Exeter Chess Club: The ideas behind the French

Defence
o White's chances on the King's-side
 White's chances on the K-side: Pillsbury - Lasker (Nuremberg, 1896)
o Black's chances on the Queen's-side
 Black's Queen's-side attack: Neumann - Tranmer, Manchester, 1950
o The bad Black light-squared Bishop and the bad endgame for Black
 Black's bad bishop and the bad Black endgame: Tarrasch,S -
Teichmann,R (14) [C14] (San Sebastian, 1912)
o The good endgame for Black
 Fischer,R - Petrosian,T [C12] Curacao ct, 1962
o French pawn formations
 A : The hanging centre (=/+=)
 White's chances with a hanging centre: Nimzovitch - Salwe (Carlsbad,
1911)
 Black's chances with the hanging centre: Van Scheltinga - Van der Tol
[C02] , 1946
 B : The c5 lever only (+=)
 White's chances with only the ...c5 lever: Tarrasch - Noa (Hamburg,
1885)
 C : The f6 lever only (+=)
 Example with only the ...f6 lever: Hubner - Larsen (2) [C04] Montreal
Intl, 1979
 D : Two open files (+/-)
 White's chances with two open files: Watson - Short (Brighton, 1983)
 E : No pawn levers (+-)
 Tarrasch - Eckart [C05] Nuremberg, 1889
 F : The isolated Queen's Pawn (+=)
 Tatai-Korchnoi, Beersheva 1978
 G : The Winawer Formation (=/+=)
 Blacks chances in the Winawer: Tolush - Botvinnik (Ussr Ch'p, 1945)
 H : The French 'Small Centre' (=/+=) (Thanks, Peter!)
Consider the French defence pawn formation in
the diagram. You can sort of 'feel' that White
should be attacking on the K-side, and Black on
the Q-side. That's where they each have more
space, and can organise their attacks better.
Nimzovitch taught that these 'pawn chains'
should be attacked at the base - in this case, at
d4 and e6. White will aim for the pawn break
f2-f4-f5; Black with ...c7-c5 and/or ...b7-b5-b4.
So In the line after 1 e4, e5; 2 d4, d5; 3 e5 we
see 3...c5, attacking the base. The immediate
reply 4.c3 by White transfers the base, and
therefore the focus of the attack, to c3. Black
can push past with ...c4 and go for ....b5-b4, or
exchange on d4 with ....cxd4,cxd4 which brings
the base one step mearer again, at cost of
relieving some tension. There can follow
4...Nc6; 5 Nf3, Qb6. now the natural 6.Bd3
leaves the d-pawn exposed (although you can
play it as a gambit), and a logical sequence is: 6
Be2, cxd4; 7 cxd4, Bb4+ 8 Kf1 since 8. Bd2
risks 8...Nxd4. Nowadays we are less rigid
about these things: for example, White need not
sit back on the Q-side, and instead often plays
6.a3 threatening b4, and experience has shown
that this is not an idle threat. Black usually
moves one more step down the chain with
6...c4, but a playable alternative is 6...f6!?,
attacking the head and not the base. Admittedly
after 7 exf6 Black's e-pawn is a bit sickly, but
for the moment White is in no position to attack
it.
The most important feature of positions shown
in the first diagram is not itself actually shown:
this is the Black light-squared (Queen's)
Bishop. Stuck behind the pawn on e6, it will
play little role in the game for a while. This
feature led Bob Wade to coin the line 1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 planning ...Bd7
and ...Bb5. Recently there has been a small
fashion for 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4.
Nxe4 Bd7!? idea ...Bc6. More commonly Black
will play ...b6 and ....Ba6 to secure the
exchange (see Hubner-Larsen), but often as not
Black just carries this piece as a slight liability
on d7, waiting for its chances after ...e5 or in an
endgame when it might reappear on b5.
White's chances on the
King's-side
The King's-side attack is mainly seen in the
middlegame. There are genuine chances here
for White, particularly if there are other factors
favouring the attack. For example, in the
Alekhine-Chatard attack White sacrifices a
pawn: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7
5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4!? for an open h-file and
attacking chances, or in another line
Nimzovitch invented 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. Qg4!?, giving up the d-pawn but intending
to base an attack on the wedge at e5, when
Black's usual Queen's-side attack has no natural
outlet. There are many attractive miniatures
where White's attack crashes through in these
lines. However, Black players with a little
knowledge of these lines can avoid the worst
dangers, and so White usually plays more
slowly.
White's chances on the K-side: Pillsbury -
Lasker (Nuremberg, 1896)
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4
c5 6. dxc5 Nc6 7. a3 Nxc5 8. b4 Nd7 9. Bd3
a5 10. b5 Ncb8 11. Nf3 Nc5 12. Be3 Nbd7 13.
O-O g6 14. Ne2 Be7 15. Qe1 Nb6 16. Nfd4
Despite the weak c-pawn, White is well placed
here: Black cannot quickly organise a Queen's-
side attack while the White Bishops are nicely
placed to influence events on both sides. The
Black King cannot comfortable castle ...O-O
with the holes all over the defences there.
16... Bd7 17. Qf2 Nba4 18. Rab1 h5 19. b6
Nxd3 20. cxd3 Bxa3 21. f5
Just as Black is getting somewhere on the
Queen's-side we have a classic Pillsbury
breakthrough. This is a vacating sacrifice to
allow the Ne2 to move up into firing position,
hoping to catch the Black King in the centre.
21... gxf5 22. Nf4 h4 23. Ra1 Be7 24. Rxa4
A deflecting sacrifice, pulling the Bd7 away
from the support of e6.
24...Bxa4 25. Nfxe6 fxe6 26. Nxe6 Bd7 27.
Nxd8 Rxd8
The Queen rather than the King was caught!
The attack has thus resulted in a small material
advantage (Q v. RB) which White converts
with continued vigour.
28. Bc5 Rc8 29. Bxe7 Kxe7 30. Qe3 Rc6 31.
Qg5+ Kf7 32. Rc1 Rxc1+ 33. Qxc1 Rc8 34.
Qe1 h3 35. gxh3 Rg8+ 36. Kf2 a4 37. Qb4
Rg6 38. Kf3 1-0
Black's chances on the
Queen's-side
Just as White can hope for good things on the
King's-side, Black has opportunities on the
other side of the board.
Black's Queen's-side attack: Neumann -
Tranmer, Manchester, 1950
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4
The sharp MacCutcheon Variation.
5. e5 h6 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. bxc3 Ne4 8. Bd3
Nxd2 9. Qxd2 c5 10. dxc5 Qc7 11. Qe3 O-O
12. Ne2 Nd7 13. f4 Nxc5 14. O-O Bd7 15. Rf3
Rac8 16. Rh3 f5 17. Qd4 Rf7 18. c4 dxc4 19.
Bxc4 Be8 20. Qe3 b5 21. Bb3 Re7 22. Nd4
Kh7 23. Qe2 Qb6
White's energetic start has not given him
anything concrete. Meanwhile, Black has
ample opportunities on the Queen's-side, with a
sickly pawn on c2 to lean on.
24. Kh1 Ne4 25. Rd3 a5 26. a3 Bf7 27. Qe3
Qc5 28. Rf1 a4 29. Ba2 Nc3
The point immediately in front of an isolated
pawn is a great outpost for a Knight. The
Bishop retreats, but soon wishes it had a 0-th
rank to retire further.
30. Bb1 Rec7 31. Qc1
31... b4 32. Rff3 Qa5 33. Qb2 bxa3 34. Qa1
Qb4 35. Ba2
[35. Rf1 Qb2 36. Qxb2 axb2 and ...a4-a3-a2]
35... Nxa2 36. Qxa2 Qe1+ 0-1
The bad Black light-squared Bishop and the
bad endgame for Black
Everyone (Stean, Harding, Taulbut...) quotes
this game: Tarrasch gives a beautifully clear
example of what can go wrong for Black with
the bad light-squared Bishop in the endgame.
All the other pieces come off, and Black cannot
stop an invasion of the White King on the dark
squares.
[Why does everybody quote this game?
Laziness? Or is it that it's not so easy to do for
White? Or that Black players now see it
coming and avoid it?]
Black's bad bishop and the bad Black
endgame: Tarrasch,S -
Teichmann,R (14) [C14] (San
Sebastian, 1912)
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5
Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. Qd2 O-O 8. f4 c5 9.
Nf3 Nc6 10. g3 a6 11. Bg2 b5 12. O-O cxd4
13. Nxd4 Nxd4 14. Qxd4 Qc5 15. Qxc5 Nxc5
The Queens have come off leaving a bad Black
Bishop. White has potential control of the d4
point and would ideally like to get rid of the
Black Knight for his own Knight or Bishop, so
that he can occupy d4 unchallenged.
16. Ne2 Bd7 17. Nd4 Rac8 18. Kf2 Rc7 19.
Ke3 Re8 20. Rf2 Nb7 21. Bf1 Na5 22. b3 h6
23. Bd3 Nc6 24. Nxc6 Bxc6 25. Kd4
The moment the Black Knight disappears the
King moves up into position.
25... Bd7 26. g4 Bc8 27. h4 g6 28. Rh1 Kg7
29. h5 Rh8 30. Rfh2 Bd7 31. g5 hxg5 32. fxg5
Rxh5 33. Rxh5 gxh5 34. Rxh5
White has used the extra space and good
Bishop to make some progress on the King's-
side. This progress consists of open lines, and
Black cannot easily oppose Rooks on the h-file
because the White King would immediately
barge in through the unlocked door at c5.
34... Kf8 35. Rh8+ Ke7
White is two pieces up on the King's-side.
36. g6 fxg6 37. Bxg6 b4 38. Rh7+ Kd8 39.
Bd3 Rc3 40. a3 a5 41. Rh8+ Ke7 42. Ra8 1-0
The good endgame for Black
If White's King's-side initiative dies down,
which it often will with an exchange of Queens,
White may be left facing a persistent Queen's-
side attack from Black (after all, not trying for
mate, the Q exchange need not affect its force)
and perhaps over-exposed pawns.
Here is a well known example.
Fischer,R - Petrosian,T [C12] Curacao ct,
1962
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4 5.e5 h6
6.Bd2 Bxc3 7.Bxc3 Ne4 8.Ba5 0-0 9.Bd3 Nc6
10.Bc3
White has got nothing from his Bishop
excursions.
10...Nxc3 11.bxc3 f6 12.f4 fxe5 13.fxe5 Ne7
14.Nf3 c5 15.0-0 Qa5 16.Qe1 Bd7 17.c4 Qxe1
18.Rfxe1 dxc4 19.Be4 cxd4 20.Bxb7 Rab8
21.Ba6 Rb4
After the exchange of Queens there is still an
initiative (and for the moment a pawn) for
Black. White successfully fends off the first
wave...
22.Rad1 d3 23.cxd3 cxd3 24.Rxd3 Bc6
25.Rd4 Rxd4 26.Nxd4 Bd5 27.a4 Rf4
But the defence has left White passive an
uncoordinated. Black manoevres skilfully to
weave a win.
28.Rd1 Ng6 29.Bc8 Kf7 30.a5 Nxe5 31.a6
Rg4 32.Rd2 Nc4 33.Rf2+ Ke7 34.Nb5 Nd6
35.Nxd6 Kxd6 36.Bb7 Bxb7 37.axb7 Kc7
38.h3 Rg5 39.Rb2 Kb8 40.Kf2 Rd5 41.Ke3
Rd7 42.Ke4 Rxb7 43.Rf2 0-1
French pawn formations
Fine gives a helpful analysis of possible pawn
formations which might arise from the French.
With a sensible distribution of pieces, we
might expect
A : The hanging centre (=/+=)
FIX
This is best for Black. It is also the most
common and important type of centre. The e-
pawn is weak but White cannot easily attack
the K-side because of the need to prevent ...e5.
In most French games Black can keep White
worrying about enough other things on the
board to stop White making much use of
theoretical advantages.
An actual example:
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5
This is the classic French conjuring trick with
the White pawn centre.
3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7
Qxe7 7. f4 O-O
Now you see it...
8. Nf3 c5 9. Bd3 f5 10. exf6 Rxf6 11. Qd2 Nc6
12. dxc5 Nxc5
...Now you don't! Without the f-pawn White
risks being rolled over. Even with the f-pawn
White must still pay constant attention to Black
possibilities of an ...e5 break, so much so that
White may undertake little elsewhere on the
board.
Another example:
3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7.
Ne2 cxd4 8. cxd4
White can count this exchange a partial relief.
8...Qb6 9. Nf3 f6 10. exf6 Nxf6 11. O-O Bd6
12. Nc3 O-O 13. Re1 Bd7
This formation is more favourable to White,
but look at the pieces! White has spent so much
time carefully arranging the pawns and Knights
that the Black pieces have had time to come to
very good squares. The proud White d-pawn is
under some pressure (not lots of pressure yet
because of the Bxh7+ trick), the White
Queen's-side is no more developed now than at
move three, and Black can eye up a few stray
White pawns (b2, d4, f2). The position possibly
is slightly more favourable to White, but in
practical play the conversion to a full point is a
long hard struggle in which Black has good
chances to win, since if ...e5 does ever come
the d-pawn will be passed.
White's chances with a hanging centre:
Nimzovitch - Salwe (Carlsbad, 1911)
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6
6. Bd3 Bd7 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. O-O f6 9. b4 Be7
10. Bf4 fxe5 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. Bxe5
This is the hanging centre in the worst form for
Black: White has a through blockade.
12... Nf6 13. Nd2 O-O 14. Nf3 Bd6 15. Qe2
Rac8 16. Bd4 Qc7 17. Ne5 Be8 18. Rae1 Bxe5
19. Bxe5 Qc6 20. Bd4 Bd7 21. Qc2 Rf7 22.
Re3 b6
White has maintained the restraint of the
pawns, and has pointed his Bishops at the
Black King.
23. Rg3 Kh8 24. Bxh7
White is now a pawn up, and exchanges down
to a won ending.
24...e5 25. Bg6 Re7 26. Re1 Qd6 27. Be3 d4
28. Bg5 Rxc3 29. Rxc3 dxc3 30. Qxc3 Kg8
31. a3 Kf8 32. Bh4 Be8 33. Bf5 Qd4 34. Qxd4
exd4 35. Rxe7 Kxe7 36. Bd3 Kd6 37. Bxf6
gxf6
38. h4 1-0
Black's chances with the hanging centre:
Van Scheltinga - Van der Tol
[C02] , 1946
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. dxc5 Nc6 5. Nf3
Bxc5 6. Bd3 f5 7. exf6 Nxf6 8. O-O O-O 9. c4
e5
The centre begins to roll... the central pawns
are exposed, so Black needs to play sharply
(i.e. vigorously and accurately). That's just
what he does!
10. cxd5 e4! 11. dxc6 Qxd3 12. Qxd3 exd3
13. Ne5
White really needs to get a few more reserves
into action.
[13. Nc3 bxc6 14. Na4 Bd6 15. Be3 <=>/=+]
13... bxc6 14. Nxd3 Bd4 15. Be3
[15. Nc3 Ba6 16. Rd1 Rad8 17. Ne2 Bxd3 18.
Rxd3 Bxf2+]
15... Bxe3 16. fxe3 Ba6 17. Rd1 Rad8 18. Nf2
Rxd1+ 19. Nxd1 Ne4 20. Nf2 Nxf2 0-1
B : The c5 lever only (+=)
White can exchange dxc4 and aim to put a N
on d4: this is better for White in the
middlegame (ideas of f5) and the endgame
(good N vs. bad Bc8)
White's chances with only the ...c5 lever:
Tarrasch - Noa (Hamburg, 1885)
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5.
Nce2 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. f4 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bb4+ 9.
Bd2 Qb6 10. Nf3 O-O 11. Bxb4 Qxb4+ 12.
Qd2 Nb6 13. Nc3 Rd8 14. Nb5 Bd7 15. Nd6
Rab8 16. Rc1 Qxd2+ 17. Kxd2 Nc8 18. Nb5
a6 19. Nc3 N8e7 20. Bd3 Rbc8 21. b3 Nb4 22.
a3 Nbc6 23. b4 h6 24. h4 Nb8 25. Ke3 Rc7
26. Rc2 Rdc8 27. Rhc1 Kf8 28. g4 Be8 29.
Nd2 Nd7 30. Nb3 Nb6 31. Nc5
After a long first act we see the c-file being
hotly contested with an additional two plus
points for White: the outpost on c5 and the
initiative on the King's-side. At this point Black
snaps and concedes a pawn for some chances to
re-arrange his defences.
31... Nc4+ 32. Bxc4 dxc4 33. N5e4 b5 34. Nd6
Rb8 35. f5 Bd7 36. Rf2 Nd5+ 37. Nxd5 exd5
White has exhanged all but Black's least useful
minor piece.
38. g5 h5 39. Rcf1 Kg8 40. g6
The exchanges have left the Queen's-side
blocked while the King's-side pawns keep
rolling along... This push wins an outpost on
f7(!).
40... f6 41. Re2 Bc6 42. Rfe1 Rd8 43. Kf4
fxe5+ 44. Rxe5
White now has the e-file all to himself, and
Black cannot strike down the impudent Knight
because of the back rank mate. Black tries to
contest the e-file...
44... Kf8 45. Nf7 Re8 46. Ng5 Rce7 47. Nh7+
1-0
C : The f6 lever only (+=)
White can exchange exf6 and restrain the e-
pawn: this usually signals a good middle-game
for White and a better ending.
Example with only the ...f6 lever: Hubner -
Larsen (2) [C04] Montreal Intl,
1979
1. d4 e6 2. e4 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5
Nd7 6. Nb3 a5 7. a4!? b6 8. c3 Be7 9. Bd3
Ba6 10. Bxa6 Rxa6
After the exchange of the bad light-squared
Bishop, Black can look forward to reasonable
chances in the middlegame.
11. O-O Ra8 12. Re1 Nf8 13. Nbd2 Ng6 14.
Nf1 Qd7 15. Qe2 O-O 16. Ng3 Rae8 17. Nh5
f6
18. Nf4 Nxf4 19. Bxf4 f5
(= Taulbut) After some inaccuracies bu both
sides, White steers home a win, but at this point
chances are probably about equal.
20. Reb1 Ra8 21. Qb5 Rfc8 22. Bg5 Bf8 23.
Bd2 h6 24. b4 g5 ?! 25. h4 g4 26. Ne1 Qe8 27.
Qd3 axb4 28. cxb4 Ra7 29. Bc3 Rca8 30.
Qd1 Nd8 31. b5 c5 ?! 32. dxc5 Bxc5 33. Nd3
Nb7 34. g3 d4 ?! 35. Bd2 Bf8 36. Qb3 ?! 36...
Rc8 37. Rc1 Raa8 38. Ra2 Rxc1+ 39. Bxc1
Na5 40. Qd1 Rc8 41. Rc2 Rc3 ?! 42. Rxc3
dxc3 43. Qc2 Qc8 44. Be3
44... Qc4 45. Bxb6 Nb3 46. Be3 Na1 47. Qe2
Qxa4 48. b6 Nb3 49. Qc2 Qc4 50. Qa2 Qd5
51. Nf4 Qd1+ 52. Kh2 c2 53. Qxb3 1-0
D : Two open files (+/-)
This is poor timing: both ...f6 and ...c5 have
been tried but the White centre is stronger than
ever, and will be unhindered by the need to
defend a tense centre. A good middlegame for
White but only a slightly better ending.
White's chances with two open files: Watson
- Short (Brighton, 1983)
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4
c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ndf3 Qb6
8. g3 cxd4 9. cxd4 Bb4+ 10. Kf2 g5 11. Be3 f6
12. Bh3 gxf4 13. gxf4 fxe5 14. fxe5 Rf8
There is no pawn tension in the centre now.
Both Kings are a little exposed, but what
matters is getting men into the box.
15. Ne2 Be7 16. Qd2 Ndb8 17. Rhf1 Na6 18.
Kg2 Bd7 19. Ng5
White's Knight parachutes in. Of course,
...Bxg5 removes the intruder but at cost of
cenceding the dark squares.
19... Rg8 20. Kh1 Na5 21. b3 Rg7
White spies loose piece on a5.
22. Bxe6 Bxe6 23. Nxe6 Qxe6 24. Qxa5 1-0
A pawn down with the King still stuck in the
middle, Nosher had seen enough.
E : No pawn levers (+-)
White's game at its best: a built-in King's side
attack with f4 and even g4 is unhindered by the
need to defend the centre, and Black's pieces
have very little room, and no counterplay to
slow up White's attack. I actually couldn't find
an example of this, but some of Black's
problems are illustrated in the following early
game in the Tarrasch Variation by its founder.
Tarrasch - Eckart [C05] Nuremberg, 1889
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
This distinctly unclassical move has been a
major line ever since: it avoids the ...Bb4 pin,
allows c2-c3 reinforcing the d-pawn, and has a
mind to go later to f3, while the Ng1 goes via
e2 to f4 or g3. 3... Nf6
4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ne2 Qb6 8.
Nf3 Be7
This is now recognised as too slow.
9. O-O O-O 10. Nf4 Nd8 11. Qc2
Black's king is in the firing line with little
support. This is the sort of fierce initiative
Black can be faced with if no counterplay is
forthcoming. Now Black is obliged to move the
f-pawn.
11... f5 12. exf6 Nxf6 13. Ng5
Black must make some concession on the
King's-side
13... g6 14. Bxg6
In such positions, this sacrifice is a matter of
technique more than imagination.
14... hxg6 15. Qxg6+ Kh8 16. Qh6+ Kg8 17.
Ng6 1-0
The gang of thuggish White pieces cannot be
stopped.
F : The isolated Queen's Pawn (+=)
Typically this arises through the Tarrasch
Variation, as Karpov and Korchnoi battled on
through their 1974 match, e.g. game 16:
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 exd5 5.
Ngf3 Nc6 6. Bb5 Bd6 7. O-O cxd4 8. Nb3
Nge7 9. bxd4 O-O 10. c3 Bg4 11. Qa4
Qd7 ...etc.
Karpov repeatedly showed that Black labours
under a disadvantage in this line, and Korchnoi
repeatedly showed that it was possible to draw
with the IQP. The IQP is associated with
possibilities for a Knight outpost on e4 and
chances for a King's-side attack, as in this
striking game:
Tatai-Korchnoi, Beersheva 1978
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Bd3 c5 5.
Nf3 Nc6 6. Qe2+ Be7 7. dxc5 Nf6 8. h3 O-O
DIAGRAM
Having played h3, White now castles under it.
9. O-O Bxc5 10. c3 Re8 11. Qc2 Qd6 12.
Nbd2 DIAGRAM
The weakness created by h3 now meets swift
punishment.
12...Qg3 13. Bf5 Re2 14. Nd4 Nxd4 0-1
(resigns, because 14... Nxd4 15. cxd4 Bxd4 16.
Bxc8 Rxf2 and Black will soon mate)
G : The Winawer Formation (=/+=)
White has prospects of a King's-side attack
with f4-f5, but Black's attack on the c-pawns
can be certain of opportunities. The big
structural disadvantage for Black is the lack of
the Bf8, creating possibilities of a dark-square
campaign. Black should castle Queen's-side, if
at all.
Blacks chances in the Winawer: Tolush -
Botvinnik (Ussr Ch'p, 1945)
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3
Bxc3+ 6. bxc3
The basic Winawer start. White can play Qg4
or more slowly:
6... Ne7 7. Nf3 Qa5 8. Bd2 c4 9. a4 Nd7 10.
Be2 Nb6
White is passive and Black has already rounded
up a Queen's-side pawn.
11. O-O Nxa4 12. Nh4 Ng6 13. Nxg6 hxg6
The open h-file will be important later. Black
has potential initiatives on both sides.

14. Re1 Bd7 15. Bf1 b5 16. Qf3 Rb8 17. Reb1
Qc7 18. Bc1 a5

Black's Queen's-side advance rolls.

19. Ba3 Rb6 20. Qg3 Qd8 21. Bd6

This is the problem with the Winawer: you may

get a Bishop stuck in your throat. Here Black
sacrifices the exchange, confident he has
enough going for him on the Q-side, which the
Bishop was holding up!

21... Rxd6 22. exd6 Bc6 23. h3 Kd7 24. Re1

Qh4 25. Qe5 Qf6 26. Qg3 Rh4 27. Re3 Rf4
28. Be2 Qh4 29. Bf3 b4

White is hanging on grimly.

30. Qxh4 Rxh4 31. g3 Rh8 32. cxb4 axb4 33.

Rb1 Rb8 34. h4 Rb7 35. Kh2 Kxd6 36. g4
Nc3 37. Ra1 Nb5 38. Rd1 Ra7 39. h5 g5 40.
Kg2 Ra2 0-1

This document (frencheg.html) was last

modified on 30 Jan 1996 by

Dr. Dave