TacticForge

Chapter 1 of 7

The Leningrad against c4 and Nc3

White's most common setup, and your main system: …Nf6, …g6, …Bg7, …O-O, …d6. Where White's bishops go tells you which break to play.

2.c4 is White's most popular answer to the Dutch: more than a third of club games. Without a bishop on g2 White has less control of e4, and your pieces come out fast.

The plan depends on White's bishops. With the bishop on e2 or d3 and a knight on f3, …e5 comes quickly, often after …Nc6. When White pins with Bg5, …h6 or …Ne4 questions the bishop at once. When White plays f3 and e4, take on e4 and play on the f-file.

At a glance

Bishop on d3

…Nc6, then …e5. If White plays d5, the knight jumps to b4 and hits the bishop.

Bishop on g5

…Bg7, …O-O, …d6, then …Nc6 or …Ne4. After Qd2, …Ne4! hits queen and bishop.

Bishop on f4

…Bg7 and …O-O, then …d6 and …Nc6 with …e5 to come.

f3 and e4

Take on e4 and play …d6, …O-O, …Nc6 and …e5. The f-file is yours.

Key ideas

The e4 square

The whole Dutch is built around e4. The pawn on f5 controls it, so a knight there can only be removed by a piece trade, and if White takes it, …fxe4 opens the f-file toward White's king. Here 5…Ne4 hits the bishop on g5 and the knight on c3 at once.

The break: …e5

With …d6 and …Nc6 in, …e5 gives Black a full share of the centre. The bishop on g7 then looks straight down the long diagonal, and if the centre opens it becomes Black's best piece. Don't trade it lightly.

Watch the e8–h5 diagonal

Moving the f-pawn opens the diagonal from h5 to your king. Until you have castled, check every move for a Qh5+ trick. …Nf6 covers h5, and …g6 closes the diagonal for good; that is one reason the Leningrad puts the pawn on g6 early.

Read the bishop

White's light-squared bishop tells you the plan. On d3 it aims at your kingside but stands in front of the d-pawn, and …Nc6–b4 hits it. On e2 it is passive, and …e5 comes at once. On g2 it fights for e4, and the game is slower: that is the next chapter.

From history

Why "Dutch"?

The defence is named after Elias Stein, an Alsatian-born player who settled in The Hague. In his 1789 book, Nouvel essai sur le jeu des échecs, he recommended 1…f5 as the best reply to 1.d4.

A world championship opening

In 1951 both Mikhail Botvinnik and his challenger David Bronstein played the Dutch in their world championship match. The Leningrad setup itself is older than its name: Louis Paulsen tried it in the 19th century and Savielly Tartakower in the 1920s, before Soviet players made it their own.

The lines

Click a move or use the arrows. Highlighted moves carry a note, and under each note you'll find the other moves played from that position, including the tempting mistakes. The number under the board is Stockfish's evaluation from your side: minus means your opponent is better.

White plays 2.c4

The main line: Nf3, Bg5 and Bd3

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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 4.Bg5

4.Bg5: the early pin

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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 4.e3

4.e3, Nf3 and Bd3

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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays 5.e3

5.e3 and Bd3

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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White takes on f6

5.Bxf6: the bishop pair

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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

White plays Nge2

Bd3 and Nge2: …e5 at once

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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.

Take these into your games

Read the bishop

Where White's light-squared bishop goes decides your break: …e5 against e2 or d3, pressure on e4 against g2.

…Qe8 needs a reason

Without a bishop on g2, White's queenside play comes faster than …Qh5. Break with …e5 first.

Look for …Ne4

If White takes it, recapture with the f-pawn and the f-file opens. If not, the knight sits on the best square on the board.