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Dutch Defense (A91)
1 d4 f5 2 c4 Nf6 3 g3 e6 4 Bg2 Be7

Number of games in database: 329
Years covered: 1880 to 2025
Overall record:
   White wins 37.7%
   Black wins 31.0%
   Draws 31.3%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Keith Arkell  4 games
Max Euwe  3 games
Harry Golombek  3 games
Simon Kim Williams  15 games
Mikhail Botvinnik  6 games
Igor Naumkin  5 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Bronstein vs Botvinnik, 1951
Petrov vs Tartakower, 1939
Golombek vs Rossolimo, 1950
A Riazantsev vs Rapport, 2017
M Rolvag vs S Williams, 2009
A Trifunovic vs S Williams, 1995
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 page 1 of 14; games 1-25 of 329  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. M Weiss vs J Berger  1-0401880GrazA91 Dutch Defense
2. J A Seitz vs Tarrasch  ½-½511923TriesteA91 Dutch Defense
3. A Selezniev vs A Model  0-1391927USSR ChampionshipA91 Dutch Defense
4. N Bautin vs K Kholodkevich  1-0321931Novgorod Region championshipA91 Dutch Defense
5. A Schwartzman vs J Lynch  1-0401931Buenos AiresA91 Dutch Defense
6. C Ahues vs W John  1-0421932Berlin-chA91 Dutch Defense
7. L Savitsky vs A Model  0-1401932Leningrad ChampionshipA91 Dutch Defense
8. M Yudovich Sr vs Zhidkov  1-0211934Ch MetroA91 Dutch Defense
9. Alekhine / S Landau vs E Landau / Lichtendahl / Treurniet 1-0481934Blindfold tandem simul, 6bA91 Dutch Defense
10. Levenfish vs N Riumin  ½-½291934LeningradA91 Dutch Defense
11. Capablanca vs Botvinnik ½-½401935Hastings 1934/35A91 Dutch Defense
12. Alekhine vs Almirall / Cifuentes / Duarte / Ji 1-0391935Consultation simul, 6bA91 Dutch Defense
13. Rudi Brosow vs Saemisch  0-1441936Berlin-chA91 Dutch Defense
14. R Charlier vs R Flores Alvarez  ½-½301936Mar del PlataA91 Dutch Defense
15. Alatortsev vs A Konstantinopolsky 0-1311937USSR ChampionshipA91 Dutch Defense
16. I Rabinovich vs Botvinnik 1-0621937Training MatchA91 Dutch Defense
17. G Stoltz vs Kashdan 0-1761937Stockholm OlympiadA91 Dutch Defense
18. B Blumin vs J Fliegel  1-0481938ACF CongressA91 Dutch Defense
19. Petrov vs Tartakower  1-0501939Buenos Aires Olympiad Final-AA91 Dutch Defense
20. K Opocensky vs J Florian  1-0501943PragueA91 Dutch Defense
21. A Maccioni vs E Reed Valenzuela  1-0601945Vina del MarA91 Dutch Defense
22. K Ojanen vs V Kiuru  1-0361946HelsinkiA91 Dutch Defense
23. C Hounie Fleurquin vs C Guimard  0-1281946Mar del PlataA91 Dutch Defense
24. C Kottnauer vs T van den Tol 1-0371946Zaandam (Kottnauer Hexathlon)A91 Dutch Defense
25. J Wellner vs T van den Tol  ½-½381946NED-ch prelim IIA91 Dutch Defense
 page 1 of 14; games 1-25 of 329  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
Apr-18-06  who: As black I can never seem to develop my queen's bishop, nor do I really know what to do with my QN. Basically, I end up in a mess of a position.
Apr-18-06  Mating Net: <who> I totally understand where you're coming from. Those are two "problem" pieces for Black because they will almost always be the last ones developed. However, all is not lost.

The Bishop can come to life after pushing ...f4 or via recapturing a White pawn on f5.

The Knight can go to ...c6 to support the all important...e5 push. White will often play d5 to chase the Knight so you have to be ready to play ...Nb4, supported by a previous ...a5, to threaten the White Queen on c2 or ...Nd8, after a previous ...Qe8, where it can swing to the Kingside and join in the kingside attack.

J Gallagher vs S Williams, 2001 shows how Black made excellent use of his two "problem" pieces.

Nov-08-06  AbhinavAsthana: Can anyone give me the link to the site where this opening is explained nicely?
Nov-08-06  RookFile: Well, a typical manaeuver with the c8 bishop in something like the stonewall is to d7, e8, and h5. If there is some piece on f3, you happily swap it off. The knight basically goes to d7 and sits there.
Apr-08-08  tranquil simplicity: Comrades...Is the Dutch a largely positional or largely a tactical opening?
Nov-06-09  OnlyBelieve: Well, it's dangerous. I'm going to say that it's more tactical, but still positional.
Nov-06-09  MaxxLange: Anyone here play the Classical Dutch? I have never once encountered a class Dutch player who uses anything but the Stonewall or Leningrad.
Nov-08-09  nescio: <MaxxLange> I can't say I really know the difference in move order between the classical Dutch and the Stonewall, but using <chessgames.com>'s classification I found Simon Kim Williams.

It seems he has played the formation ...f5,...e6,...d6 regularly: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

Nov-08-09  parisattack: <tranquil simplicity: Comrades...Is the Dutch a largely positional or largely a tactical opening?>

I would say it is tactical and anti-positional - but a very interesting defence. I personally like it because black can get play on either/both sides of the board sometimes...strange to say a defence with a static pawn structure is flexible but in a way it is...

I guess four basic Dutch variations for black - Classical with ...e6, ...d6; Stonewall with ...e6, ...d5,...c6 (Old with ...Be7, New with ...Bd6); Leningrad with the KB fianchetto; Hort-Antoshin with ...d6,...c6 and a quick ...e5?

Hybrids such as a Stonewall with ...Nc6 instead of ...c6 are interesting.

The Hort-Antoshin, BTW, has been under a cloud a long time but there is a section on it in the latest (#11) Secrets of Opening Surprises. Also the new Win with the Stonewall Dutch by Johnsen/Bern.

Nov-08-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: I hate playing against this, becuase it is unusual, normal patterns don't seem as effective. If a stonewall appeaars, it can be very dangerous if you don't break up the pawn chain quickly.
Nov-09-09  Plato: Botvinnik gave it the Patriarch's seal of approval. Not to my taste for Black, but it does seem ultra-solid.

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