Van't Kruijs Opening: what to play after Nf6?

In the Van't Kruijs Opening after Black responds to the initial pawn push with a knight development, White's most reliable and flexible choice is d4, taking central space and transposing toward standard Queen's Pawn structures. Alternatively, the engine also evaluates Nf3 at +0.08, offering equal theoretical equality while maintaining maximum flexibility. Both options smoothly transition from White's modest first move into sound, principled setups without yielding early concessions.

Central Expansion with d4

The move d4 is by far the most common choice, appearing in 54.9% of recorded games (2.18M recorded) with a 47.7% score for White. By staking an immediate claim in the center, White prepares classical piece development while reinforcing the light squares. An illustrative engine continuation features d4 d5 Nf3 e6 Bd3 b6, leading to symmetrical and balanced play where both sides systematically mobilize their minor pieces.

Flexible Development with Nf3

Choosing Nf3 shares the engine's top evaluation of +0.08 and accounts for 14.3% of games (568K recorded), scoring 46.5% for White. This developing move keeps open multiple transpositions, avoiding early central commitments while waiting to see how Black organizes their kingside and center. A sample engine sequence is Nf3 e6 d4 b6 Bd3 d5, which quickly steers the game into standard Queen's Pawn or Colle-style territory.

Flank Alternatives: c4 and b3

White also frequently selects flank advances such as b3, played in 20.8% of encounters (825K recorded) with an engine evaluation of -0.12 and a 48.2% score. A sample continuation runs b3 e5 Bb2 Nc6 Nf3 e4, where White invites central tension against Black's advanced pawns. Another viable path is c4, played in 10.0% of games (397K recorded) with a -0.06 evaluation and a 48.1% score, seen in lines like c4 e5 Nc3 Nc6 Nf3 Bb4, creating an English Opening structure with reversed colors.