How Do You Play Against The Stonewall Dutch?

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GM_samrose

I've been playing 1.d4 for my whole chess life (2yrs) and even though im a more tactical player, i enjoy the type of positions a got out of this opening against the KID, the QGD, the Slav Defense, Semi-Slav Defense, The Grunfeld, etc. but recently weaker players have been playing the "Stonewall Dutch" against me with this very odd pawn formation, how do you guys go about playing against the pawn structure?

Bishop_g5

 The problem against the Stonewall is that you can't go for the e4 brake, so one plan is to weaken the dark squares and eventually penetrate the c-file with a timed cxd5, of course you first need to trade the dark square bishops. Here is a game where you can see how this can be work for white.

 

LightningBoltOfZeus

The Stonewall Dutch,is an tough giant,that is very hard to take down,but white can try to exchange pieces put an knight on d5,and with less defenders around black's position isn't as tenacious as before..

TitanCG

If you just want to attack then I think the easiest way is to play an anti-Dutch after 1.d4 f5 and meet 1.d4 e6/c6 with 2.e4 and just pick something active in those openings. Otherwise you'll just have to learn about the pawn structure and play it.

satanichess

sicilianka no good pirc good gg

jonlangton64

the e4 break is not impossible to achieve for white. against the stonewall. there are lines where white has time to manoeuvre his knights to f3 and d3, then the f3 knight moves to e5 enabling f3 and e4. this plan is excellent for white if he is allowed to execute. also...1d4 f5 2Nc3!? d5 3e4 is an interesting gambit, eg 3...de 4Bc4 followed by a quick f3.

Yigor

Hmm... nobody plays it against me. tongue.png

EKAFC

Here's how I play against the Dutch Defense

It's the best continuation and you can get a fool's mate with this opening if your opponent is greedy

tygxc

Stonewall is a good defence, regularly played by e.g. Botvinnik and Carlsen. Black gets a firm grip over the light squares, especially central square e4. In exchange white gets a firm grip over the drak squares, especially central square e5. As said above it makes sense to trade of your bad bishop Bc1 on the color of your pawns d4-e3-f2 for black's good bishop Bf8 not on the color of his pawns b7-c6-d5-e6-f5. The usual way is b3 and Ba3. Black usually counters that with Bd6 and Qe7 to avoid the trade. Usually you occupy the hole at e5 with a knight: Ne5 to establish a knight outpost. Likewise black will put a knight at e4 and his other knight via d7 to f6 to support it. Black can get an attack on your king with Qe8-h5 and g7-g5-g4 and Bc8-d7-e8-h5. Your chances lie on the queen's wing and in the endgame.

samyoung

Would you ever consider the Staunton Gambit, 2 e4!?.  It can avoid the Stonewall Dutch if you don't like that.  It's my standard reply against the Dutch, and I find pretty good success with it (against club-level opponents).

As you consider yourself a tactical player, I think this would be up your alley.

jonlangton64

Also 1d4 f5 2g4!? or Korchnoi's move 2h3 intending g4. Not really considered sound but surely playable at amateur level.

sndeww

intending something like Bg5, Nd2, f3, e4.