Larsen's Opening

The idea

A flexible flank opening (the Nimzo-Larsen Attack): White fianchettoes the queen's bishop to b2 to rake the long dark-squared diagonal a1–h8, pressuring e5 and the centre from the wing. It sidesteps mainstream theory and leads to original, hypermodern middlegames where understanding the plans matters more than memorizing moves.

Your plan (White)

Fianchetto with b3 and Bb2, control the long diagonal, restrain Black's centre with e3 and pieces, and choose a central break (c4, d4, or f4 with Nf3) once developed.

Heading into the middlegame

Larsen's Opening is all about the b2-bishop on the long dark diagonal, pressuring e5 and the centre from the wing. Fianchetto b3–Bb2, restrain the centre with e3, develop the knights (Nf3, sometimes a Bird-like f4 clamp on e5), then choose a central break — c4, d4, or f4 — once you're ready. Keep pressure on e5 (Bb5 pins, Nf3, f4) so Black never gets a free, unchallenged big centre. It's a plans-over-moves opening: keep the diagonal open and trade off Black's best defenders of the dark squares.