How to beat the Dutch Defense

An ambitious, slightly risky reply to 1.d4: Black grabs e4 with ...f5 and plays for the kingside. It also weakens the e8-h5 diagonal and the e6 square.

Three plans that work

1. Try an early gambit

The Staunton Gambit (2.e4) or 2.Bg5 / 2.Nc3 with an early e4 punish players who only know the main lines.

2. Exploit e6 and the weakened king

A bishop on g2 or d3, a knight heading for e5 or g5, and a later e4 break target Black's loosened kingside.

3. Fianchetto with g3 for a safe edge

The classical way: g3, Bg2, Nf3, O-O and c4 keeps a pleasant position against every Dutch set-up.

A line to play

1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.O-O O-O 6.c4

The pitfall

Don't let Black's Leningrad ...e5 break arrive unprepared.

What the data says

In 37 recent games of the top 100 titled Lichess players featuring the Dutch Defense, they scored 74% on average. Players who use it most: FM Tsoi_Dima (75%), FM condansator3 (70%), GM Tigran-Harutyunyan (78%).

Prepare against the actual player

Averages only go so far. A Dutch Defense player has their own pet variations and weak spots. Before your next game, get a free fingerprint of your opponent, or get the full prep report ($5): every variation they play, where they score worst, and a game plan for both colours.