Black choses a flexibel move. The intension is to avoid an early Nf6, which can be traded of by white. This is not in black interrest, because it weakens the kingside.

2.Bg5 Nc6 3.Bh4 g6

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

White maintains the pin on the queen. For black it is easy to make a mistake and has contantly react with precision. Black's strongest reply is to opt for the Leningrad pawn structure and more importantly NOT to play Nf6 too early. This leads to a trade which is not desired by black. Common continuations are

4.Nc3 Bc7, 5.e3 d6, 6.Bc4 Bf6

White's idea is to prevent black to castle early and to make every move as hard as possible.

2.Bg5 Nc6 3.Nf3 h6

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

White must not play Bh4 because of

4.Bh4 g5, 5.Bg3 f4

and the bishop is trapped. Common continuations are

4.Bd2 e6, 5.c4 Nf6, 6.Nc3 Bb4

Black's idea is to prevent white to play e4. White typically develops the queen and castle long. White will gain an early initiative. Black has to respond and won't have time to castle soon.

2.Bg5 Nc6 3.f4 Nf6

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

White doesn't want to trade the bishop for a knight yet. Instead white can chase the knight on black's queen side around. This can be accomplished with

4.d5 Na5, 5.b4 Nc4, 6.e4 Nb6

This is a very aggressive position in favor for white. However white is also over extended. Later on black can create counter play. White will continue to chase black's knights around. But black can win material. If black survives the attack, black will have an advantage in the endgame.

2.Bg5 Nc6 3.e3 g6

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

White's dark bishop is out, white can build up a strong center. Furthermore e3 prevents f4 and so the dark bishop can no longer be trapped. It leads to active play on both sides. This Belem Variation has become the main line against the Cherniaeve Defence. Common continuations are

4.Nc3 Bg7, 5.Qd2 d6, 6.h4 a5

White's idea is to attack king side and castle long. Black will launch a queen side attack and castle short. A long tactical battle is ahead. As in most positions, white has and edge here, but black is not to far behind with ideas of counter play on the opposite side.

2.Bg5 Nc6 3.c4 d6

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

This line used to be the main line. However any king side attack on behalve of white is less effective, because in this line, black can reroute the queen side bishop towards the king side if needed and neutralize any attack. Furthermore, with correct play, black can even get the upper hand in most of these lines. For this reason, the Puebla Variation is considered to be a romantic opening. Common continuations are

4.e3 g6, 5.Nc3 Bg7, 6.f4 h6

White's idea is to castle long and launch a king side attack, but is slower than in the new main line. Conversly, black seeks to castle short and launch a queen side attack. Black does not only kick out the bishop with h6 but creates also a hide out for the black king on h7, if Qb3 followed by the discovery with c5 is played in some lines.

2.Bg5 Nc6 3.Nc3 g6

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

White usually follows Nc3 with a quick e4. It has some similarities with the Raphael Attack also known as the Raphael Variation. Common continuations are

4.e4 fxe4, 5.Nxe4 Bg7, 6.Nf3 d5

White gains rapid development but lacks in center control. This position plays a bit like the Open Sicilians, except both knights are pointing to the king side (instead of the queen side). White has numerous ways to continue. The most challenging way for black is, if white moves forward to Nc5. White is slightly better, but black has counter play.

Alexander Cherniaev Alexander Cherniaev is a Russian-born chess grandmaster who now represents England.

He was born on August 26, 1969, in Arkhangelsk, Soviet Union.
Cherniaev earned the title of Grandmaster in 2004.
His peak FIDE rating was 2509, achieved in July 2002.
As of September 2023, his FIDE ratings were 2289 for classical, 2296 for rapid, and 2603 for blitz.
He holds a FIDE ID of 4117301. 

Cherniaev has an extensive tournament record, with over 1200 games played between 1972 and 2025.

He has participated in numerous events, including the Smyslov Cup Masters 2025 and the Ivi GP Chess 2025, where he played against players like Kirill Stupak, Andrey Gorovets, and Eldiar Orozbaev.
He also competed in the 4NCL 2023-24 season and the Southend Masters 2024.
In January 2019, he tied for first place at the 94th Hastings Congress alongside several other grandmasters.
He has also given lectures and held simultaneous exhibitions, including one in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, as part of the Canadian Open in July 2019. 

Beyond chess, Alexander Cherniaev is an academic. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical, Automotive, and Materials Engineering at the University of Windsor in Canada.

He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Manitoba and a Candidate of Sciences degree in Aerospace Engineering from Samara State Aerospace University in Russia.
His research focuses on the impact mechanics of advanced materials and structures, including composites, foams, and flexible ballistic fabrics, with applications in aircraft engines, satellite protection, and terminal ballistics.

He is also an author, notably co-writing "The New Old Indian: A Repertoire for Black Against 1 d4, as well as Nc6 against the Hopton Attack in the Dutch" with Eduard Prokuronov, where he presents an aggressive and modern interpretation of the Old Indian Defence and the Dutch Defence.

He has also been recognized for winning the silver medal at the Moscow Championship. 

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation. 1. d4 f5 2. Bg5 Nc6

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Wikipedia has related information at Dutch Defence

• Автор: М.Четверик, Н.Калиниченко, Голландская защита. Энциклопедия, ISBN 978-5-94693-334-6
• Lichess Studies, Dutch Defence, Hopton Attack
• Chess.com, Library: Hopton Attack, Leningrad Variations
• Gameknot.com, annotated games: Dutch Defence, Hopton Attack, modern variations
• chess-teacher.com, Dutch Defence, Hopton Attack, open variations
• old.chesstempo.com, Dutch Defence, Semi Leningard Variations, open variations
• Everyman, Play the Dutch: Leningrad Variation, ISBN 9781857446418
• chessable.com, Dutch Defence, Hopton Attack, Chess Opening Theory,
• Jan Boekelman – Beat the Dutch Defense – A Killer Weapon against the Dutch Defense. 260 pages. ISBN 9789464201581
• Jan Werle – Unbeatable - The Art of Defence – ISBN 9789464201413
• Adrien Demuth – The Modernized Dutch Defense – ISBN 9789492510556
• Tibor Karolyi, Play the Dutch! - ISBN 978-6155793080
• france-echecs.com, Théorie de la défense Hollandaise
• Rakuten, théorie des systemes du monde entier, Echecs: Défense Hollandaise
• Alexis Henri Brialmont, Wentworth Press, Le Système Défensif Néerlandais ISBN 978-1010877950
• echecs-et-strategie.com, La Défense Hollandaise de Jules Moussard
• Étienne Bacrot, S’entraîner aux échecs, La stratégie Hollandaise, ISBN 9786155793356
• Paul van der Sterren, Introductie tot de openingstheorie 1 - De wereld van de schaakopening, ISBN 9789043906500

• Nunn's Chess Openings. 1999. John Nunn (Editor), Graham Burgess, John Emms, Joe Gallagher. ISBN 1-8574-4221-0.