The Stonewall Attack is a
chess opening characterized by White (generally) playing their pawns to d4 and e3, playing Bd3, Nd2, and then playing pawns to c3 and then f4; although the moves are not always played in that order (see
transposition). The Stonewall is a ''system''; White heads for a very specific
pawn formation, rather than trying to memorize long lines of different variations. If White puts up the
Stonewall formation it is called the ''Stonewall Attack'', regardless of how Black chooses to defend against it. When Black sets up a Stonewall formation, with
pawns on c6, d5, e6 and f5, then it is a variation of the
Dutch Defense. ''MCO-15''
[See page 511 and column no. 9.] gives the following as a main line: 1.d4 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.Bd3 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.f4.
''ECO''
Since the Stonewall system is used against a variety of Black defenses, the ''
Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings
The ''Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings'' () is a reference work describing the state of opening theory in chess, originally published in five volumes from 1974 to 1979 by the Serbian company Šahovski Informator (Chess Informant). It is current ...
'' (''ECO'') has trouble classifying it. Among the codes used are D00 (when Black has played ...d5), A45, and A03 (the code for
Bird's Opening).
Example game
This sample game
illustrates what can happen if Black defends weakly.
:1.d4 d5 2.f4 Nf6 3.e3 e6 4.Nf3 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.Bd3 Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 8.Nbd2 b6 9.Ne5 Bb7 10.g4 Qc7 11.g5 Nd7 12.Bxh7+ Kxh7 13.Qh5+ Kg8 14.Rf3 f6 15.Rh3 fxe5 16.g6
References
Bibliography
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{{Chess
Chess openings