Veresov Attack, Dutch System

White answers the Dutch with 2. Nc3, the Raphael Variation, aiming the knight at e4. With 2...d5, Black guards that square with a pawn rather than with the more usual 2...Nf6. The resulting pawn pair on d5 and f5 resembles a Stonewall that is not yet supported by ...e6 and ...c6. Its lasting drawback is structural: with both flanking pawns already advanced, Black can never contest e5 with a pawn, so the square becomes a fixed outpost for White's pieces. The play therefore tends to revolve around White occupying and exploiting e5 while Black completes development and tries to make the grip on e4 count.

The most common reply by a wide margin is 3. Bf4, which targets e5 at once and accounts for nearly half of all games. 3. Nf3 comes next, although Black has scored well against it. Among the main options, 3. Bg5 has brought White the best results. The sharpest choice is 3. e4, the Kingfisher Gambit, a dubious pawn offer that sets many traps. After 3...dxe4 it transposes to the Netherlands Variation of the Blackmar–Diemer Gambit. Engines give White a slight edge.