Dutch Defense: Classical Variation, Blackburne Attack
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Statistics from Lichess
19,604 games: White 54.0% / Draw 5.7% / Black 40.3%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 16,27716K | ||
| 1,7711,771 | ||
| 642642 | ||
| 415415 | ||
| 209209 | ||
| 130130 | ||
| 4141 | ||
| 2626 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.55 White is slightly better
Best play: 5... O-O 6. O-O a5 7. Nf4 d5 8. b3 Re8 9. Ba3 Bxa3 10. Nxa3
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Dutch Defense: Classical Variation, Blackburne Attack (ECO A91, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Dutch Defense: Classical Variation, reached after 1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nh3 (5 moves).
In 19,604 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 54.0%, Black 40.3% and 5.7% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 5…O-O, in 83% 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: Classical Variation, Blackburne Attack
5…d6 scores best for Black: 44.6%, with Black winning 41.9% and White 52.6% of 1,771 games. The most played answer, 5…O-O, scores lowest: 43.3% in 16K games. Stockfish's first choice is 5…O-O.
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: Classical Variation, Blackburne Attack (A91)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/dutch-defense-classical-variation-blackburne-attack