Dutch Defense Analysis

I just bought a copy of Play The Classical Dutch By Williams and am not very impressed.
To give it a quick glimpse, I compared it to my other Dutch book, by Christiansen and Silman. (That book and The Classical Dutch by Bellin are both excellent but dated 1989 and 197? )

Here is one thing I came across right away.

I haven't really looked at this with a board yet.
1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.0-0 0-0 6.c4 d6 7.Nc3 a5 8.b3 Ne4 (?! by S & C/Only move by W)
9.Nxe4 fxe4 10.Ne1 d5 11.f3 dxc4 12.bxc4 e5 13.d5 exf3 14.Nxf3 Qe8 15.Bb2
"and white was clearly better - S & C"
Hort - Levy Praia de Rocha 1969
15. ... Nd7 16.Kh1 Qh5 -+ better for black - Williams
Hartston - Levy Praia da Rocha Z 1969

Someone is wrong. 🙂

Yes, I really like Williams' chess, but the book isn't that good. Pinski likes ...Ne4 as well, but doesn't give ...dxc4 if I remember correctly, he gives some combination of ...Nc6, ...exf3, and ...b6 as =, and I couldn't find any reason to dispute it.

the problem is that he is advocating the e6 variation...leningrad is the ONLY way to go

Originally posted by c guy1
the problem is that he is advocating the e6 variation...leningrad is the ONLY way to go

I have played the Leningrad too.


Needs a little repair work. Maybe 12. ... Nh5 is best.

I don't really like the other 7th moves.

7. ... c6 8.d5 (You play e5 and after dxe6 have an annoying backward pawn on d6.)

7. ... Qe8 was all the rage for a while. I remember looking at the Pedersen book. I thought it was interesting but generally distrusted lines where black plays c5. It ends up looking like a benoni with weak squares on d6 and e6. I tested the variation out in some blitz games and don't think I won a single game. It may be sound (and great) but it's not my style.

Also, there are some variations of the Leningrad that just get so dull.
When white plays dxe5 the pawn position becomes symmetrical. Also I remember a line with b3 and Ba3 that is a pain.

I like 1. d4 e6 and that's part of the reason I am looking at the classical. I prefer the Stonewall by far. It can get dull too.

Here's a few nice stonewalls.

Game 5495425

Game 5480274

This one I rushed the attack to fast.

Game 5271243

This one is funny.



I asked him not too laugh too hard after 6. ... Nh5. I wanted a stonewall. The problem was 6. ... d5 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Nb5.

9. ... Bd7 ?? Played too fast

10. g4 looked like a killer. It hit me later in the bathroom. 🙂 I analyzed it in my head (with no board) and could only come up with dxc4. Either way the position looks really bad for black. Luckily, he castled.

I've got william's book and most confess I quite like it even if it is a little light in some areas.

But then I play the a5 variation and have had some success OTB with it.

in leningrad, I often put my b knight on d7 and my pawn to c6...Q on c7...tends to give good results...also would have played d6 quicker...you need to FIGHT to get e5 in strongly and quickly