FritzTrainer completed: The Leningrad Dutch Defense by Svitlana Demchenko

I recently completed The Leningrad Dutch Defense, a ChessBase FritzTrainer by Svitlana Demchenko published in 2023; she holds the WIM title and is currently rated 2177 FIDE. The full contents list can be seen at the above ChessBase link, while a summary version from a screenshot (including the breakdown of sidelines covered) is pasted below. There is also a contemporary "Svitlana's Smart Moves" 22-minute YouTube video that serves as a sample of her commentary. 

I don't share the (rather common but perhaps understandable) prejudice of valuing opening resources based solely on the rating of the author. That said, of course someone should be considered reasonably authoritative and capable whenever presenting on an opening. My database shows 12 international tournament games for Svitlana in the Leningrad Dutch and sidelines (ECO A80-89), with 8 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses; both losses came against higher-rated opposition. While obviously she has also played the opening outside of formal tournaments, that record is sufficient for me to consider her as a relatively experienced practitioner, who has also done the necessary theoretical prep. She furthermore refers to her practical experience in similar King's Indian structures, with some crossover positions and themes.

In the "Main Lines" section, which covers positions after a White kingside fianchetto and standard development of d4/c4 and the knights to f3 and c3, Svitlana gives an in-depth theoretical treatment to the 7...c6 variation for Black; this is the most popular and respected in modern international practice. She provides some useful context in the video "7th Move Options for Black" on theoretical problems with 7...Qe8, which is the older preference (and still most popular in the database in terms of number of games, historically speaking) and 7...Nc6, which is considered a riskier line. Some other personal observations on the main line theory section:

• Svitlana starts with separate videos on strategic ideas for Black and White. Although I'm largely looking at the opening from the Black perspective, I found that portion to be less detailed than her treatment of the White side's general plans, which to me were clearer and a bit more meaty in content. That said, White does appear to have more common and easily defined plans revolving around particular pawn pushes (h2-h4, e2-e4 and advancing the b-pawn on the queenside), while Black's responses and middlegame ideas can be more situational.
• She does a good job of repeatedly highlighting thematic ideas on piece placement as logical reactions to specific White moves, while also showing important tactical points in the videos. "If your opponent does this, their plan is X, so prevent it by Y" explanations are often offered, along with ideas for pieces regarding what they can do on specified squares and why. Examples include the ...Na6 development, when and why to play ...e5, and tactical play Black can have on the h8-a1 long diagonal when it opens up. 
• She tries to not make everything be about rote memorization - although the included files are fairly extensive - instead emphasizing during the videos an understanding of short sequences and plans for specfic pieces. She takes care to present why some of the lesser White moves don't work as well, and what Black should do to get an advantage or equalize easily. I also appreciated her addressing possibilities for early transitions to a queenless middlegame or endgame and showing how that can be good for Black, in contrast with a less sophisticated view of the Leningrad Dutch as only being useful for middlegame attacks on the king.

The sidelines section is very important, since if you answer 1. d4 with ...f5 to immediately enter the Dutch, regardless of which major setup you intend to play (Leningrad, Stonewall or Classical) then you have to look at all of the Anti-Dutch setups starting on move 2. Actually entering the Leningrad variation could be hard to accomplish without starting with 1...f5, so transpositional possibilities are limited, although if White cooperates 1...g6 (as given in a later model game) is one way to do it.

Svitlana provides the most comprehensive treatment in video format of these early sidelines that I have encountered, being especially useful on the more dangerous 2. Bg5 and 2. Nc3 options for White. The gambit lines are also presented clearly, with common ideas to defuse them. Since the London setup is so popular for White, the section on 2. Bf4 and other transpositional possibilities is similarly very useful for the Black side. In the Staunton Gambit, she selects a more modern option for Black (4...g6 rather than ...Nc6), which helped convince me to switch it in my personal repertoire. I have never really looked at the Dutch versus the English or Reti setups, but she presents some competitive lines for Black. With the Reti, a Dutch player also has to know how to handle the Lisitsyn Gambit, which to my surprise turned out to be a reverse Budapest Gambit, along with an independent line involving an early d3 and e4.

There is a robust amount of additional content beyond the theory sections which helps practically deepen the learning process. The six model games provided are at the master level and have a nice breadth of position-types and characteristics, including tactical kingside attacks of different complexities, middlegame maneuvering, and one with an endgame focus. Svitlana's presentations provide both practical examples of play and make the experience interactive with "guess-the-move" quizzes on key positions. 

Seven "opening disasters" follow, each one presented with less detail than the model games, but with the early main error highlighted, either for Black or White. These are all useful cautionary tales, and help reinforce what not to do, or alternatively demonstrate how to punish major deviations by your opponent.

The 30 tactical exercises included further reinforce the opening study with key middlegame ideas and common tactics that can result from the Leningrad variation, including the f5-f4 pawn lever (often a sacrifice), h-file attacks and rook lifts, and a thematic exchange sacrifice for White's dark-square bishop. This section did a lot to fill in my understanding of typical plans and tools for Black to use to break through in a position. Although there is a database included at the end under the "analysis" heading it only has the tactics fragments, not the complete games; however, I was able to use the ChessBase reference function to find most of them, to see how the full games developed and file them in a personal Leningrad model games database.

The technical production quality is good with clear audio/video. There are the usual number of "verbal typos" (misstated color on move, misidentification of squares, inadvertent confusion of "isolated" vs. "doubled" pawns, etc.) which as slightly detract from the presentation but should not overly confuse the viewer if they are paying attention. Occasionally the ChessBase board glitches and is not fully in sync with the presentation, most often by showing pieces at their final destinations without the intermediate moves.

Stylistically, Svitlana has an engaging and positive demeanor which works well for most of the video content, although I occasionally found some of her more general statements a bit vague or unclear, particularly regarding Black's plans; they appeared improvised rather than scripted. She also very quickly shows some of the latter parts of the model games quickly, after demonstrating the main idea being covered, but the database is available to review at leisure.

I've noticed that opening resources/courses compiled and presented by people who actually use them in tournament play have a better vibe (for lack of a better term) and more practically useful (vs. theoretical) content; this one is no exception. I would in fact rate it as the best single package for learning the Leningrad Dutch that I have encountered, although a student of the opening (as always) will need to find some additional material to cover lines not included. Studying both the database files and video lessons contained here should give someone confidence to play the Dutch, as well as useful resources to periodically go back to (and build on) for their chess career using the Dutch as a weapon.