Chess Openings Lab
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Dutch Defense: Hopton Attack

The Hopton Attack is 2.Bg5 against the Dutch, developing the bishop before Black's knight reaches f6. White hopes to provoke ...h6 and ...g5 or to trade on f6 and damage Black's pawns, while Black tries to fianchetto or chase the bishop without weakening the king.

Moves
1.d4 f5 2.Bg5
ECO
A80
Engine
+0.57 · a slight edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
867 games in our lichess sample
White scores
53.1%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • The bishop on g5 eyes e7 and makes ...Nf6 less comfortable, since a capture on f6 can damage Black's pawns.
  • Against ...g6, develop with Nc3, e3 and Bc4, aiming the bishop at the light squares around g8.
  • If Black plays ...h6 and ...g5, retreat Bh4 and Bg3, then use e3 and later h4 to hit the loosened pawns.
  • With e3 played, watch for a queen check on h5 when the e8-h5 diagonal opens.

Black

  • 2...g6 and ...Bg7 is the engine's top choice, fianchettoing so the bishop on g5 has no target.
  • 2...h6 3.Bh4 g5 4.Bg3 wins space with tempo, but the kingside becomes loose.
  • Follow ...h6 and ...g5 with ...Bg7 and ...c5 to hit d4 before White exploits the holes.
  • After ...g5 and ...h6, never let the e8-h5 diagonal open with the queen able to check on h5.

Plans and pawn structure

The bishop on g5 tries to make Black's normal Dutch development awkward. If Black fianchettoes with ...g6, ...Bg7 and ...d6, White builds with e3, Bc4 and Nf3 or Ne2 and aims at e6 and g8. If Black kicks the bishop with ...h6 and ...g5, Black gains space and the bishop goes to g3, but the h5-e8 diagonal and the f5 pawn become targets. A famous trap lives here: if Black also plays ...f4 and ...h5 carelessly, White's queen and light bishop can mate along that diagonal.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.57: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for Black:

  1. +0.57 2...g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e3 d6 5.Bc4
  2. +0.58 2...h6 3.Bh4 g5 4.Bg3 Bg7 5.e3
  3. +0.64 2...d6 3.e3 g6 4.Bc4 Bg7 5.Ne2

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

867 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 53.1%.

under 120051.4%
1200–159957.6%
1600–199951.7%
2000 and up53.6%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

Traps and pitfalls

Dutch Defense Bg6 mate (White sets it)

In this Dutch Defense line, Black chases the g3 bishop with pawns and leaves the e8-h5 diagonal open. After 6...Rh6, White sacrifices the queen on h5 to drag the rook away, and Bg6 is mate.

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The Dutch Defense Bg6 mate explained

How to play against it

As Black, the safest reply is 2...g6 with ...Bg7, ...d6 and ...c6. If you choose ...h6 and ...g5, follow with ...Bg7 and ...c5, and do not push more kingside pawns while the e8-h5 diagonal is open. Never ignore a possible queen check on h5.

Questions

What are the moves of the Dutch Defense: Hopton Attack?

The Dutch Defense: Hopton Attack starts 1.d4 f5 2.Bg5. Its ECO code is A80.

Is the Dutch Defense: Hopton Attack good for White?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.57 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. In 867 lichess games from our sample, White scored 53.1%. A tricky sideline that punishes careless pawn grabs on the kingside; Black is fine with a calm fianchetto.

What is the main idea of the Dutch Defense: Hopton Attack?

White develops the dark bishop to g5 to disturb Black's ...Nf6. Black can fianchetto with ...g6 to make the bishop useless, or chase it with ...h6 and ...g5, which gains space but opens the king.

What should Black play next?

The engine's first choice is g6, with h6 and d6 close behind. 2...g6 prepares ...Bg7, so the g5 bishop has nothing to pin or trade on f6 for now.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.