, Bb2 nc6, e3 g6 (the interesting response), f4 d6, xe5 nxe5, nf3 bg7
    Resulted in a pawn up but would anyone else have approached this situation differently? Should I have pinned their knight earlier?

  5. 1.b3 may be a good alternative for me, since I also like playing 1.b4 the Sokolski opening. Thanks for analysing so many interesting traps.

  6. Qg4 wins – threatens mate and, if g6, there is Nh6 mate

  7. Oh man, I wished I also had two moves in a row in real games sigh At about 4:36 black castles, white does it as well and has an additonal move. Cool g Sorry, was not meant disrespectful, I like your videos, this one as well.

  8. Yes, I would love to see this from the black side please.

  9. Please make a video against e4, same as the variation

  10. Do you have course b3 complete with b6 for black thanks

  11. Do you have course b3 complete with b6 for black thanks

  12. Yes, I would like to see more on b6 for black.

  13. After b3 opening Can you develop a line that gets white Bishop c3 and Queen b2, or Queen b3 and Bishop stays b2

  14. Curious on how you handle pirc/KID/modern set ups that directly challenge the dark squared bishop. I lot of those players who will defer to that set up.

  15. 0:37 PION E5 KUDA C6 PION D5 gajah c6 Mentri e7
    6:46 hitam pion e5 pion d5 kuda c6 pion e4(ancam kuda)
    (8:43 hitam pion F6 9:21 pionxd4 9:40 pion e4
    11:17 hitam pion d5 c5
    14:46 hitam pion d5 kuda F6 pion e6 15:00 putih kudaf3 hitam gajah e7
    17:02 HITAM PION E5

  16. someone just tried this on me and blundered so hard i got a 6 move mate

  17. I come here because Magnus Carlsen beat reigning World Rapid Champion Nodirbek Abdusattorov with this opening.

  18. How is it that when black castles, white castle with no lost move?

  19. Thank you so much for great opening line I always play f4 but this is even better practically

  20. This is wrong. 10.Hxd7 Vd7.12….0-0-0.but what move white?

  21. What if the opponent tries to boot out your bishop using the black pawn on the A file?

  22. i try for black and my opponent blunderred knight and intanli resign

  23. At 14:20 what stops whites rook from backing up the queen and delivering a checkmate? I don't understand what blacks rook does.

  24. what happens if black plays a6 to take away the b5 square

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