Killer Dutch

I wanted an alternative to the stodgy Slav that I've been playing for years, and this book is exactly what I needed to start playing something more exciting. I own two other books on the Dutch, but this is on a different level. Williams is a gifted teacher and explains at length the key strategic ideas for both sides in all of the main variations. He doesn't expect you to remember reams of theory, but rather provides numerous tips and rules of thumb that will help you find the right plan in virtually any position. Additionally, he doesn't just focus on the variations that GMs play, but presents ideas against White openings like the Colle and the London that are rarely seen at professional level, but very common at the amateur level. The book is not only a treatise on how to play the Classical Dutch, but also a look into how top players think about chess and about opening strategy. The games are lively and interesting, and Wiliams's adventurous spirit shines through. He offers the Classical Dutch as a way to unleash your chess creativity, and leads by example. So the book is not just instructive, but a lot of fun. Highly recommended!

As a former Chess Life Editor, I know a little bit about chess books. This is a good one. Along with GM Simon Williams' companion piece Attacking Chess: The French Defense, this can become a weight-bearing pillar in a complete 1...e6 opening repertoire. I've played the Leningrad Dutch and the French for years. 1...e6 can serve as a pivot between anti-1 e4..., 1. d4..., 1.c4..., and even 1. Nf3... systems. In The Killer Dutch, Williams has convinced me to shift my own repertoire toward a unified 1...e6/1...f5/e6 approach. Fat book, instructive games, convincing argument. Well worth the investment.

Simon Williams made a CD also entitled The Killer Dutch, which is very good. This a thorough book on the Classical Dutch. There are some helpful lines that were not in the CD, but there also is repetition. I prefer a book to a CD and I often play the Dutch Defense so it was an easy decision to buy this book. And the writing and physical quality of the book is quite good. If you own the CD and only have a modest interest in the Dutch Defense, then you might think twice about buying the book. Finally, besides the Classical Dutch, there are a few Chapters on anti-Dutch strategies such as non-fianchetto variations for White. Looking back over the review, I think that I should again emphasize that Simon Williams has done an excellent job writing this book. He proposes a series of rules so if you do not remember the opening line, you can use the rules. There also are some exercises to check your understanding of each chapter.

I bought the kindle edition of this book in conjunction with Simon William’s (The Ginger GM) DVD on the Killer Dutch. The DVD follows virtually the same order as the book so I watch the DVD and have my eBook next to my board as a reference. However, the DVD isn’t a requirement because the book has all of the information necessary to learn the material and certainly stands on its own. The reason I purchased the book is that I wanted to expand my opening repertoire as black vs D4. I primarily play the Nimzo-Indian/Queens-Indian and English defense vs D4 and the classical Dutch seemed like a good edition. Keep in mind that this book is for the classical Dutch only, there isn’t anything on the Leningrad and the Stonewall variations (if you are looking for a very good overview on the Dutch defense, try the Diamond Dutch by Moskalenko). As a lifelong player of the Classical Dutch, Mr. Williams has done an excellent job with this book and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn the Classical Dutch. As a point of reference for my review, I am currently rated just over 1600 USCF and coach chess at a local high school.

The best part about reading this book is that I've learned how to play F4/F5 comfortably. Many times when I play F4, my opponent may play F5, but I'd have the advantage of experience in moving my queen to E1 and moving my pieces to attack their king. I have started playing the Four Pawns Attack in the King's Indian setup because of this book because I was learning a lot of the F4 tactics. I also play F4 in the Queen's Indian, which transposes to Dutch positions, however, I don't actually like the Dutch itself due to engine evaluations.

This book is awesome. Simon does not present endless variations. Instead he focuses on the principles of the opening. He also reviews important ideas by including theory sections and quizzes. The book is not a chore like many chess books. The games are all so interesting.

This is a wonderful book and is a very helpful as a reference after studying the Ginger GM DVDs on the Dutch Defense.

I haven't finished reading this book, but from all my Dutch books, this is by far the clearest in explaining the possible plans available for Black in the Classical Dutch. I have to admit that it has captivated my interest and put the Stonewall Dutch as second fiddle. I have even revived my Bird's Opening since NOW I understand it better!