Dutch Defense: Staunton Gambit

Dutch Defense: Staunton Gambit is a chess opening with the ECO code A83, part of the Dutch Defense family. It goes 1. d4 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5. White opens with 1. d4 (the queen's pawn) and Black answers 1... f5. After 7 moves it is Black to move. After the last move Black is a pawn ahead in material. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.

The moves

• 1. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
• 1... f5 – Black plays the pawn to f5
• 2. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4
• 2... fxe4 – Black captures on e4 with the f-pawn
• 3. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3
• 3... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
• 4. Bg5 – White plays the bishop to g5

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 4... Nc6.

About the Dutch Defense

Black answers 1.d4 with 1...f5, grabbing the e4 square. It is ambitious and aims for a kingside attack, but it weakens Black's king a little.

• Black controls e4 with ...f5, ...Nf6 and sometimes ...d5 (Stonewall).
• A common attacking plan is ...Qe8 to h5 with pieces moving to the kingside.
• Beware the e8-h5 diagonal; early Qh5+ or Bg5 tricks can hurt.

chessGM has a full course for this line: open the Dutch Defense: Staunton Gambit course lesson.

Related openings

• It extends: Dutch Defense: Staunton Gambit Accepted (1. d4 f5 2. e4 fxe4)
• Continues with: Dutch Defense: Staunton Gambit, Alekhine Variation – adds 4... g6 5. h4
• Continues with: Dutch Defense: Staunton Gambit, Chigorin Variation – adds 4... c6
• Continues with: Dutch Defense: Staunton Gambit, Lasker Variation – adds 4... g6 5. f3
• Continues with: Dutch Defense: Staunton Gambit, Nimzowitsch Variation – adds 4... b6
• Related line: Dutch Defense: Staunton Gambit, Tartakower Variation (1. d4 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. g4)
• Related line: Dutch Defense: Staunton Gambit, Alekhine Variation (1. d4 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 g6 5. h4)
• Related line: Dutch Defense: Staunton Gambit, American Attack (1. d4 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nd2)
• Related line: Dutch Defense: Staunton Gambit, Chigorin Variation (1. d4 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 c6)
• Related line: Dutch Defense: Staunton Gambit, Lasker Variation (1. d4 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 g6 5. f3)
• Related line: Dutch Defense: Staunton Gambit (1. d4 f5 2. e4)

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