Table Of Content
Contents
Title Page
Symbols & Bibliography 4
Preface 5
Introduction – Structures and Strategy 7
7...Qe8
1 Move 8 Sidelines 28
2 8.Re1 63
3 8.b3 96
8.d5 Main Line
4 Introduction to 8...Na6 115
5 9.Rb1 148
6 11.dxc6 164
Other Lines
7 6.b3 200
8 6th Move Deviations 231
9 6.Nh3 259
10 4.c4 and 4.Nh3 291
11 Rare Fianchetto Lines 321
Variation Index 339
2
Grandmaster Repertoire
Leningrad Dutch
By
Mihail Marin
To my late mother, who used to tell me: “Play beautifully, Bobiță!”
Quality Chess
http://www.qualitychess.co.uk
First edition 2021 by Quality Chess UK Ltd
Copyright © 2021 Mihail Marin
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher.
Paperback ISBN 978-1-78483-101-1
Hardcover ISBN 978-1-78483-102-8
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3
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Cover photo by capture365.com
Author photo by Claus Qvist Jessen
4
Key to symbols used
² White is slightly better
³ Black is slightly better
± White is better
µ Black is better
+– White has a decisive advantage
–+ Black has a decisive advantage
= equality
© with compensation
„ with counterplay
ƒ with an initiative
÷ unclear
? a weak move
?? a blunder
! a good move
!! an excellent move
!? a move worth considering
?! a move of doubtful value
™ only move
# mate
Bibliography
Avrukh: Grandmaster Repertoire 2B – Dynamic Systems, Quality Chess 2019
Burgess: A Cunning Opening Repertoire for White, Gambit 2013
Cox: Starting Out: 1 d4!, Everyman Chess 2006
Khalifman: Opening for White according to Kramnik: Volume 3, Chess Stars 2001
Malaniuk & Marusenko: The Leningrad Dutch, Chess Stars 2013
Sielecki: Keep it Simple: 1.d4, New in Chess 2019
Taimanov: Damengambit bis Hollandisch, Sportverlag Berlin 1978
Electronic Resources
ChessBase Mega & Correspondence databases
Marin: Leningrad Dutch, ChessBase 2013
Shankland: Lifetime Repertoires: Sam Shankland’s 1.d4 Part 1, Chessable 2020
The Week In Chess
5
Preface
The magic of the Leningrad Dutch has accompanied my chess career for several decades.
For a relatively short time, about one or two years, this was my main opening against 1.d4 during my
teenage years, sometime around 1980. At that age I was not mature enough to understand its strategic
subtleties and I soon switched to more natural systems. But I kept following the theoretical
developments in the Leningrad Variation, in the 80s and early 90s, and also chose a few “personal
heroes”. Malaniuk’s rigorousness in standard positions was highly instructive, while Beliavsky’s
fighting spirit added colour to this strategic opening. But my absolute champion was Mikhail
Gurevich, whose games gave an impression of fluency, with harmonious connections between the
wings and a perfect balance between dynamic and static elements.
Later, as an experienced player, I started using the Leningrad system occasionally in the early 90s,
without bothering to study theory more than superficially. I had a feeling that I could find my own
way in positions with complex pawn play. The only reason why I did not play it more frequently was
the fear that, without thorough study, some of the lines examined in Volume 2 (such as 2.Nc3, 2.Bg5
or even 2.e4, for example) would be problematic. This is why for a long time most of my occasional
Dutch games started with 1.d4 d6 or 1.c4 f5.
The following episode helped me to understand my inner feelings about this opening. During an
important knockout tournament, I needed a draw with Black against a difficult opponent to qualify for
the final. Without hesitation, I chose the Leningrad Dutch and achieved my aim. My friend WIM
Angela Dragomirescu asked me why I decided to play such a risky opening. “I always play the
Leningrad when I need to win,” I replied and after a brief hesitation added, “or if I need to make a
draw.” We both instantly understood the paradox involved in my answer, and started to laugh.
Indeed, no one ever needed to lose!
But then I understood what all this was about. In order to be successful with the Dutch, one needs full
focus and determination. The first move is very committal and Black needs to play accurately in order
to prove it is useful for the global plan.
When Quality Chess suggested the project that resulted in these two companion volumes, I was
pleased by the idea that I would finally have the opportunity to examine this old favourite opening
thoroughly, something I had failed to do over the past decades.
My fears regarding the early deviations disappeared, and I became so deeply involved in the world of
the Leningrad that in five consecutive tournaments early in 2019 I played 1...f5 in all my games,
except those starting with 1.e4. I actually adopted a similar strategy with White, starting all my games
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in those tournaments with 1.f4.
This first volume examines all the important systems involving g2-g3. Many decades of theoretical
investigation and over-the-board practice have established these as the main lines against the Dutch.
I am now better prepared to play the Leningrad on a regular basis in the future and I hope that these
two volumes will also encourage the reader to do so.
Mihail Marin
Bucharest, March 2021
7
Structures and Strategy
The Leningrad Variation owes its name to the efforts of a series of players from Leningrad, such as
Vinogradov, Kopylov and Kuzminykh, who used to play and analyse it regularly after the Second
World War. A much more famous player from the same city, Korchnoi, seems to have been infected
with this “virus”, but he healed quickly after losing to Keres in 1952.
This is a mainly positional system. Since Black spends a tempo on advancing the f-pawn so early,
creating some short-term weakening of the king, it would be completely out of place to display
dynamism until development is complete. Only later, in the early middlegame, could one think of
switching to dynamic play.
From this point of view, it is very useful to understand the typical Leningrad structures. This
chapter aims to offer some general guidelines. Since this volume is dedicated to the variations
involving g2-g3, the examples are selected accordingly. There will be some similar structures in the
second volume’s Introduction, with the difference that the white king’s bishop will act along the f1-a6
diagonal.
The Leningrad Variation is a hybrid between the Dutch opening and the King’s Indian Defence.
The optimal scenario is reaching the typical King’s Indian blocked structure (...e7-e5, d4-d5). This
basically results in a gain of two tempos, as in the King’s Indian Black usually plays ...Nf6-d7, ...f7-
f5 and ...Nd7-f6, while in the Leningrad Dutch the pawn would already be on f5.
The following is a typical optimal example:
Luis Comas Fabrego – Vladimir Akopian
Rio Gallegos 1986
1.d4 d6 2.c4 f5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 g6 5.g3 Bg7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 Nc6 8.Rb1
The main move is 8.d5.
8...e5 9.d5 Ne7
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Black has reached a regrouping known as typical for the King’s Indian Mar del Plata attack. Due
to the extra tempos, Black is ready for a kingside expansion with ...h7-h6 and ...g6-g5, followed by
either ...f5-f4 and ...Nf5, or ...Ng6 and ...g5-g4. Apart from this long plan, ...e5-e4 is a permanent
possibility, aiming at leaving the bishop passive on g2.
10.e4
Establishing an early pawn contact is likely to speed up Black’s kingside attack, but otherwise the
standard plan based on c4-c5 would leave the pawn on d5 vulnerable. For instance: 10.b4 h6 11.c5?
e4µ wins the central pawn.
10...h6
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11.Nd2?!
Moving the knight farther from the centre gives Black free hands on the kingside.
11.b4
This is more consistent, even though Black has a relatively wide choice.
11...g5!
The most consistent plan. Black prepares ...f5-f4 under optimal circumstances and practically
forces White to release the tension.
With the knight still on f3, 11...f4 is less clear-cut than in the game: 12.gxf4 exf4 13.Bb2 Black
has certain kingside chances, but the possibility of e4-e5 makes the position double-edged.
At this point 11...fxe4 is a small concession: 12.Nd2 Bg4 13.Qe1 In view of ...Nf5-d4, e1 is the
safest square for the queen. 13...Qd7 14.Ndxe4 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Black is active and can prepare
the knight transfer to d4 or breaking with ...c7-c6. But due to the stable knight on e4, White
cannot be discontent, either.
10
