Dutch Defense: Leningrad Variation
1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 · A86–A89
Part of Dutch Defense
Starting positionWhite to move
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The queen supports e5 once the file clears
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The idea
Black combines the Dutch with a kingside fianchetto, aiming at d4 along the long diagonal and preparing ...e5 with full support.
Main line: 1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.O-O O-O 6.c4 d6 7.Nc3 Qe8 8.Re1 e5
What White wants
- Attack the kingside before Black's ...e5 arrives
- Play d5 to close the centre and take the sting out of ...e5
- Use the queenside and the weak e6 square
What Black wants
- Prepare ...e5 with ...Qe8 and ...Nc6 and take the centre
- Attack with ...f4 and ...g5 if the centre closes
- Keep the g7 bishop on the long diagonal at all costs
Key idea
Understand this and the moves stop needing to be memorised.
The queen supports e5 once the file clears
On e8, the queen is initially blocked by the e7 pawn. Once ...e5 is played, the cleared e-file lets the queen help defend e5. The d6 pawn and suitable knight development also support the break; moving the queen is not a universal requirement.
Common mistake
Playing ...e5 without counting the attackers and defenders. After dxe5 and ...dxe5, Nxe5 may be possible if Black lacks another defender. That is a central calculation, not an automatic loss of the g7 bishop; prepare the break concretely.
Representative position
The position this opening is aiming at. Copy the FEN, or open it in the analysis board and let the engine tell you what it is worth.
rnb1qrk1/ppp3bp/3p1np1/4pp2/2PP4/2N2NP1/PP2PPBP/R1BQR1K1 w - - 0 9
Analyze this position