Learning a bit more about the Leningrad

(3) megaskins (1387) – MathWorker (1509) [A85]
ICC 60 0 Internet Chess Club, 23.04.2006
[Eddins,Steve]

I’ve played the Leningrad Dutch against 1 d4 regularly for a couple of years. About every other month or so I ask myself "Why do I still play this crazy opening that I can’t seem to understand?" But I keep at it, and sometimes I gain a little insight.

My club and online opponents often play Bf4 against the Leningrad, like this line from my STC Open game last week:

1.d4 f5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Bf4

As far as I can tell, this bishop placement rarely occurs at the master level and above. It doesn’t appear in my references on the opening. But I didn’t know why.

One thing I have learned is that the fact that masters don’t play a move doesn’t necessarily make it “horrible” at the club level. That seems to be the case here. Bf4 seems perfectly playable. It’s Fritz’s third choice at 12 ply.

I’m starting to recognize, though, some situations where it can cause inconvenience for White.

4…Bg7 5.e3 d6 6.Bd3 0-0 7.Nf3 Qe8 8.0-0 c6 9.Re1 a5 10.a3 Na6 11.Qd2 Nh5

This seems like a natural idea, and I’ve tried it before. In at least one previous game, I’ve captured the bishop on f4 and then found that didn’t work so well. It leaves Black with a weak e-pawn on a semi-open file.

This time I wasn’t looking to capture bishop right away. Instead I was focused on the fact that Nh5 clears the h8-a1 diagonal, raising the threat of e5, winning a piece for a pawn. (Two pawns, actually, since Black’s a5 pawn is hanging.)

White didn’t see this coming, so I gained a winning advantage. (I still managed to lose the game later, but that’s another story.)

Slowly, very slowly, I feel like I’m gaining a better feel for this opening.

12.Ne2 e5 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Qxa5 exf4 15.exf4 Qd8 16.Qd2 Nc5 17.Nc1 Bxb2 18.Qxb2 Nxd3 19.Nxd3 Qxd3 20.Re7 Qd8 21.Rae1 Nf6 22.c5 Rf7 23.Qb3 Qf8 24.Ng5 Rxa3 25.Qxf7+ Qxf7 26.Nxf7 Ra8 27.Nd6 Bd7 28.Nxb7 Re8 29.Rxe8+ Nxe8 30.Nd6 Kf8 31.Nxe8 Bxe8 32.f3 Bf7 33.Kf2 Bd5 34.Ke3 Kf7 35.Kd4 Kf6 36.Ra1 h5 37.h4 Ke6 38.Re1+ Kf6 39.Kc3 Kf7 40.Kb4 Kf6 41.Ka5 Kf7 42.Kb6 Kf6 43.Kc7 Kf7 44.Kd6 Kf6 45.Re5 Kf7 46.Rxd5 cxd5 47.Kxd5 Ke8 48.Kc6 Kd8 49.Kb7 Black resigns 1-0