Dutch Defense

Hi everyone, I start playing dutch and I want to improve, this is last game I played, which are the ideas of the Dutch Defense. Can anyone solve if I use this opening well or not? I want to reach 1600 rapid game 

Fifth move I accept the gambit, but it's an inaccuracy. How should I played instead of dxc4 and what ideas have that alternative move.

The main idea of the Stonewall is to strongpoint d5 to reduce the scope of the Bg2. So e6 then Bd6 (or e7) and later Ne4 is the correct way to play. You don't need the pawn at f5 if you want to play dxc4 then move the Bc8, it weakens the light squares for nothing.

Thanks Nerwal, I was playing again Dutch Defense, which move should I change to play Stonewall?

Why you think that the Stonewall is the best variant, I am going to study the Dutch defense and I am going to analyze my games to see if I find a pattern that benefits me and perhaps with some variant I reach more rook endings that I think benefit me in the endgame.

4... h5 is really bad at this stage. Any sensible move would be better than this (g6, d5, or c5 just to name three).

But with f4 played I am not sure playing d5 in Stonewall fashion is the best answer. I would prefer to play b6 Bb7 first (at move 4 and 5) and wait to see how White continues.

Thanks for your recommendation. h4 I will not play again, it seemed like a position very similar to some games of the king's gambit and I wanted to play along that line

Ideas in this game are mixed, which is not good.

You played ...d5, which is part of the Stonewall Variation, and then left the e-pawn on e7 and fianchettoed the Bishop, which is the Leningrad Dutch.

I will specifically leave the Leningrad Dutch for someone else to explain. I can help you with the Stonewall, Classical, and Modern lines.

The first rule of thumb - If White is not playing some dumb gambit like 2.e4 or 2.g4, or a side line like 2.Nc3 or 2.Bg5, then Black's first 3 moves will be 1...f5, 2...Nf6, and 3...e6. You must start out by establishing a strong clamp of the light squares.

Rule number 2 - The Classical Dutch and the Stonewall Dutch should both be LAST RESORTS. Do not go into the game pre-meditating either. Notice your Bishop on c8. It is biting on Diamond (forget granite). Black pawns on d7, e6, and f5. That Bishop literally hates you. Ideally, you would love to fianchetto that Bishop. This is why White, against the Dutch, should play an early g3. If White has not played g3 by move 4, Black should do 1 of two things, depending on White's first 4 moves.

A) If White has committed the Knights and they can no longer guard each other, like 1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6 4.Nf3, Black should play 4...Bb4, to remove a piece that fights for control of e4. If it will double his pawns, you can, if you wish, take immediately and wreck the pawn structure. If not, wait until he either plays a3 or castles (removing the pin on the knight), and once your Bishop is attacked or he can move the knight, you take the Knight. Also, you will often follow up Bb4 with ...b6 and ...Bb7.

B) If White can still have the Knights guard each other, like 1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6 4.e3, where Nge2 is still possible, the pin is useless. Instead, play 4...b6 and Fianchetto the Bishop.

And a word of note on line A. It brings up an important point about the Stonewall. The ideal setup against the Stonewall is Nf4, Nf3, e3, and Bd3. If White can do this, the Stonewall is no good. For example - 1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6 4.Nf3 d5?? (4...Bb4 is correct here) 5.Bf4! Followed by e3 and Bd3. White has total control of the weakest e5 square and Black's dark squares will be very weak. So to play the Stonewall, you need a move like g3 or e3 without the Bishop coming out in order to validate playing ...d5

Rule 3 - If White does fianchetto the Bishop, only now do you resort to the Classical or Stonewall. The Stonewall may be more ideal when White has committed the Knight to f3. If Nh3 is still a possibility, the Classical is probably better.

So something like 1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.Nf3, here 4...d5 is a good move. So is 4...Be7 or 4...d6. Nothing wrong with the classical.

But against something like 1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.g3 e6 4.Bg2, since 5.Nh5 is still possible, I suggest 4...Be7 or 4...d6 and playing the Classical in those cases, where Black plays, in some order, f5, Nf6, e6, Be7, d6, O-O, and Nc6 to try to get in e5.

The line 1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.g3 e6 4.Bg2 d5 5.Nh3 is not a refutation to the Stonewall, but one error and Black's toast! It's a very dangerous line. Playable, but dangerous. I would much rather play the classical Dutch in that case.

An excellent book that actually explains the Stonewall is Win With the Stonewall Dutch published by Gambit. Black cover with the picture of the black pieces being made of stone and a blue binding. Highly recommend it. Also study the Classical for instances where Nh3 is possible. The book I mentioned will tell you to play ...c6 first to see if White plays Nh3 or Nf3, but he could play 5.Nc3, waiting for Black to commit. So I say learn the classical too and play it when White can still play Nh3.

Thank you for taking the time to answer, I like the Dutch Defence and I am going to dedicate time to it, I need many games and hours of study to familiarise myself with all the concepts you mention. I am going to read the book Win With the Stonewall and watch illustrative videos on youtube, thank you very much ThrillerFan.

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You cut off your own bishop with ...c6, giving White control of e4. I would play 8...Be4, recapturing with the pawn if 9.Bxe4. 9.Nxe4?? fxe4 wins a piece for Black. The other reason for 8...Be4 is to not get the Bishop shut out by d5 by White.

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Chessboard said best move is 8...Nh5

Just blindly accepting a single move that a single engine recommends is a sure-fire recipe for disaster. Computers are terrible at assessing openings. And if computers were always right (they are not), then when a computer says that the position after, say, 11.Bd5 is +0.43, then after what it determines to be the BEST MOVES by White and Black for the next 3 moves each, then after White's 14th move, it should be +0.43. We all know that is never the case, and that is because it cannot assess properly in many circumstances.

Just because a computer says 23.f5 is +0.69 and 23.Bc3 is +0.57 doesn't mean 23.f5 is better. If you cannot come up with a coherent idea behind 23.f5, but 23.Bc3 can be easily explained, it might very well be that 23.Bc3 is the best move, and after playing 5 moves by each player, playing each time what the computer says is best, then the line with 23.f5 may suddenly be +0.2 while the line that started with 23.Bc3 may be +0.7. So unless you can come up with a coherent thought behind 8...Nh5 and why it is better than other moves besides a stupid number given by artificial intelligence, playing that move would be useless.

I understand that a movement, no matter how good it is, if it does not have a good idea of ​​initiative behind it, is not worth it, that is why I analyze 2 or 3 variants