{"id":3575,"date":"2023-12-27T05:38:26","date_gmt":"2023-12-27T05:38:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/?p=3575"},"modified":"2023-12-27T05:38:28","modified_gmt":"2023-12-27T05:38:28","slug":"review-playing-the-stonewall-dutch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forwardchess.com\/blog\/review-playing-the-stonewall-dutch\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Playing the Stonewall Dutch<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Book<\/strong> Review: Playing the Stonewall Dutch<\/strong> by Nikola Sedlak<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot a Dutch surely? That would be fine by me! \u2026 So it is a Dutch Defense. One of the openings which, just like most masters, I am very happy to play on the white side.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 <\/em>Tigran Petrosian commenting on his game against Bent Larsen, San Antonio 1973 (1-0, 63).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The late, great former World Champion Tigran Petrosian<\/a> was not a fan of the Dutch Defense, as the above quote shows.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

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Bent Larsen vs Tigran Petrosian<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

In contrast, his opponent in this game, Bent Larsen<\/a>, wrote in 1974:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSolid, rock solid. Is this [the Stonewall Dutch] the answer to Black’s dreams if he has little time for opening theory? For some players it may be, though it is a little discomforting that most experts think White has a small but clear positional advantage… Though some may call it primitive it is a fine solution to many of Black’s problems. But some difficulties remain. First of all, the Stonewall is not so good if White does not fianchetto his f1-bishop! It is very much against this bishop that Black’s strategy is directed. So if White is not a fianchetto man you are probably wise to have another system ready. (Not all Stonewall fans will agree.)\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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View FREE Sample<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Nearly fifty years later, the author of this book, GM Nikola Sedlak<\/strong>, sides with Larsen and not Petrosian, and he provides a black repertoire on the Stonewall. He writes about the position after 1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 d5<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

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