WIN WITH THE STONEWALL DUTCH

Authors: Sverre Johnsen, Ivar Bern

Gambit Publications (2009)

223 pages

$27.95

 

Reviewed by John Donaldson

 

WIN WITH THE STONEWALL DUTCH by Sverre Johnsen and Ivar Bern, with a contribution by Simen Agestein, is one stop shopping for those looking for a complete repertoire against everything except 1.e4. The authors core line for Black is the modern Stonewall Dutch with 6...Bd6 (1.d4 f5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 d5 5.Nf3 c6 6.0-0 Bd6). The lines covered break down as follows:

 

INDEX OF VARIATIONS:

Lesson 1 7.b3: Introduction  


Lesson 2 The Critical 7.b3 Qe7 8.Ne5! 
  


Lesson 3 7.Qc2, 7.Nc3 and Rare 7th Moves 
  


Lesson 4 7.Bf4 
  


Lesson 5 Lines with a Delayed Bf4 
  


Lesson 6 Early Deviations


Lesson 7 4.c4 with Nh3 
  


Lesson 8 2.c4: Non-Fianchetto Lines 
  


Lesson 9 2.Nf3: Non-Fianchetto Lines 



Lesson 10 2.Nc3 and 2 Bg5 



Lesson 11 The Staunton Gambit and and Rare 2nd Moves 



Lesson 12 1.c4, 1.Nf3 and 1.g3

Dispute its advocacy by Mikhail Botvinnik early in his career, the Stonewall Dutch has never really caught on. The feeling, at the top levels at least, has always been that giving up the e5 square and burying the Bishop on c8 count for more than Black’s grip on the center. The authors point out that with ...Bd6 and often the flexible ...b6 and ...Bb7 (as opposed to the old ...Bd7-e8-h5 or ...g5 followed by ...Rf6-h6 and/or ...Qe8-h5) Black has a much more strategically rich position than previously thought.

It bears in mind that one early advocate of the Modern Stonewall was former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik. In an article he wrote for POSITION PLAY (Batsford 1996) he pointed out that “the Stonewall is one of only a few openings where Black achieves an advantage in space… The main idea of Black’s strategy is to limit the range of the g2-Bishop. In my opinion it is barely stronger than the c8-Bishop.” Kramnik then goes on to say that he feels that Black’s position is easier to play than White’s and that it is an excellent choice against attacking players as White cannot deliver mate and the strategic options for the opponent are considerable.

Kramnik hasn’t played the Stonewall Dutch in many years nor has anyone dared play it against him, but for non-professionals it makes a lot of sense as it gives Black reliable positions without having to learn lots of theory. WIN WITH THE STONEWALL DUTCH provides just the guide they need.

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