THE Nimzo Larsen begins 1.Nf3 followed by 2.b3. 1.b3 is LArsens penning and very unsound.
Since I answer 1.Nf3 with 1...Nc6, I am very happy if White insists on playing 2 b3 there.
2. d4 and it's a Queen pawn opening with your black knight blocking your c-pawn which sometimes is not a good thing.
THE Nimzo Larsen begins 1.Nf3 followed by 2.b3. 1.b3 is LArsens penning and very unsound.
Says who?
And at what level is it "unsound"?
THE Nimzo Larsen begins 1.Nf3 followed by 2.b3. 1.b3 is LArsens penning and very unsound.
Since I answer 1.Nf3 with 1...Nc6, I am very happy if White insists on playing 2 b3 there.
2. d4 and it's a Queen pawn opening with your black knight blocking your c-pawn which sometimes is not a good thing.
Correct. Here's a game from a rated match:
THE Nimzo Larsen begins 1.Nf3 followed by 2.b3. 1.b3 is LArsens penning and very unsound.
Tell that to Vladimir Bagirov. He only lost 7 out of 93 games against grandmaster opposition.
THE Nimzo Larsen begins 1.Nf3 followed by 2.b3. 1.b3 is LArsens penning and very unsound.
Says who?
And at what level is it "unsound"?
chessable level
I see i stirred up a hornets nest. I have a book on the Nimzo-Larsen. The author does not recommend 1.b3 as it gives Black a chance to chance to grab the center, first. Perhaps, I ventured off course by saying “Unsound”. So, let’s start over by saying 1.Nf3 is better. I don’t know Bgirov. I’ll look him up.
2. d4 and it's a Queen pawn opening with your black knight blocking your c-pawn which sometimes is not a good thing.
Sure, you need the appropriate repertoire to back 1...Nc6 up after 2 d4 or 2 e4.
Correct. Here's a game from a rated match:
4...dxc4 is a terrible move.
I see i stirred up a hornets nest. I have a book on the Nimzo-Larsen. The author does not recommend 1.b3 as it gives Black a chance to chance to grab the center, first. Perhaps, I ventured off course by saying “Unsound”. So, let’s start over by saying 1.Nf3 is better. I don’t know Bgirov. I’ll look him up.
A sunny day would stir up a hornets nest on this site.
1.b3 is perfectly playable for the 99.8% of us. The reason you don't see it played at the top is exactly as the author says. Its gives up the middle on move 1.
Again...1.Nf3 is better than 1.b3 depends on the person playing it, and the skill level of the players.
"[1 b3, 1 b4 and 1 f4] have interesting unique connotations and can even be recommended as an occasional weapon for White. Although the main lines (1 e4, 1 d4 and 1 c4) remain the real McCoys …" - GM Gabor Kallai (1997)