Dutch Defense
ECO A80, A84 · 1. d4 f5
The Dutch Defense, 1.d4 f5, takes control of the e4 square with a flank pawn and prepares kingside play. It weakens Black's king slightly but creates unbalanced positions, which is why fighting players such as Botvinnik and Nakamura have used it.
Plans for White
White fianchettoes with g3 and Bg2 to fight for e4 and the long diagonal, or tries direct attacks such as the Staunton Gambit (2.e4) and early Bg5 or Nc3 lines.
Plans for Black
Black chooses among the Leningrad (...g6, ...Bg7), Stonewall (...d5, ...e6, ...c6) and Classical (...e6, ...Be7, ...d6) setups, aiming for kingside play with ...Qe8-h5 or ...e5.
Typical pawn structures
The Stonewall pawns on c6, d5, e6 and f5 give Black a strong e4 outpost but a weak e5 square.
Who it suits
Fighters who want to avoid symmetrical positions against 1.d4 and are ready to defend a slightly loosened king.
Common traps
A famous trap: 1.d4 f5 2.Bg5 h6 3.Bh4 g5 4.Bg3 f4? 5.e3 h5 6.Bd3 Rh6? 7.Qxh5+! Rxh5 8.Bg6#.
Variations
- Dutch Defense: Stonewall Variation — 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d5
- Dutch Defense: Classical Variation — 1. d4 f5 2. c4 e6
- Dutch Defense: Staunton Gambit — 1. d4 f5 2. e4
- Dutch Defense: Leningrad Variation — 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 g6
- Dutch Defense: Krejcik Gambit — 1. d4 f5 2. g4
- Dutch Defense: Nimzo-Dutch Variation — 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Bb4+
- Dutch Defense: Alapin Variation — 1. d4 f5 2. Qd3
- Dutch Defense: Fianchetto Attack — 1. d4 f5 2. g3
- Dutch Defense: Hopton Attack — 1. d4 f5 2. Bg5
- Dutch Defense: Korchnoi Attack — 1. d4 f5 2. h3
- Dutch Defense: Raphael Variation — 1. d4 f5 2. Nc3
- Dutch Defense: Hevendehl Gambit — 1. d4 f5 2. g4 e5
- Dutch Defense: Normal Variation — 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6
- Dutch Defense: Omega-Isis Gambit — 1. d4 f5 2. Nf3 e5
- Dutch Defense: Staunton Gambit Accepted — 1. d4 f5 2. e4 fxe4
- Dutch Defense: Barcza Variation — 1. d4 f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c3
- Dutch Defense: Bellon Gambit — 1. d4 f5 2. c4 e6 3. e4
- Dutch Defense: Fianchetto Variation — 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3
- Dutch Defense: Janzen-Korchnoi Gambit — 1. d4 f5 2. h3 Nf6 3. g4
- Dutch Defense: Kingfisher Gambit — 1. d4 f5 2. Nc3 d5 3. e4
- Dutch Defense: Manhattan Gambit, Anti-Classical Line — 1. d4 f5 2. Qd3 e6 3. g4
- Dutch Defense: Manhattan Gambit, Anti-Leningrad — 1. d4 f5 2. Qd3 g6 3. g4
- Dutch Defense: Manhattan Gambit, Anti-Modern — 1. d4 f5 2. Qd3 d6 3. g4
- Dutch Defense: Manhattan Gambit, Anti-Stonewall — 1. d4 f5 2. Qd3 d5 3. g4
- Dutch Defense: Queen's Knight Variation — 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3
- Dutch Defense: Rubinstein Variation — 1. d4 f5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3
- Dutch Defense: Senechaud Gambit — 1. d4 f5 2. Bf4 e6 3. g4
- Dutch Defense: Spielmann Gambit — 1. d4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g4
- Dutch Defense: Bladel Variation — 1. d4 f5 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Nh6
- Dutch Defense: Semi-Leningrad Variation — 1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6
- Dutch Defense: Blackburne Variation — 1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. Nh3
- Dutch Defense: Blackmar's Second Gambit — 1. d4 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. f3
- Dutch Defense: Krause Variation — 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 d6 4. Nf3 Nc6
- Dutch Defense: Hort-Antoshin System — 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 d6 4. Bg2 c6 5. Nc3 Qc7
- Dutch Defense: Leningrad, Basman System — 1. d4 f5 2. g3 c6 3. Bg2 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. O-O Nh6
- Dutch Defense: Alekhine Variation — 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O Ne4