Dutch Variation

The Dutch Variation, 1...d5, is Black's most frequent answer to 1. f4. The pawn takes a share of the center and covers e4, the square White most wants for a later central advance, so the positions that follow resemble a Dutch Defense with colors reversed and White a tempo up. Black keeps flexible options with ...Nf6, ...g6 or ...c5. Results are close to even, and the engine considers the position roughly balanced, preferring 2. Nf3, 2. e3 and 2. d3.

The usual continuation, 2. Nf3, chosen in about seven games out of ten, delays any commitment in the center. From there White can aim for a reversed Leningrad with g3 and Bg2, or for a Stonewall built with e3, d4 and c3. The direct 2. d4 leads to the Mason Attack of the Queen's Pawn Game. A plan specific to the Bird is to tighten the grip on the dark squares with b3 and Bb2, sometimes adding the queen maneuver Qe1-g3 to increase pressure on e5. The king's bishop may go to e2, or to b5 with the idea of exchanging Black's knight on c6 and clearing the way for Ne5. The queen's knight is often hard to place. It can go to c3 or d2, but when Black has advanced with ...c5 and ...d4, a4 followed by Na3 gives it a useful post with more influence on the queenside.

White can also prepare e3-e4 or e2-e4. Typical moves are d3, Nd2 and Qe1, with the bishop on e2 if Black pins with ...Bg4. A related scheme, modeled on the Ilyin-Zhenevsky Variation of the Dutch, uses Nf3, e3, Be2, O-O and d3, then pushes e4 after Ne5, Bf3 and Qe2, or more simply after Nc3. Timothy Taylor proposes as a main line 2. Nf3 g6 3. e3 Bg7 4. Be2 Nf6 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 c5, in which Black mirrors White's development.

The sharper second moves are less common. The Williams Gambit, 2. e4, is the second most popular, and Black has scored slightly better against it. In the Sturm Gambit, 2. c4, the recommended reply 2...d4 gives a Réti-type game, often after 3. Nf3. The pawn cannot be kept: after 2...dxc4 3. e3 b5 4. a4 c6 5. axb5 cxb5 6. Qf3, Black loses a minor piece, much as in the familiar Queen's Gambit Accepted trap. The Dudweiler Gambit, 2. g4, is rare and scores poorly for White. The Batavo Gambit belongs to this variation by name, but it arises from the Sicilian move order 1. e4 c5 2. f4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4.