Gambit has produced two recent books about the Dutch Defense. UNDERSTANDING THE LENINGRAD DUTCH by Valeri Beim is quite different from many Gambit books because it contains a great deal of strategic explanation and friendly introductions to various moves at the cost of some theoretical detail. His book deals with the opening’s main lines 1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.0-0 0-0 6.c4 d6 7.Nc3 c6 and 7...Qe8. Since it becomes obvious from his comments and analysis that Beim is suggesting ways to play the Dutch from Black’s point of view, it is a little strange that he unnecessarily covers the irregular 7...Na6 and 7...h6 as well but then doesn’t examine 7...Nc6, which used to be one of the main lines of the Leningrad Dutch. Even if it’s a casually written book, I think that Beim should make explicit what he’s doing with the organization of material.

To his credit and with the reader’s interests in mind, Beim deals with White’s deviations on the way to the main lines, and provides solutions to early orders including 1.Nf3 f5 2.e4 (not even a 1.d4 opening!). After 1.d4 f5, Beim spends more space than one might expect to various gambits and in particular to the Staunton Gambit with 2.e4. This latter system is investigated in some detail with some very relevant new ideas. In general this book is very chatty and easy to read. At one point Beim digresses at length about his dislike for the new more rapid time controls! UNDERSTANDING THE LENINGRAD DUTCH is recommended as an entertaining but still sufficiently theoretical introduction to a very popular opening. Don’t expect a comprehensive reference work, however.

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