Dutch Defense: Raphael Variation
1. d4 f5 2. Nc3
The Dutch Defense: Raphael Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO A80, reached after 1. d4 f5 2. Nc3. It is a line of the Dutch Defense. Black is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 6,561 times by this move order. White won 52%, 4% were drawn and Black won 44%. The most popular continuation is 2… Nf6 (70% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.34 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 2… Nf6 3. Bf4 e6 4. g4 fxg4 5. h3)
- ECO
- A80
- Moves
- 3 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/ppppp1pp/8/5p2/3P4/2N5/PPP1PPPP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 1 2- PGN
1. d4 f5 2. Nc3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1,884 | |
| 1500-1999 | 3,581 | |
| 2000+ | 1,096 | |
| All | 6,561 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 2… Nf6 | 4,571 (70%) | |
| 2… e6 | 1,195 (18%) | |
| 2… d5 Veresov Attack, Dutch System | 289 (4%) | |
| 2… g6 | 218 (3%) | |
| 2… d6 | 98 (1%) | |
| 2… Nc6 | 45 (1%) | |
| 2… b6 | 30 (0%) | |
| 2… c6 | 30 (0%) |
Master games
2,733 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 47%, draw 19%, Black 34%). The strongest:
- GM So, W. (2770) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2855) 1/2-1/2 · GCT Blitz YourNextMove · 2016-06-20
- GM Anish Giri (2764) – GM Fabiano Caruana (2835) 1-0 · Carlsen Inv Prelim · 2020-04-30
- GM Magnus Carlsen (2839) – GM So, W. (2753) 1/2-1/2 · chess.com SpeedChess 2023 · 2023-09-19
- GM Levon Aronian (2792) – GM Anish Giri (2782) 1/2-1/2 · GCT Blitz Paris 2016 · 2016-06-12
- GM Boris Gelfand (2777) – GM Fabiano Caruana (2782) 1-0 · 5th Classic KO 2013 · 2013-12-14
Search all games of the Dutch Defense: Raphael Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- GM sillyMASTER (2833) – GM Niksss2023 (2751) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- GM Niksss2023 (2762) – Johnizard (2719) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- GM Fabsid (2823) – IM Angelicanmade (2546) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Dutch Defense (1. d4 f5) 1. d4 f5
Continuations
- Queen's Pawn Game: Veresov Attack, Dutch System A80 · 1. d4 f5 2. Nc3 d5
- Dutch Defense: Spielmann Gambit A80 · 1. d4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g4
More Dutch Defense lines (all)
- 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
- Dutch Defense: Manhattan Gambit, Anti-Modern 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.