Nimzowitsch Defence

The Nimzowitsch Defence (named after Aron Nimzowitsch) is a somewhat unusual chess opening characterised by the moves:
This opening is an example of a hypermodern opening in which Black invites White to occupy the of the board at an early stage with pawns. Black's intent is to block or otherwise restrain White's central pawns and, if allowed to do so by inaccurate play by White, eventually undermine the White pawn centre by well-timed pawn advances of their own or by attacking the white pieces defending the centre. World Champion Garry Kasparov and Grandmaster Raymond Keene wrote that it "has never been fully accepted as a dependable opening. Nevertheless it is sound and offers the maverick spirit a great deal of foreign territory to explore."
The Nimzowitsch is included under code B00 in the "Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings".
Main line: 2.d4.
White takes the initiative in the centre. Black's main continuations are 2...d5 or 2...e5.
2...d5.
The line that Aron Nimzowitsch, the originator of the opening, usually preferred. Now White can choose among:
2...e5.
A line favoured by the late British grandmaster Tony Miles. White can transpose to the Scotch Game with 3.Nf3, or play 3.d5 Nce7 (3...Nb8, although perhaps not as bad as it looks, is considered inferior), which gives White only a slight plus score in practice. Another approach is 3.dxe5 Nxe5, when White can seek a quiet advantage with 4.Nf3 or play the more aggressive (but potentially weakening) thrust 4.f4.
2.Nf3.
Shown by some databases to be the most common move, 2.Nf3 is often played by White players not eager for a theoretical battle on their opponent's turf. 