According to Lichess (September 2026, N = 131,504 games), White scores 52.2% against the Dutch Defense. You meet 1. with , and your f-pawn controls e4 from the side. It appears in 0.4% of games, and at 1500–1700 it is played almost twice as often as at 900–1100. Strong players follow 2. 3. .
Lichess games from September 2026 (30,577,162 rated 900 to 1700) and 31,791 over-the-board games rated 2300+ from the last 12 months. Data updated: October 14, 2026.
58 named lines in this family; 1 with their own page.
The opening's share in each Lichess rating band.
After 1. , the public mostly plays 2., in 26 of every 100 games, and 2., in 1 of every 4. Strong online players prefer 2. and 2., and over the board 2. shows up in 30 of every 100. Against 2., your is the reply in 66 of every 100 public games and 82 of every 100 strong ones. After 3., the public goes on with in 60 of every 100; strong online players alternate between and . In the public games the most common next move is 4., pinning your f6 knight to the queen: you face it in 34 of every 100 games, and you score 53 of every 100 points in them.
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25.8% | 50.6% | 23.4% | 37.5% | |
| 24.7% | 53.0% | no data | no data | |
| 14.9% | 53.3% | 20.0% | 16.0% | |
| 11.0% | 53.1% | 11.9% | 4.0% | |
| 10.3% | 51.3% | no data | no data | |
| 2.8% | 55.2% | 9.1% | 3.0% | |
| no data | no data | 11.4% | 29.5% | |
| no data | no data | 9.8% | 7.5% |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65.6% | 50.4% | 81.6% | 93.0% | |
| 23.3% | 48.8% | 13.9% | no data | |
| 3.8% | 51.1% | 2.3% | 7.0% | |
| 2.5% | 53.8% | 2.3% | no data | |
| 1.7% | 60.0% | no data | no data | |
| 0.8% | 55.5% | no data | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66.4% | 50.4% | 58.5% | 75.8% | |
| 12.7% | 50.2% | 20.6% | 10.6% | |
| 7.7% | 51.8% | 1.1% | no data | |
| 5.1% | 49.5% | 1.5% | no data | |
| 2.2% | 52.7% | 0.4% | no data | |
| 1.8% | 54.4% | 17.6% | 13.6% |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60.2% | 48.9% | 44.3% | 51.0% | |
| 19.9% | 52.2% | 39.4% | 34.7% | |
| 6.7% | 51.9% | 14.9% | 14.3% | |
| 4.1% | 51.0% | 0.4% | no data | |
| 3.5% | 53.5% | 0.9% | no data | |
| 3.4% | 57.4% | no data | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34.2% | 47.4% | 20.5% | no data | |
| 29.8% | 49.0% | 25.8% | 60.0% | |
| 11.1% | 51.4% | 4.9% | 40.0% | |
| 8.5% | 51.4% | 5.5% | no data | |
| 4.2% | 53.1% | 24.9% | no data | |
| 3.9% | 49.8% | 5.6% | no data |
The whole Dutch revolves around e4. With your pawn controls that square from the side, and in the strong players' line your moves add attackers on e4 or neutralize its defender. At the same time you decide where your f8 bishop goes.
The line goes 2. . The knight is the second attacker on e4, next to the f5 pawn. White answers 3., the only white piece covering e4. With you open the diagonal from f8 to b4, and after 4. you play : the bishop pins the c3 knight to the king. While the pin lasts, that knight can't move, and e4 stays yours. That is why 5. breaks the pin and guards c3 with a piece. You answer : the king goes to g8 and the rook lands on f8, right behind your f5 pawn.
This is where the public and strong players part ways. After 5., the public trades with in almost 1 of every 3 games; strong players do it in 4 of every 100. If you take, 6. recaptures with the bishop, White keeps the bishop pair and you are left without your dark-squared bishop. With pawns on f5 and e6, none of your pawns covers e5 either. That is why strong players castle and keep the bishop.
The bishop's other route is the fianchetto. After 3., strong online players choose in 39 of every 100 games, against 20 of every 100 in the public. The bishop goes to g7 and aims down the long diagonal. At first your f6 knight blocks it; once the knight jumps, the bishop sees e5 and d4. This is the Leningrad structure. Across strong Dutch games, your f8 bishop ends up on g7 in more than 1 of every 3, on e7 in 1 of every 4 and on d6 in 15 of every 100. The main line's trip to b4 is the least common of the four.
Whichever route you pick, the idea stays the same: your f5 pawn and f6 knight hold e4, and the bishop goes where it doesn't get in the way of that pressure.
Plan played in 40% of the 261 over-the-board games rated 2300+ with this structure.
Online, 2200+: 35.5% of 14,973. Over the board, 2300+: 39.8% of 261; the alternative, : 24.5% and 27.2%; the alternative, : 15.1% and 15.3%; the alternative, : 0.5% and 1.1%; the alternative, : 13.5% and 9.6%.
| Move | Strong games | Chosen by |
|---|---|---|
| 10,977 | 23.7% | |
| 2,733 | 81.9% | |
| 2,208 | 59.1% | |
| 1,414 | 44.6% | |
| 1,503 | 26.3% | |
| 821 | 57.2% | |
| 382 | 42.7% | |
| 135 | 54.1% |
An inaccuracy. After 2., leaves e4 covered only by your f5 pawn, and 3. follows. After 4. the white knight sits in the center, and after 5. it hits e6 and h7. Play , a second attacker on e4. At your level it rarely gets punished: you score 47 of every 100 points with either move.
21 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.8 pawns of advantage. It scores 47.2%; scores 47.5%.
A mistake. After 2., leaves the pawn alone and allows 3., which kicks your knight; in the punishing line it goes back to . After 4. 5. , White has two pieces out and you have none. You score 43 of every 100 points; with , 47.
13 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 2.3 pawns of advantage. It scores 42.6%; scores 46.6%.
A mistake. After 3., gets traded off with 4.. The punishing line goes 5. 6. : your pieces are out, but you are a pawn down. With pawns on d5 and f5, none of your pawns covers e5 either. You score 43 of every 100 points; with , 51.
3 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.3 pawns of advantage. It scores 42.6%; scores 51.1%.
A mistake. After 2., leaves the pawn alone. After 3. both e-pawns are gone and the file opens with your king still on e8. Then 4. attacks your f5 pawn, which nothing defends, and the line goes on 5. . You score 43 of every 100 points; with , 47.
9 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.9 pawns of advantage. It scores 43.0%; scores 46.6%.
A mistake. After 2., gives White's h-pawn a target: 3. 4. hits g6. If pawns get traded on g6, the h-file opens toward your rook on h8. So guards g6, but you lose the right to castle kingside. You score 45 of every 100 points; with , 47.
4 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.2 pawns of advantage. It scores 44.7%; scores 47.5%.
A mistake, though at your level it almost never gets punished: you score 50 of every 100 points, more than with . After 2. 3. 4. 5. , material is level, but the f-pawn that fought for e4 is gone.
5 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.2 pawns of advantage. It scores 50.0%; scores 46.6%.
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 62,258 | ||
| Not castled | 17,183 | |
| 16,123 | ||
| Not castled | Not castled | 12,693 |
| Not castled | 9,431 | |
| 4,957 |
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 195 | ||
| 19 | ||
| Not castled | 14 | |
| Not castled | 14 | |
| Not castled | Not castled | 6 |
| Not castled | 5 |
1. 2. 3. · 14,913 amateur games · 48 over the board
After 2. , 3. covers e4: 14,913 public games.
1. 2. · 13,082 amateur games · 7 over the board
With 2. the knight eyes e4 instead of White playing 2.: 13,082 public games.
1. 2. 3. · 7,781 amateur games · 13 over the board
After 2. 3., your f8 bishop already eyes b4: 7,781 public games.
1. 2. · 6,820 amateur games · 6 over the board
After 2., your knight goes to and hits e4: 6,820 public games.
1. 2. · 5,038 amateur games · 53 over the board
Against 2. you play before the knight: 5,038 public games.
1. 2. · 3,257 amateur games · 15 over the board
With 2. the bishop attacks your e7 pawn; you score 43 of every 100 points across 3,257 games.
1. 2. · A82
1,933 amateur games · White's score: 51.2%
1. 2. · A82
1,258 amateur games · White's score: 58.9%
1. 2. · A81
1,170 amateur games · White's score: 55.4%
1. 2. · A80
676 amateur games · White's score: 51.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. · A82
621 amateur games · White's score: 59.7%
1. 2. · A80
538 amateur games · White's score: 50.7%
1. 2. 3. · A86
440 amateur games · White's score: 53.2%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · A92
371 amateur games · White's score: 50.1%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · A90
205 amateur games · White's score: 45.9%
1. 2. 3. · A81
198 amateur games · White's score: 59.1%
1. 2. · A80
164 amateur games · White's score: 57.9%
1. 2. 3. · A84
133 amateur games · White's score: 48.9%
1. 2. 3. · A80
129 amateur games · White's score: 67.8%
1. 2. 3. 4. · A90
127 amateur games · White's score: 55.9%
1. 2. 3. · A86
124 amateur games · White's score: 60.9%
1. 2. · A80
109 amateur games · White's score: 58.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. · A84
94 amateur games · White's score: 54.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · A88
89 amateur games · White's score: 55.6%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · A89
64 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
1. 2. 3. · A80
58 amateur games · White's score: 65.5%
1. 2. 3. · A80
22 amateur games · White's score: 52.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. · A83
16 amateur games · White's score: 56.2%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · A92
9 amateur games · White's score: 33.3%
1. 2. 3. · A80
9 amateur games · White's score: 44.4%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · A90
9 amateur games · White's score: 22.2%
1. 2. 3. 4. · A83
9 amateur games · White's score: 44.4%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · A83
8 amateur games · White's score: 25.0%
1. 2. 3. · A80
7 amateur games · White's score: 42.9%
1. 2. 3. · A80
7 amateur games · White's score: 71.4%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · A83
7 amateur games · White's score: 71.4%
1. 2. 3. 4. · A81
6 amateur games · White's score: 83.3%
1. 2. 3. · A80
6 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
1. 2. 3. · A82
6 amateur games · White's score: 41.7%
1. 2. · A80
5 amateur games · White's score: 30.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. · A82
5 amateur games · White's score: 40.0%
1. 2. 3. · A84
4 amateur games · White's score: 62.5%
1. 2. 3. · A80
3 amateur games · White's score: 66.7%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · A93
3 amateur games · White's score: 33.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. · A80
1 amateur game · White's score: 100.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. · A81
1 amateur game · White's score: 100.0%
1. 2. 3. · A80
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · A86
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · A81
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. · A95
It is the reply to 1.: your f-pawn controls e4 and keeps White from putting a pawn there. It appears in 4 of every 1000 public games on Lichess. It gets more popular as ratings rise: 3 of every 1000 games at 900–1100 and almost 6 of every 1000 at 1500–1700.
You answer 1. with and fight for e4. Against 2., adds a second attacker on that square. The strong players' line goes 3. 4. , pinning the c3 knight, the white piece that guards e4. After 5. you castle with .
Your f5 pawn and f6 knight hold e4, and you choose a route for the f8 bishop. With it can go to b4 and pin the c3 knight. With it goes to g7 and aims down the long diagonal. Across strong Dutch games, it ends up on g7 in more than 1 of every 3.
At your level the results are close to even: White scores between 52 and 53 of every 100 points in every band from 900 to 1700. Higher up, White does better: 53 of every 100 in strong online games and 58 of every 100 over the board among players rated 2300 and above.