Dutch Defense: Leningrad Variation (3. g3 g6)
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 g6
The Dutch Defense: Leningrad Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO A86, reached after 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 g6. It is a line of the Dutch Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 177 times by this move order. White won 47%, 8% were drawn and Black won 45%. The most popular continuation is 4. Bg2 (95% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.51 (Stockfish, depth 46; best line 4. Nc3 d6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. Nf3 O-O)
- ECO
- A86
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/ppppp2p/5np1/5p2/2PP4/6P1/PP2PP1P/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 g6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 7 | |
| 1500-1999 | 62 | |
| 2000+ | 108 | |
| All | 177 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Bg2 | 168 (95%) | |
| 4. Nf3 | 6 (3%) | |
| 4. Nc3 | 3 (2%) |
Master games
328 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 37%, draw 23%, Black 40%). The strongest:
- Stockfish 202008260719_nn-82215d0fd0df (3551) – Komodo 2576.00 (3505) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 19 Premier 2020 · 2020-09-18
- Komodo 2576.00 (3505) – Stockfish 202008260719_nn-82215d0fd0df (3551) 0-1 · TCEC 19 Premier 2020 · 2020-09-14
- GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2764) – GM Alexander Grischuk (2797) 1/2-1/2 · Baku FIDE Grand Prix 2014 · 2014-10-07
- GM Jeffery Xiong (2681) – GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2771) 0-1 · Saint Louis Blitz 2023 · 2023-11-18
- GM Quang Liem Le (2709) – GM David Anton Guijarro (2703) 1/2-1/2 · FIDE Steinitz Mem Open · 2020-05-16
Search all games of the Dutch Defense: Leningrad Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Severus-Snape-1960 (2619) – tourdefra (2772) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- Cerrh34 (2703) – snow152 (2561) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- FM lukas1254 (2556) – Romasym (2565) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Dutch Defense: Fianchetto Variation 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3
Continuations
- Dutch Defense: Leningrad Variation (4… Bg7 5. Nf3) A87 · 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 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.