Dutch Defense: Classical Variation (4. Bg2 Be7)
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7
The Dutch Defense: Classical Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO A91, reached after 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7. It is a line of the Dutch Defense. White is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 73 times by this move order. White won 55%, 4% were drawn and Black won 41%. The most popular continuation is 5. Nf3 (41% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.50 (Stockfish, depth 44; best line 5. Nc3 d5 6. Nf3 c6 7. Qc2 Ne4)
- ECO
- A91
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
rnbqk2r/ppppb1pp/4pn2/5p2/2PP4/6P1/PP2PPBP/RNBQK1NR w KQkq - 2 5- PGN
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 6 | |
| 1500-1999 | 45 | |
| 2000+ | 22 | |
| All | 73 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. Nf3 | 30 (41%) | |
| 5. Nc3 | 23 (32%) | |
| 5. Nh3 Classical Variation, Blackburne Attack | 11 (15%) | |
| 5. b3 | 2 (3%) | |
| 5. a3 | 2 (3%) | |
| 5. Bg5 | 2 (3%) | |
| 5. Nd2 | 1 (1%) | |
| 5. h4 | 1 (1%) |
Master games
44 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 48%, draw 27%, Black 25%). The strongest:
- IM Vugar Manafov (2430) – GM V Pranav (2632) 0-1 · Baku Open 2024 · 2024-07-03
- FM Jesus M Iruzubieta Villaluenga (2408) – FM Yingrui Lin (2378) 0-1 · II Villa de Zahara 2023 · 2023-04-09
- FM Joerg Gruenenwald (2340) – Sebastian, Dr. Schmidt-Schaeffer (2384) 0-1 · TCh-SUI 2016 · 2016-08-28
- IM Filip Haring (2446) – FM Sebastian Fischer (2271) 1-0 · 16th Arad Open 2023 · 2023-08-10
- FM Borja Navarro Ortiz de Orruno (2318) – IM Cristobal Jose Blanco Acevedo (2355) 1/2-1/2 · TCh-ESP 2nd Div 2021 · 2021-08-11
Search all games of the Dutch Defense: Classical Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- FM BonaventuraB (2460) – Nechto37 (2486) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- FM sergeikim2003 (2495) – lug-59 (2393) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- FM sergeikim2003 (2460) – Cassius5171 (2388) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Dutch Defense: Classical Variation (3… e6 4. Bg2) 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2
Continuations
- Dutch Defense: Classical Variation, Blackburne Attack A91 · 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nh3
- Dutch Defense: Classical Variation (5. Nf3 O-O) A92 · 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O
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.