Chess Opening Theory/1. d4/1...f5

Dutch defence A80-A99 Queen's Pawn Opening 1...f5 · Dutch defence This is the Dutch defence, the fourth most common way to meet 1. d4. Black controls the central e4 square with their flank f-pawn. Because it does not develop or prepare to develop a piece (cf. 1...Nf6 and 1...d5 respectively), 1...f5 is less popular than Black's other options to control e4. In addition, moving the f-pawn so early, before Black has castled, is not for the faint of heart because it weakens Black's kingside. An illustration of this is the classic beginner's trap in the Hopton attack: 2. Bg5 h6 3. Bh4 g5 3. Bg3 f4 (thinking to trap the bishop) 4. e3 fxg3?? 5. Qh5#. However, the Dutch is very combative, with an original character compared to other 1. d4 openings. Black intends to get maximum value out of a kingside attack. White's main approach against the Dutch is a set-up with Bg2, Nf3, short castling, and c4 by one of a number of move orders. 2. g3 is the main move, though 2. c4 or 2. Nf3 are also common and usually transpose. Black chooses between two plans for their kingside bishop: either to fianchetto it with ...g6 and ...Bg7, called the called the Leningrad Dutch, e.g. 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7; or ...e6 and ...Be7, where they may then choose either ...d6, the classical variation, or an early ...d5 to clamp down on e4, called the stonewall variation, e.g. in the move order 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d5. If 2. e4?! anyway, the Staunton gambit, Black should be very happy to trade their flank pawn for the more valuable central pawn, 2...fxe5. The Staunton gambit makes sense conceptually―Black has weakened their kingside and slowed down their development, therefore White should open the centre and attack―but while there are many traps available to White involving the weakened e8-h5 diagonal, against best play White is no better than equal. Other sidelines include: 2. Bg5, the Hopton attack. If White can't play e4, then they want to ensure the bishop is developed before playing e3. If Black plays 2...Nf6 then White is happy to trade their bishop for it and double Black's pawns. Black can expand on the kingside with tempo against White's bishop, 2...h6 3. Bh4 g5 4. Bg3, so long as they avoid the famous trap (above), or leave the bishop there for now and play 2...g6, ...Bg7 etc. 2. Nc3, the Raphael variation. From c3 the knight may help support playing e4 and opening the centre, (e.g. 2...Nf6 (controls e4) 3. Bg5 e6?! 4. e4 fxe4 5. Nxe4+, where 5...h6?? is a rookie error) but usually they games involve Bg5 and e3 as in the Hopton attack, e.g. 2...Nf6 3. Bg5 d5 (to control e4) 4. Bxf6 exf6 5. e3 intending Bd3. 2. g4?!, the Krejcik gambit, looks to deflect the f5 pawn from control of e4. However, after 2...fxg4 and ...d5 (defending g4 with the queen's bishop), White will have trouble recapturing the bothersome pawn and find they can't make much of e4 anyway. 2. f3 is an uncommon sideline aiming for a central push with e4. Sometimes, White gambits a pawn on e4 for quick development and lines. The position is relatively equal after 2...d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5=. /2. Nh3/ is a rare yet sound sideline where White develops the knight to the rim, usually with the intention of the Blackburne variation, after 2...Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2. /2. Qd3/, the Alapin variation, aggressively develops the queen and attacks the pawn on f5. History Dutch chess master Elias Stein recommended the move 1...f5 in his 1789 Nouvel essai sur le jeu des échecs (French: New essay on the game of chess) as an alternative to avoid the queen's gambit, 1. d4 d5 2. c4."Celui qui n’a pas le Trait ne veut pas recevoir le Gambit de la Dame.", The player without the move (Black) doesn't want to receive the queen's gambit. Nouvel essai sur le jeu des échecs Stein Elias La Haye 1789 French https://archive.org/details/nouvelessaisurl00steigoog/mode/2up , Dix-huitieme partie (18th game) In the 19th and early 20th centuries, 2. e4?!, the Staunton gambit, was considered critical. In 1931, Tarrasch gave the line 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 c6 5. f3! exf3, with White being better.The Game of Chess Tarrasch Siegbert 1987 1934 Courier Dover Publications 978-0-486-25447-0 Though it was never the main line, the Dutch received renewed interest in the 20th century, especially with reappraisal of 2. e4?!. Its most significant outing was in the 1951 World Chess Championship, where it was adopted by Mikhail Botvinnik1951 World Chess Championship, chessgames.com Theory table 1. d4 f5   2 3 4 5 6 7 Evaluation Notes Stonewall Defence c4 Nf6 g3 e6 Bg2 Be7 Nf3 O-O O-O d6 Nc3 Qe8 = The Stonewall fights for central control, by taking control over the light squares. White seeks to exploit weaknesses among the dark squares Leningrad Defence c4 Nf6 g3 g6 Bg2 Bg7 Nf3 O-O O-O d6 Nc3 Qe8 = A very dynamic choice by black to fight for the e5 push. If white allows that, a king side attack by black is possible. g3 Nf6 Bg2 g6 Nf3 Bg7 O-O O-O b3 d6 Bb2 Ne4 = Hopton Attack Bg5 g6 Nc3 d5 h4 Bg7 e3 c6 e4 O-O Nf3 Be6 +/= A very aggressive way by white to attack. But black will be able to equalize later on Staunton Gambit e4 fxe4 Nc3 Nf6 Bg5 Nc6 d5 Ne5 Qd4 Nf7 Bxf6 exf6 +/= This is by far the most popular choice by white. Black will have to know a lot of theory in order to equalize. Exchange Variation Nf3 Nf6 Bg5 e6 Nbd2 Be7 Bxf6 Bxf6 e4 d5 exd5 exd5 +/= The Exchange Variation leads to semi open games. There are tactical opportunities for both sides. Krejcik Gambit g4 fxg5 h3 d5 hxg4 Bxg4 Bg2 Nf6 Bg5 Qd7 +/= The Krejcik Gambit leads to sharp positions. Most of the time both sides will castle long. Krejcik Gambit, Hevendehl Counter Gambit g4 e5 +/= A unique counter gambit. White has two ways to accept it. Krejcik Gambit, Hevendehl Counter Gambit, Belgian Line g4 e5 gxf5 ... +/= Sharp and tactical. Krejcik Gambit, Hevendehl Counter Gambit, Dutch Line g4 e5 dxf5 ... +/= Sharp and tactical Korchnoi Attack h3 ... +/= Leads to a mix between positional and tactical lines. Korchnoi Attack, closed h3 e5 +/= Leads to more positonal lines. Korchnoi Attack, semi closed h3 e6 +/= Leads to more tactical lines. Bladel Defence c4 g6 Nc3 Nh6 +/= Leads to rich positions which are also very theoretical. Raphael Variation Nc3 Dutch Defence References fi:Shakkiaapinen/Peli/1. d4/1...f5 fr:Theorie_ouvertures_echecs/1._d4/1...f5