Dutch Defense · A81

Leningrad Variation, Carlsbad Variation

1. d4 f5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. Nh3

White's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal and Black's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal. The g7 fianchetto joins ...f5: Black plays for ...e5 in one go and a middlegame where both wings burn.

The first 4 moves, explained

• 1. d4 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e5, and frees the bishop and queen.
• 1... f5 Fights for e4 from the flank - contesting the centre without committing a centre pawn. Theory calls this the Dutch Defense.
• 2. g3 Prepares the fianchetto: the bishop will take the long diagonal via g2. Theory calls this the Fianchetto Attack.
• 2... g6 Prepares the fianchetto: the bishop will take the long diagonal via g7.

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