J-dog wrote on 03/16/08 at 23:20:48:



More disimilar than similar.  Numbers can be incorrect because they are merely symbols that represent quantity.  Guns, while possibly symbols of a person's power and intent, are not merely symbols, they are tools, and neither a correct nor incorrect represenetation of a characteriostic known as "quantity."

Numbers are not tools; by definition.

The poll is 100 percent accurate in that it reflects what the people here actually voted.  Among those that voted, more people chose the Dutch.  Those are facts.

Now, the interpolation of those numbers into the larger chess community is where true artistic talent comes into play.     This is not the fault of the numbers, which merely represent (most accurately) one slice of reality.

And that reality is absolute and irrefutable:  People in this poll favoring the Dutch are mistaken. 

SniperOnG7 wrote on 03/16/08 at 19:23:29:

Even this is a lie, as Mark has learned it from others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lies%2C_damned_lies%2C_and_statistics

rossia wrote on 03/16/08 at 19:05:51:



Kalinichenko is like Schiller : he wrote much books, but all of them are craps. I have this one too, in russian language. If You are stronger than 1600 this book is waste of money.

Who is familiar with this repertoire books which gives Leningrad Dutch as main weapon:

An Aggressive Opening Repertoire for the Club Player
For both White and Black
by Nikolay Kalinichenko

Please visit for more information: http://www.newinchess.com/An_Aggressive_Opening_Repertoire_for_the_Club_Player-p...

PS The voting is over and the poll is closed. Thanks to all of you guys who helped in this statistical investigation.

Which part of "with the dynamic Leningrad Variation as Black's main weapon" was not clear? 

Thanks my friend.

Here is the announcement:

Play the Dutch
Thomas Rendle

There's no doubt that the Dutch Defence is one of Black's most enterprising answers to 1 d4. With his very first move Black strives to unbalance the position by adopting an asymmetrical pawnstructure, giving himself every opportunity possible to fight for the initiative from a very early stage - it's no surprise that the Dutch particularly appeals to ambitious players who are happy to do battle in complex positions.

In this book, Thomas Rendle tells you everything you need to know in order to play this opening successfully: the correct opening lines to choose; the fundamental ideas for both White and Black; the traps you can set and the pitfalls to watch out for; and the move order subtleties that play such an important part in the modern game. Rendle provides the reader with a comprehensive repertoire against 1 d4, with the dynamic Leningrad Variation as Black's main weapon. Read this book and play the Dutch with confidence!

    * An essential guide to the Dutch Defence
    * Offers a complete repertoire for Black against 1 d4
    * Contains additional suggestions against other first moves from White

Published August 2008 EU, September 2008 US | ISBN 9781857445763
Format Paperback, 192 pages

It would be much easier if I had asked about levels of play when I cretaed a poll.

So we have:

a) 1000-1600 Elo
b) 1600-2000 Elo
c) 2000-2200 Elo
d) 2200-2400 Elo
e) 2400-2600 Elo
f) 2600 Elo +++

I think that most of us ends in level c). This is the reason why I use Leningrad Dutch in my slaughterhouse.