Dutch Defense: Blackburne Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
34,431 games: White 55.2% / Draw 5.8% / Black 39.0%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 14,88315K | ||
| 10,55611K | ||
| 2,3102,310 | ||
| 1,9491,949 | ||
| 1,5761,576 | ||
| 749749 | ||
| 689689 | ||
| 628628 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 10, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.42 White is slightly better
Best play: 4... d5 5. c4 Bd6 6. O-O O-O 7. Bf4 Be7 8. Qc2 c6 9. Bc1
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Dutch Defense: Blackburne Variation (ECO A81, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Dutch Defense: Fianchetto Attack, reached after 1. d4 f5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 e6 4. Nh3 (4 moves).
In 34,431 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 55.2%, Black 39.0% and 5.8% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…Be7, in 43% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Dutch Defense: Blackburne Variation
4…d5 scores best for Black: 42.9%, with Black winning 39.6% and White 53.8% of 11K games. The most played, 4…Be7, scores 42.1% in 15K games, and 4…Nc6 scores lowest: 39.4%. Stockfish's first choice is also 4…d5.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Dutch Defense: Blackburne Variation (A81)”. Lichess data as of 10 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/dutch-defense-blackburne-variation