Nimzowitsch Variation, Closed Variation

The Closed Variation answers the Nimzowitsch Variation's early attack on e4 by protecting the pawn with 3. Nc3 instead of chasing the knight with 3. e5. White gives up the Alekhine-style pawn advance and the forcing lines that follow it. The knight sits on its natural square, and the choice between d4 and a slower plan can wait. Because Black's knight is already on f6, many continuations lead into more familiar Sicilian positions rather than an independent system.

Black has three popular replies, played about equally often. Both 3...Nc6 and 3...d6 are flexible developing moves that commonly transpose to standard lines after a later d4. The engine also rates these two, along with 3...e6, among the best options. 3...d5 strikes at the center at once and opens the position immediately; it is the reply that has scored best for Black in online games. Results overall are close to even, with White holding a slight edge according to the engine. Although this is the most frequently played way of meeting 2...Nf6, the position remains a fairly uncommon sideline.