Dutch Defense: Classical Variation (3… e6 4. Bg2)
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2
The Dutch Defense: Classical Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO A90, reached after 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2. It is a line of the Dutch Defense. Black is to move. 3 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 265 times by this move order. White won 54%, 3% were drawn and Black won 43%. The most popular continuation is 4… Be7 (28% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.46 (Stockfish, depth 44; best line 4… d5 5. Nh3 Bd6 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3)
- ECO
- A90
- Moves
- 7 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/pppp2pp/4pn2/5p2/2PP4/6P1/PP2PPBP/RNBQK1NR b KQkq - 1 4- PGN
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 16 | |
| 1500-1999 | 156 | |
| 2000+ | 93 | |
| All | 265 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4… Be7 Classical Variation (4. Bg2 Be7) | 73 (28%) | |
| 4… Bb4+ Nimzo-Dutch Variation | 53 (20%) | |
| 4… d5 | 50 (19%) | |
| 4… c6 | 44 (17%) | |
| 4… Nc6 | 22 (8%) | |
| 4… d6 | 14 (5%) | |
| 4… g6 | 4 (2%) | |
| 4… c5 | 3 (1%) |
Master games
140 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 38%, draw 24%, Black 38%). The strongest:
- GM Peter Leko (2674) – GM Parham Maghsoodloo (2656) 1/2-1/2 · 52nd Biel GM Rapid 2019 · 2019-07-21
- GM Gukesh D (2621) – GM Parham Maghsoodloo (2706) 1-0 · Tata Steel India Blitz · 2021-11-21
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2722) – GM Andrey Gorovets (2480) 1-0 · Titled Tue 30th Jan Late · 2024-01-30
- GM Lucas Van Foreest (2522) – GM Pavel Eljanov (2672) 0-1 · 39th ECC Open 2024 · 2024-10-26
- GM Evgeny Postny (2668) – WGM Dinara Saduakassova (2423) 1-0 · Graz Open A 2016 · 2016-02-14
Search all games of the Dutch Defense: Classical Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Chess1Love0 (2790) – Johnizard (2719) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- Chess1Love0 (2786) – Johnizard (2723) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- Chess1Love0 (2788) – Johnizard (2718) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Dutch Defense: Fianchetto Variation 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3
Continuations
- Dutch Defense: Classical Variation (4. Bg2 Be7) A91 · 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7
- Dutch Defense: Nimzo-Dutch Variation A90 · 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Bb4+
- Dutch Defense: Classical Variation (4… d5 5. Nf3) A90 · 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 d5 5. Nf3
More Dutch Defense lines (all)
- Dutch Defense (1. d4 f5) A80
- Dutch Defense: Alapin Variation A80
- Dutch Defense: Barcza Variation A80
- Dutch Defense: Hevendehl Gambit A80
- Dutch Defense: Hopton Attack A80
- Dutch Defense: Janzen-Korchnoi Gambit A80
- Dutch Defense: Kingfisher Gambit A80
- Dutch Defense: Korchnoi Attack A80
- Dutch Defense: Krejcik Gambit A80
- Dutch Defense: Krejcik Gambit, Tate Gambit A80
- Dutch Defense: Manhattan Gambit, Anti-Classical Line A80
- Dutch Defense: Manhattan Gambit, Anti-Leningrad A80
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.