Dutch Defense: Normal Variation
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6
The Dutch Defense: Normal Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO A84, reached after 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6. 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 13,350 times by this move order. White won 49%, 5% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 3. Nc3 (71% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.59 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 3. Nf3 e6 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Bxd2+)
- ECO
- A84
- Moves
- 4 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/ppppp1pp/5n2/5p2/2PP4/8/PP2PPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 1 3- PGN
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 2,268 | |
| 1500-1999 | 8,552 | |
| 2000+ | 2,530 | |
| All | 13,350 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3. Nc3 Queen's Knight Variation | 9,421 (71%) | |
| 3. Nf3 | 1,611 (12%) | |
| 3. e3 | 709 (5%) | |
| 3. g3 Fianchetto Variation | 548 (4%) | |
| 3. Bg5 | 403 (3%) | |
| 3. Bf4 | 180 (1%) | |
| 3. d5 | 127 (1%) | |
| 3. f3 | 76 (1%) |
Master games
1,260 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 43%, draw 18%, Black 39%). The strongest:
- Fire 8_beta (3729) – Stockfish 202005232210 (3796) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 18 Premier 2020 · 2020-05-29
- Stockfish 202005232210 (3796) – Fire 8_beta (3729) 1-0 · TCEC 18 Premier 2020 · 2020-05-25
- GM Aydin Suleymanli (2665) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2841) 1-0 · FIDE World Rapid Team · 2026-06-19
- GM Etienne Bacrot (2702) – GM Peter Svidler (2762) 1/2-1/2 · Match of Champions 2016 · 2016-05-19
- GM Quang Liem Le (2737) – GM Vasyl Ivanchuk (2726) 1-0 · 2nd IMSA Basque 2017 · 2017-12-14
Search all games of the Dutch Defense: Normal Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- NM Andrey11976 (2812) – GM Niksss2023 (2817) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- Chess1Love0 (2790) – Johnizard (2719) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- Chess1Love0 (2786) – Johnizard (2723) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Dutch Defense (1… f5 2. c4) 1. d4 f5 2. c4
Continuations
- Dutch Defense: Fianchetto Variation A86 · 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3
- Dutch Defense: Queen's Knight Variation A85 · 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3
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.