Dutch Defense: Semi-Leningrad Variation
1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6
The Dutch Defense: Semi-Leningrad Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO A81, reached after 1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6. 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 398 times by this move order. White won 50%, 7% were drawn and Black won 43%. The most popular continuation is 4. Nf3 (39% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.46 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 4. b3 Bg7 5. c4 Ne4 6. Nf3 O-O)
- ECO
- A81
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/ppppp2p/5np1/5p2/3P4/6P1/PPP1PPBP/RNBQK1NR w KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 18 | |
| 1500-1999 | 134 | |
| 2000+ | 246 | |
| All | 398 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Nf3 | 154 (39%) | |
| 4. c4 | 74 (19%) | |
| 4. Nh3 | 55 (14%) | |
| 4. Nd2 | 30 (8%) | |
| 4. c3 | 27 (7%) | |
| 4. Nc3 | 16 (4%) | |
| 4. b3 | 11 (3%) | |
| 4. Bg5 | 10 (3%) |
Master games
3,025 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 41%, draw 28%, Black 31%). The strongest:
- LCZero 0.27.0d-Tilps-dje-magic_JH.94-100 (3586) – Stockfish 20210113 (3601) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Superfinal 2020 · 2021-01-29
- Stockfish 20210113 (3601) – LCZero 0.27.0d-Tilps-dje-magic_JH.94-100 (3586) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 20 Superfinal 2020 · 2021-01-28
- Ethereal 13.89_NNUE (3515) – Stoofvlees II b1 (3511) 1-0 · TCEC 23 Premier 2022 · 2022-09-30
- Stoofvlees II b1 (3511) – Ethereal 13.89_NNUE (3515) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 23 Premier 2022 · 2022-09-30
- GM Liren Ding (2791) – GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2784) 0-1 · Legends of Chess Prelim · 2020-07-22
Search all games of the Dutch Defense: Semi-Leningrad Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Your_Waterloo (2700) – IM MassterofMayhem (2631) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- Your_Waterloo (2676) – IM hibyehwa (2609) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- MIGV (2579) – Fide_MaSk (2691) 0-1 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Dutch Defense: Fianchetto Attack 1. d4 f5 2. g3
Continuations
- Dutch Defense: Leningrad Variation, Matulovic Variation A89 · 1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 Nc6
- Dutch Defense: Leningrad Variation, Warsaw Variation A88 · 1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d6 7. Nc3 c6
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.