Is 1.g4 playable to avoid the dutch?

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Kretinovich

Is g4 as the first move too bad or can you use it as an anti-dutch weapon?

ruben72d

if you really want to avoid the dutch you might as well choose 1.e4 

ponz111

are you making a joke?

Scottrf

That's like cutting off your head to avoid acne.

kaffeeschluerfer

"Don't avoid your opponent to play the Dutch" once Tigran Petrosian said. One of the main setups is based on the fianchetto: (maybe after 1.d4) 2.g3 3.Bg2 4.Nf3

See also (sorry didn't find an english version): http://shop.chessbase.com/de/products/breutigam60_minutes2g3_hollandisch

About g4: As stand-alone (first move) I would say this is Grob-Attack, only interesting for blitzing. I remember this move as second followed by the ice-breaker h3 (1.d4 f5, 2.g4 fxg4, 3.h3 gxh, Lxh3) with similar ideas like in the Wolga-Gambit, but not very good for white.

Depending on blacks setup, e.g. with g6 (Leningrad), there's an interesting agressive option with h4-h5-Rxh5 sacrifice, see e.g. Nakamura: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQWX9mXfUXg

Hope you can use some ideas ^^ best regards

csalami

There are much better moves to avoid the dutch defense. 

NJCat

You could try the Staunton Gambit (d4 f5 e4!?). I'm not saying it's good, but it might throw a Dutch player off their game (particularly a Stonewall Dutch player due to the open center).

Scottrf
melvinbluestone wrote:

     Actually, the simplest answer is 'yes', as it does seem to deter black from trying 1...f5.

He didn't ask 'Does 1. g4 stop the Dutch from being playable?'. He asked if 1. g4 is playable. You can play it but it's obviously terrible.

Kretinovich

T hen i say is g4 an ok way to stop the dutch?

Kretinovich

T hen i say is g4 an ok way to stop the dutch?

Pulpofeira

Seems like no.

Pulpofeira

I assume you are a d4 player and you don't like the Dutch. But why g4 and not e4 as others have already spotted?

kaffeeschluerfer

Hi Najdorfian, thx for sharing this nice tactical game in the Staunton Gambit!

Evilution
Leo_C wrote:

Is g4 as the first move too bad or can you use it as an anti-dutch weapon?

No!  I tried this once many years ago against a higher rated player in an OTB game-- really thought it would throw him off since all he played was the dutch-- let's just say it did NOT go well!!

You've got to find a variation against the Dutch that works for you-- maybe 2. Bg5 or 2. Nc3; maybe even Bf4 at some point.  I despise the 2. Bg5 stuff-- very annoying!

E4 players don't give up on 1. e4 because of the Sicilian --- they find an open variation or an anti variation that works for them.  I hate playing against the King's Indian-- so, I'm looking for the best variation against it right now.  Some seem to work-- others I get smashed in-- trial and error is the way to find out what's right for you.

ruben72d
Najdorfian wrote:
chessmicky wrote:
Najdorfian wrote:
chessmicky wrote:

Of course it's playable, just play it! But is it good?

Nope. The Grob was refuted decades ago.

And yet hundreds of people continue to play it with success. Below 2200, "refuted" is a nonsense term 

Not really, as the refutations are very easy to find online.

It's 'refuted' even if you're a lowly 800+ rated player. That's how bad it is.

Well not that easy apparently: IM Michael Basman seems to be doing just fine with it beating even GMs.

TurboFish

Just play one of the anti-Dutch systems, for example 1.d4 f5 2.Nc3 intending a quick e4.  The Dutch defense, being risky and sharp, is very difficult for black to play correctly.

SilentKnighte5

The bigger question is, why would you want to avoid the Dutch?

pfren

Najdorfian wrote:

melvinbluestone wrote:

     Actually, the simplest answer is 'yes', as it does seem to deter black from trying 1...f5. I checked a bunch of DBs, and I didn't see one lunatic reply f5 to 1.g4. That being said, 1.g4, the "Grob Attack" isn't a very good move. Black can get a good game by simply playing a central pawn push, like d5 or e5, the usual counter to this kind of wing stuff.

    There is a line against the Dutch that goes 1.d4 f5 2.g4, with the idea of getting in e4 after fxg4. Or maybe even h3. I don't know how sound it is, probably not very. But it's definitely ok in blitz. According to Game Explorer, it actually has a name, the Krejcik Gambit.

    A really funny line that's worth a look is the "Romford Countergambit":

 

I remember analyzing this line before, and I believe 6. f3 is more accurate. Actually, this gambit is really difficult to play from the black side, but it does offer black an advantage.

No need to play such stuff: 3...c6 is a clear advantage to Black.

MrEdCollins

My current USCF rating is 1861.  In over-the-board tournament games, my record with The Grob (1.g4) is 7 wins, 1 loss, and 2 draws.  The one loss lasted 81 moves and had nothing to do with the opening.

The Grob (1.g4) may be "bad" but a lot of people have no idea what to do against it.  As an example, I won a piece on move #8 with the Grob, against an 1805 player in Vegas at the National Open many years ago.

It's also a lot of fun to play.  "The Killer Grob" is one of the more interesting and entertaining books I have in my collection.

If you are under... oh, say 1800 or so, you can play just about anything.  (1.b3, 1.b4, 1.f4, 1.g4, etc.)

Ziryab

I played the Grob in a simul (I was playing three games) and our city champion barely managed a draw.