The problem is Te1 followed by e4. A very annoying gambit described in NIC YB 100 and in an old CBM. Black can hold but all the fun is for white and playing for a win is really a problem for black. I stopped playing Qe8 for that reason and concentrated on c6 I still find in a very good shape and It's possible to transpose into some Qe8 lines (without a5). Nakamura prefers to go for an immediate e5 instead. It's simpler and he says it's not as drawish as it looks.

As for the Leningrad being risky, yes of course. But so is the KID. When I considered switching back to the KID after several years of Leningrad practice, I feld unconfortable with all the centre occupied by white pawns. And White as so many systemsranging from the 4P to the Bg2 systems. At least in the dutch, all the critical stuff is in the Bg2 systems (and some anti dutch, imo).
The same with the e6 sicilians I play against e4. I feel violating chess principles at every move. So many pawn moves, developping the queen first at c7, a lot of space conceded to white...But at the moment it's considered good despite all you could argue against. May be the Dutch will one day jump in the same wagon of openings respectable despite some suspicious initial moves.

Looking at chessdom comentaries during a Naka game recently the commentator said that the Qe8 was not played that much any more due to the Re1 line. Must confess that i dont follow that much at the latest and greatest games and theory any more (I have realized that I am at a level where the games are not decided in this phase alone). What is the problem with the Re1 line? 

Kindermann recommended this line but also provided a solution for black... 

Is it a real problem?

bragesjo wrote on 01/25/12 at 14:49:35:

For me the total opposite happened. I've also played the Leningrad for a decade now and my results with black have improved dramatically. You are correct it's not easy to handle but if you follow Kindermann's book (probably the best repertoire book ever written) and study it carefully you should be fine. 
Kindermann (rightly, I think) recommends 1.d4 f5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.0-0 d6 6.Nc3 Qe8 7.d5 a5 as main line. The official main line 7. ... Na6 allows white to expand on the Queen's side. I've tried other lines as well like 6. ... Nc6 but I think they are less good and I suffered some defeats here after a bad opening. Not so when following Kindermann. Of course I've lost following Kindermann as well, but this was not due to the opening. I think black position is good and solid here so not risky from a positional point of view. More often than not the backward pawn on e7 and the "hole" on e6 are non-issues.

I think it was Damljanovic, but I am not sure. I saw the game and Black won.

I can also add that if black realy wants to archive the e5 break in the Leningrad mainline 8 .. c6 is the move. After the best move 9 d5 black can play e5. However it leeds to a dull positon where black is potenially slightly worse (weak pawn at d6).

I think the problem between Dutch and King's Indian is that with ...f5 in the Dutch before ...e5, any ...e5 is difficult to achieve and to form the pawn structure in the King's Indian with d6/e5/f4/g5 that is conducive to a starting kingside attack, in part due to the en-passant dxe6 since White usually advances d5, and/or the Black d-pawn would be en prise. Additionally the backward e-pawn might be under pressure already by the White rooks. 

In the King's Indian, ...e5 is already present, and ...f5 is much easier to achieve. White cannot liquidate the centre and prevent the kingside play as easily as against the Dutch. The d- and e-files are usually blocked, so there is no backward d-pawn, and exchanging pawns on f5 would not accomplish as much as against the Dutch. And then of course in the King's Indian if Black's position indicates that a kingside attack is not necessary or according to the particular position, then Black can simply forgo ...f5 and play with another plan, unlike the Dutch.

Just a guess from playing the King's Indian for about 7 years, not sure if the reasons are correct or not, but just what I have experienced.

I used to play (Leningrad) Dutch defence for a over a decade and my conclusions is that blacks position is not that easy to handle. The opening is risky from a positionall point of view but if white makes a single suboptimal move black can get good attacking chanses, sometimes against whites kingside and sometimes even strong queenside play. The funny thing is that my chess started to improve when I swithed opening to Nimzo Indian.

saubhikr wrote on 01/25/12 at 02:41:32:


Attributed to Yusupov by Kindermann in his book on the Leningrad Dutch.