Dutch Variation

The Dutch Variation of the Nimzo-Larsen Attack, 1. b3 f5, answers White's queenside fianchetto with a Dutch Defense setup. The f-pawn controls e4 and prepares kingside play, keeping Black's central pawns flexible. The cost is a slightly loosened kingside, which lies directly on the diagonal where White's queen's bishop is headed. Theory on the move is thin, and it ranks among the minor sidelines to 1. b3.

In practice 2. Bb2 is by far the most frequent reply. It completes the fianchetto at once and aims the bishop at g7 and h8. Reference analysis also lists 2. Nf3 and 2. d4 as main options, and engines favor the same three moves. The latter two let White fight for e5 and adopt an anti-Dutch setup with an extra queenside tempo. Quieter is 2. e3. The sharpest try is 2. e4, borrowing the Staunton Gambit's idea of offering the e-pawn to open lines against the weakened king. Engines give White a slight edge. White scores somewhat better in online games, and draws are uncommon.