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Timothy M posted an update
I decided to try the Stonewall using my computer, and quite unsurprisingly, it immediately went to the Dutch Defense, planting a pawn directly in my bishop’s path. This is just one of those issues that make people hate school, and I say this as a retired Physics teacher! Anyway, I pivoted, played the game using basic principles, and did fine, but I just wanted to practice the Stonewall to make sure I knew what to do, so I reset and tried again. It again did the Dutch. It did the Dutch five times in a row. To me, this is now unavoidable, so how DOES one play it against the Dutch? Thanks.
Andrew6 Comments-
If you pick a different bot, they probably will not use the Dutch. At least that’ll let you practice vs different setups
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I know that, and I have been able to practice otherwise, but now the Dutch is in my head, so I’ve got to know!
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HI Tim, I had exactly the same experience with the computer… Don’t play the computer – it gives you a distorted view on your openings as it knows them all and a lot deeper than any of us mere mortals. I wasted hours/months drilling lines on Chessable that no-one ever played and I was usually out of prep after 3 or 4 moves as people at our level don’t know them and prefer to come charging over the hill with arms and legs flying everywhere.
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I know, and it gets so aggravating, but now I’ve got it in my head, so I’m hoping there is some approach that has the same flavor of the Stonewall that I can learn. Here’s hoping!
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Hey Tim, unfortunately there’s no opening that anyone can learn and play it every single time against anything. The best you can do is try to get a high probability that you’ll end up in a comfortable position but you’ll always have those one off situations where you can’t play the opening. The dutch is one of those situations unfortunately….Wish I had a better answer for you!
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Oh, no; no need to apologize! As I wrote above, as a teacher myself, it shows one of the ironies that drive students insane. Bob Newhart did a skit in the early 60s about a new Empire State Building security guard getting a week’s orientation on all the problems he will face in his job, and his first night on his own is the night King Kong climbs up the building. I’m well aware that no opening is ideal for all situations, and I personally used the Stonewall many years ago when I was in high school and first played regularly (there was a book I owned, How to Think Ahead in Chess). It works in many circumstances, and I’ve been enjoying using it again. All I was hoping for was some insight on the Dutch given the absurd circumstances in which I found myself immediately upon trying it yet again. By insight, I mean an approach that keeps the flavor of the Stonewall. If there’s none, so be it. This just seemed the best forum in which I could address it. Thanks for responding.
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