Dutch Defense: Fianchetto Attack

ECO A81beginner

The Dutch stakes everything on kingside play and the h1-a8 diagonal, so White's most reliable answer is to put a bishop on g2 and take that diagonal away first. 2.g3 is not an attempt to refute anything — it is a structural decision that removes Black's best long-term asset before it develops. The resulting positions are quieter than the Dutch player usually wants, which is exactly the point: Black is left with a slightly loose kingside and no obvious target to aim at.

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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

Diagram shows the position after 6 half-moves of the main line. On SpeakChess you can drill this line move by move — the trainer plays the other side and corrects you instantly, then spaced repetition schedules each variation so you review it right before you would forget it.

Move by move

The first 12 moves of the main line, explained one at a time. Every move of every variation is annotated like this inside the trainer — this page shows the opening moves so you can judge the explanations before signing up.

1.d4 White advances the pawn to d4, staking a strong claim in the center right away. This opens lines for the queen and bishop and sets the stage for a solid opening.
1...f5 Black pushes the pawn to f5, the Dutch Defense! Black fights for the center and grabs space on the kingside, showing an aggressive and lively style.
2.g3 White nudges the pawn to g3, preparing to place the bishop on g2. This fianchetto plan will give White a powerful long-range bishop pointing straight at the center.
2...Nf6 The knight hops to f6, a very active square. It guards the center, helps control e4, and gets a piece into the game quickly.
3.Bg2 The bishop slides to g2, completing the fianchetto. Sitting on the long diagonal, this bishop will pressure the center and support White's pieces for many moves to come.
3...g6 Black nudges the pawn to g6, planning to put the bishop on g7. This fianchetto mirrors White's idea and will create a strong diagonal defender for the black king.
4.Nf3 The knight jumps to f3, a great central square. It supports the d4 pawn, eyes the e5 square, and helps White develop smoothly toward castling.
4...Bg7 Black's bishop moves to g7, completing the fianchetto. The bishop on g7 is a powerful piece that looks down the long diagonal and helps guard the black king once it castles.
5.O-O White castles kingside, tucking the king safely behind the pawns and bringing the rook to f1 where it can become very active later.
5...O-O Black castles kingside too, moving the king to safety behind the pawns. The rook on f8 now has a path to join the action.
6.c4 White advances the pawn to c4, expanding in the center. This challenges Black's setup and gives White more space to work with in the middle of the board.
6...d6 Black pushes the pawn to d6, reinforcing the center and giving the dark-squared bishop a bit more room. It also prepares to open things up later with other pawn moves.

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Win rates by rating

Results from real online games, measured after the line shown in each row. Most opening sites show one aggregate number — how an opening scores depends heavily on who is playing it.

Rating	Games	White wins	Draws	Black wins	Position after
400-600	408	54.9%	8.3%	36.8%	1.d4 f5
600-800	57	54.4%	0%	45.6%	1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2
800-1000	48	54.2%	2.1%	43.8%	1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.O-O O-O 6.c4 d6
1000-1200	25	52%	0%	48%	1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.O-O O-O 6.c4
1200-1400	552	51.1%	2.2%	46.7%	1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.O-O O-O 6.c4 d6
1400-1600	1,380	50.1%	3.3%	46.6%	1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.O-O O-O 6.c4 d6
1600-1800	273	47.6%	3.7%	48.7%	1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.O-O O-O 6.c4 d6
1800-2000	686	49%	6.4%	44.6%	1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.O-O O-O 6.c4 d6
2000-2200	1,396	48.1%	5.6%	46.3%	1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.O-O O-O 6.c4 d6
2200-2400	1,647	47.2%	6.9%	45.9%	1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.O-O O-O 6.c4 d6

Most played continuations (2200-2400 rating)

After 1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.O-O O-O 6.c4 d6:

Nc3 — played 80.2% of the time (White wins 45.8%, draws 6.7%, Black wins 47.5%)
b3 — played 7.2% of the time (White wins 55.9%, draws 10.2%, Black wins 33.9%)
d5 — played 6.7% of the time (White wins 52.2%, draws 6.3%, Black wins 41.4%)

Related openings

Frequently asked questions

Why is the fianchetto considered the best answer to the Dutch?

Because it addresses the opening's premise rather than its moves. Every Dutch setup wants the long diagonal and a kingside attack; a bishop on g2 contests the first directly and defends against the second in advance. It does not win a pawn or claim an advantage, but it removes what Black was counting on.

Does the Dutch still work against it?

Yes — it is a main line, not a refutation. Black usually heads for the Leningrad setup with ...g6 and ...Bg7, contesting the diagonal in kind, or the Stonewall with pawns on d5, e6 and f5, which ignores the diagonal question entirely and plays for the e4 square instead.

What is Black's weakness in these structures?

The f-pawn's advance leaves the e6 square and the a2-g8 diagonal permanently loose, and the king ends up behind a pawn that has already moved. None of this is fatal, and all of it becomes relevant if the attack Black is playing for never arrives.