Dutch Defense 6...d6

After the opening moves 1.d4 f5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 O-O 6.O-O d6 7.Nc3 Qe8 8.Re1 Qg6 9.e4 fxe4 10.Nxe4 Nxe4 11.Rxe4 Nc6 (11...Qxe4 12.Nh4) 12.Qe2 Bf6 13.Bd2 e5 14.dxe5 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 Bxe5 16.Bc3 Bxc3 17.bxc3 c6 18.Rd1 Bf5 19.Red4 Rf6,

Taimanov evaluates the position as equal. But, in their book Dutch Defense, Christiansen and Silman continue with 20.Qb2! Raf8 (20...Rb8 21.Bxc6!) 21.Qxb7 Bc2 (21...Bc8 22.Qxc6 Rxf2 23.Rxd6 +-) 22.R1d2 c5 23.Rh4 Re8 24.h3 "with a winning advantage."

Instead of giving up the b-pawn and being left with a backward d-pawn, Black should play 20...Qf7 in answer to 20.Qb2!. For example, 21.Rxd6 Rxd6 22.Rxd6 Re8 23.h3 Be6 24.Bf1 Bxc4 25.Bxc4 Qxc4 26.Qxb7 Re1+ 27.Kh2 Rh1+! with a draw by perpetual check.

{This article originally appeared in Atlantic Chess News in 1993}