I use the ...Bb4 approach regularly, and the exchange on c3 makes the development easier for Black.  Plus, Black doesn't necessarily have to commit to attacking on the kingside.  There have been quite a few times I have went to the queenside for battle, but all too often there is room for attack on the kingside.  This also goes for playing 1. f4, of course.  And then, I find myself often (recently) playing h3-g4 with a pawn assault on the kingside.   

Of course, looking at ...Ne4, if NxN, then recapturing with the pawn fixes White's pawn structure and allows Black to prepare an attack.  Many times when White players would capture the Ne4, after fxe4 Black not only has an open f-file, but after preparing his pieces, e5! will open the lines of attack for the queen bishop.   

But as far as ...Nc6 goes, I am not sure that I agree totally with the piece landing on a6.  I can either play ...Qe8 and then ...Nc6, leaving d8 open for the knight, or I can play ...Na5/...c5/...b6/...Nb7 and reactivate my knight that way, while at the same time gaining some queenside space.   And if White does not fight back immediately, then ...e5 is in the mix.

If I were playing the IZ for the first time, I would concentrate key games and variations with ...Qe8 and ...a5, particularly some of the pawn sac ideas with ...e6-e5.  ...Nc6 is sometimes difficult to play, and this piece often goes to a6.  All this was Iljin-Zhenevsky's original conception, and I think it would be important to understand before looking at early ...Ne4 ideas.  Be cautious about playing ...Qh5 with White's queen on d1 or e2, since it often just leads to an exchange of queens, which typically favors White.

 

Good point, the Williams book responds to "Alekhine's...Ne4" that you suggest with four possible 7th move responses by White, of these two flow directly into the Stonewall with an early ...d5. Since I plopped down good $$ for Win with the Stonewall, I might as well give it a perusal nonetheless.

Thank you for your speedy and thorough reply. I am not a big fan of McDonald's Starting Out: The Dutch Defense, because he makes a difficult, or better still challenging, opening to be fairly straightforward. This may instill confidence in the user, but after a few early setbacks may leave him/her having self-doubts as to why such a simple opening could not yield better results, leaving him to doubt his own abilities.
If this is why you are not that big on him then we are in agreement. Otherwise I would like to know what it is about the book you frown upon.

Cheers, Bowen

I am just starting out with an incursion into the field of the Classical Dutch and had a few questions for the seasoned pros on this site. I am readying myself for a couple of tournaments coming up this August, so I should have some time to study up.

I have picked up the following books and am in need of some suggestions on how to narrow down my study time: The Stonewall Dutch, by Aagard; Win with the Stonewall Dutch; The Classical Dutch, by Pinski; Play the Classical Dutch, by Williams, and Starting Out: The Dutch Defence, by McDonald. Which books should I focus on (each seems to have their respective strengths), Pinski is from 2002 but seems to have some good games. The ebook on this site is dated 2004 and is based on Pinski; Williams is quite invigorating but seems to contain fewer games. The two stonewall books just arrived two days ago so I haven't had time to look at them. McDonald's Starting Out... I have read through and like quite a bit, but it too is several years out of date.

The reason I chose the Classical Dutch to play was due to its slower evolving theory and thus less study time as it is away from the field of "constant updates". According to McDonald it is necessary for all Dutch Classical players to know the transpositional possibilities into the Stonewall. Therefore I need to study/prepare for the Classical and the Stonewall. Any suggestions, I don't wish to study a line in depth then find 7. Ne4 is passe and 7. a5 is really the way to go.

Also, as I will be traveling out of town and traveling light, which books shouls I necessarily bring?

Thank you for your help in this matter, Bowen