Dutch Defense: Leningrad Variation
ECO A87-A89intermediate
The Leningrad Dutch — ...f5, ...Nf6, ...g6, ...Bg7, ...d6 — fuses the Dutch's kingside ambitions with the King's Indian's dragon bishop, producing Black's most aggressive sound system against 1.d4. The whole apparatus aims at one break: ...e5, after which the f- and e-pawns roll forward with the g7 bishop firing behind them. The main line (7.Nc3 with 7...Qe8 or 7...c6) is a sophisticated fight for that break; White's counters revolve around d5 clamps and the queenside majority.
Main line
1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.O-O d6 7.Nc3 c6
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.
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 | 256 | 54.3% | 10.5% | 35.2% | 1.d4 f5 |
| 600-800 | 62 | 46.8% | 8.1% | 45.2% | 1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 |
| 800-1000 | 565 | 50.4% | 3.4% | 46.2% | 1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 |
| 1000-1200 | 25 | 48% | 0% | 52% | 1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.O-O |
| 1200-1400 | 34 | 50% | 2.9% | 47.1% | 1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.O-O d6 |
Most played continuations (800-1000 rating)
After 1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6:
- Nc3 — played 49.6% of the time (White wins 50%, draws 5%, Black wins 45%)
- Nf3 — played 17.5% of the time (White wins 51.5%, draws 1%, Black wins 47.5%)
- e3 — played 14.5% of the time (White wins 50%, draws 1.2%, Black wins 48.8%)
Related openings
Frequently asked questions
What is the point of ...Qe8 in the Leningrad?
It is the system's signature multi-tool: the queen supports ...e5 (the thematic break), eyes h5 for kingside attacks, and unpins the e7 pawn from d-file tricks. Where the QGD queen waits, the Leningrad queen leads the charge — usually to h5 or g6 once the storm begins.
Is the Leningrad Dutch sound enough for serious play?
Yes — it has been a fighting weapon at grandmaster level for decades (Nakamura and Caruana both employ it). The weakened e6 square and light-square holes are genuine, permanent concessions, but Black's dynamic potential is equally permanent: it suits players who count winning chances, not engine centipawns.
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