Dutch Defense

Why the Dutch Defense is worth training

The Dutch Defense starts with 1.d4 f5. Black controls e4 with a pawn from the side and gets an unbalanced game from the first move. The price is a slightly weaker king, since the f-pawn no longer protects it. The Dutch suits players who want to play for a win with Black against 1.d4.

Chessmate has a Dutch Defense course for White and a Dutch Defense course for Black. The White course plays g3, Bg2, and an early e4 with the knight on d2. The Black course plays the Leningrad with ...g6 and the Warsaw setup with ...c6.

The White sample line: Nd2 and an early e4

In the White sample line, Black plays the Leningrad with ...g6 and ...Bg7. White answers with 4.Nd2 and 5.e4 right away, before Black can prepare ...d6 and ...e5. After 5...fxe4 6.Nxe4 Nxe4 7.Bxe4 d5 8.Bg2, the Dutch pawn is gone and the squares around Black's king are weaker.

9.c3 stops ...e5 from gaining time on d4, and 10.f4 fixes control of e5. After 11.Nf3, 12.O-O, and 13.Re1, White's pieces aim at the e-file and the e5 square, while Black has no central pawn break.

The course also covers 8...c6 with the c4 break, 8...O-O with the knight going through h3, 8...Be6 with Nf4, 4...d6, 4...Nc6, and a Leningrad with ...d5. Against the Stonewall with ...e6 and ...d5, White plays Nbd2 and fights for e4. Against the Classical with ...Qe8, White breaks with e4, and against the Nimzo-Dutch with 4...Bb4+, White plays 5.Bd2.

Two move-order mistakes White can punish

In the main line Black first trades knights with 6...Nxe4. If Black plays 6...d5 instead, 7.Nxf6+ removes the defender with check, and 7...exf6 damages Black's kingside pawns. 8.c4 hits d5 while Black's king is still in the center. After 8...dxc4 9.Ne2 O-O 10.O-O, White has given a pawn for faster development, and the weak dark squares and damaged pawns stay as long-term targets.

The move order 2...g6 is also risky. After 3.h4 Bg7 4.h5 gxh5 5.e4 fxe4 6.Qxh5+ Kf8, Black's king has lost the right to castle and the kingside is open. The White course trains both punishments.

The Black sample line: the Leningrad Warsaw

The Black course plays 2...Nf6, 3...g6, ...Bg7, ...O-O, and ...d6. Playing ...Nf6 before ...g6 keeps White from punishing the fianchetto with a quick h-pawn attack. 7...c6 is the Warsaw setup: it supports ...e5, and it gives the queen a5 and c7.

In the sample line, White closes the center with 8.d5. Black breaks with 8...e5, and after 9.dxe6 Bxe6, the bishop develops while hitting c4. The knight goes to a6 on its way to c5, and 11...Qa5 puts pressure on c3. 12...Rad8 puts the rook behind the d6-pawn. Then 13...Ne4 takes the central square, and after 14.Nxe4 fxe4, Black gains space and opens the f-file.

Answers to White's other moves and the anti-Dutch lines

The Black course gives a plan against each of White's eighth moves in the Warsaw. Against 8.b3 Black plays ...Qa5, against 8.Qb3 and 8.Qc2 the knight goes to a6, and against 8.Rb1 and 8.Re1 Black jumps to e4. Against 8.b4, Black hits back in the center with ...e5. The course also covers 6.b3, the Keymer with 5.e3, and 4.Nh3.

Many White players avoid the main lines on move two. Against the London with 2.Bf4, Black plays ...b6 and ...e6. Against the Hopton with 2.Bg5, Black plays ...g6 and ...d5. Against the Staunton Gambit with 2.e4 fxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3, Black answers with 4...d5, and after 5.fxe4 dxe4 Black still has the extra pawn. Against the Krejcik Gambit with 2.g4, Black takes the pawn and keeps it with ...Nf6 and ...d5.

What to train first

Pick the course that matches the side you play.

• If you face the Dutch with White, start with the Dutch Defense course for White. Learn the Nd2 and e4 sample line, then the Stonewall and Classical branches.
• If you play the Dutch with Black, start with the Dutch Defense course for Black. Learn the Warsaw sample line, then the answers to the Staunton and Krejcik gambits.
• With either color, review the 6...d5 and 2...g6 mistakes early. Both are short and decide the game quickly.

The Dutch is a fight over e4 and e5. Train the lines until you know which side controls those squares after each pawn break.