Czech Variation, Dutch Variation
- 1.d4d5
- 2.c4c6
- 3.Nf3Nf6
- 4.Nc3dxc4
- 5.a4Bf5
- 6.e3e6
- 7.Bxc4Bb4
- 8.O-O
1,550 games
Central line of the Slav's Czech Variation in which White castles to prepare e4 against Black's pinning bishop; a fairly quiet, balanced position.
Train it in TheoriaAbout the Dutch Variation
The Dutch Variation arises when White completes kingside castling with 8. O-O. This unpins the c3-knight and readies the e4 advance, normally supported by Qe2. Nh4, harassing the f5-bishop, is a common alternative. Black most often replies 8...O-O, which leaves more ways to stop e4 than 8...Nbd7, though the two frequently transpose. One named branch is the Sämisch Variation, 8...O-O 9. Qe2 Ne4 10. g4. Otherwise the game tends to be fairly quiet and roughly balanced.