Nimzowitsch Defense traps: the most-played mistakes
1 mistakes actually played in the Nimzowitsch Defense, each verified by the engine: the position is playable before, the punishment wins material, and the player share comes from real Lichess games.
Method: Stockfish screening (depth 14 then 22), refutation = best engine moves. Frequencies: real Lichess games 1400-2200+, blitz, rapid and classical. Whatever failed verification is not published.
- Nd4 ?11.9% of players739,035 games
Nd4 concedes about 3.5 pawn. c3 immediately exploits the mistake: c3 attacks the knight, strikes at the center. Precise line: c3 Nc6 dxc6 bxc6 Nf3 d6 Bd3 Nf6.
Punishment: c3 Nc6 dxc6 Nf6 Nf3
+3 points of material, evaluation 4.0 after the punishment.