The Unexplored French Defense - TLS

[Event "?
"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Introduction and Background of this Repertoire"]
[Black "Ideas and background of this vs. ?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6
{ Welcome to this repertoire! Let me tell you a bit about it, about how it was
created, which goals I have set to accomplish while writing and the philosophy
behind it. This is my sixth Chessable repertoire overall and my second full
Black opening repertoire. The French Defense has always been a fascinating
opening to me. At first, primarily because I lost a lot of games against it with
the white pieces, and then because I learned to appreciate the complexity of the
arising positions and the beauty of being able to focus on the strategic aspects of
this incredibly versatile defense. Not only have I spent countless hours
analyzing the French for my own tournament purposes, but also, during a few last
years of my coaching career, it somehow happened that a huge number - between a
third and a half - of my students have been French players. Most of them learned
French before starting to work with me, and, of course, as any reasonable coach
would do, I helped them understand their opening deeper as opposed to asking them
to play some other one that I had even more experience with. The main motivation
behind this course, as you can guess, has been creating a course based on the hours
of preparation and research done for my students, and together with my students.
One amazing thing about the French is that not only is it an opening that allows
you to avoid direct confrontation, which is absolutely happening in the 1. e4 e5
gambits, but also, it's an opening that most club players and tournament players
below 2000-2100 FIDE have extremely limited experience with. Unsurprisingly, this
gives us a tremendous practical edge, since when there are no forced variations,
and the position remains closed for a long time, the player who knows plans and
ideas better tends to prevail. Naturally, such an opening also fits really well
with my latest preference, which is being able to offer the students of the course
a large chapter on typical pawn structures, plans, maneuvres, and ideas. At the
risk of sounding a bit crazy, I would like to make a statement: every opening has a
soul. A philosophy, if you will. A key idea. To me, the main idea of the French
Defense is solving the problem of the light-squared bishop, which happens to be
rather passive since move 1, as we block it with ...e7-e6. Of course, French
can be played in many other ways: there are setups that focus on the ...f7-f6
break, and so on. But I prefer focusing on trading the light-squared bishop as soon
as possible. If necessary, we are happy to use other plans, but this one is the
trademark of the course. That's why in many variations, such as in the Exchange
and Advance variations, as well as partially in the Tarrasch, I've primarily
focused on finding a way to quickly trade the bishops. By the way, if your rating
is anywhere below 1800-2000 USCF/ 1600-1800 FIDE, those are the variations you will
be seeing in about 70-80% of your games. At the same time, while dealing with the
two biggest theoretical challenges of this repertoire, which are 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3
and @@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0
3@@EndFEN@@ 3.Nd2 Be7 4.e5 , I have chosen an incredibly modern and ambitious
path, which consists of quickly throwing the kingside pawns up the board - in
particular, the move ...g7-g5! is a trademark of those parts of the repertoire. I
have been deeply inspired by the way Alphazero revolutionized chess in the last few
years, and have been mostly analyzing with its more accessible successor, Lc0.
Leela likes this plan a lot, and while it might seem a bit unnatural at first, I
actually found it very rational and could not help but recommend it. It is also
worth giving a bit of data. As those of you who studied my previous repertoires
are likely to know, one of my main objectives has always been practicality. I don't
like following 15-move-long theoretical lines. Not only do I hate doing that in my
own games, but even more than that, I hate the idea of recommending doing that to
club players, who have other, much more important chess activities, such as
studying middlegame ideas, plans, working on their calculation, and so on. So,
let's look at the data: 1) After 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 , Chessbase pulls 247 000
games. After my move 3...Be7 , there is just 1000(!) left. So, how likely is your
opponent to know what to do against that move? You can jump to the conclusion
yourself. 2) After @@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR w
KQkq - 0 3@@EndFEN@@ 3.Nd2 there are 156 000 games played. Well, we go 3...Be7
again, and decrease that number to 10 000 . Now, we are competing in superior
conditions. 3) After @@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR
w KQkq - 0 3@@EndFEN@@ 3.e5 c5 4.c3 , there are 78 000 games in the database.
By move 5, we reduce that to 6700. 4) After
@@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 3@@EndFEN@@
3.exd5 exd5 , there are 69 000 games played. Okay, by move 5, it's down to
4000. 5) @@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0
3@@EndFEN@@ 3.Bd3 has been featured in 6000 games. By move 5, we are down to 150!
As you can see, it is not unfair to call the lines in this repertoire rather
unexplored and fresh. But, I am perfectly confident in their soundness and am happy
to use them myself. And I want you to deviate from the path where everyone knows
what they are doing, too! Finally, of course, this repertoire features more than
20 model games. I wholeheartedly believe the idea of studying chess by just looking
at the variations is not a very good one, because you forget the lines, but
remember the ideas. So, the ideas are best explained via real-life examples, and we
have plenty of those. On a final, semi-joking note: my previous repertoire,
1.Nf3, has featured a full White repertoire in less than 250 trainable variations.
Since then, I made a promise: if any of my future courses results in more than that
number, I will just delete the extra lines :) I want anyone to be able to start
playing the given systems now, in a couple of days, and master them within a few
weeks or months, not take a year to just go through each line once. Alors,
mesdames et messieurs, merci de votre attention. Bienvenue et bonne chance! }
2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
{ There are 247 000 games in the database here. Wait a second. 3.Nd2 156 000
games. 3...Be7 Just 10 000 now. Again, your opponent won't have any experience.
3.e5 c5 4.c3 78 000 games here. 4...Qb6 5.Nf3 Bd7 Just 6700 now! 3.exd5
exd5 69 000 games. 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.Bd3 Ne7 Just 4000 now. 3.Bd3 6000 games.
3...dxe4 4.Bxe4 Nf6 5.Bf3 Bd6 Just 150 now. }
3... Be7
{ Now, just 1000! How come we avoided all the existing opening theory on move 3? }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Repertoire Clashes"]
[Black "Repertoire Clashes"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6
{ While the main aspiration behind creating this course has been, of course,
offering club and tournament players an easy-to-learn, idea-based repertoire, which
is based on model games and structures and can be mastered within a reasonable
amount of time, it does not mean I have thrown away the desire to offer cutting-
edge novelties, challenging the existing courses, books and video series. Here
are some of the existing White sources that I have consulted while writing this
course - and, hopefully, the suggestions of which I have managed to neutralize:
1) Lifetime Repertoires: 1.e4 by GM Wesley So. Of course, So is a fantastic
player and a great analyst. His two-part full repertoire features more than 2900(!)
trainable variations. However, it is always easier to write for Black, as you need
to cover less in width and can dive deeper. He recommends
3.Nd2 , when after 3...Be7 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 arises a rather positional game.
Of course, our key theme is trading the light-squared bishops. I challenge his
repertoire on move 11, when in a rare position he only considers two moves but
fails to analyze my suggestion 11... Qc7, which I believe is the cleanest and
safest path for Black, who is looking to immediately start active play on the
queenside. I am not concerned about this position at all. 2) French Toast: How
Harikrishna Fries 1...e6 by GM Pentala Harikrishna. Hari was the first superGM to
write a course for Chessable, and I think his analysis is really good. He
recommends @@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0
3@@EndFEN@@ 3.Nc3 , meeting our very rare 3...Be7 with quite a lot of analysis:
27 variations. He gives two recommendations on move 6. After the main one,
@@StartFEN@@rnbqk1nr/pp2bp1p/4p3/2ppP1p1/3P2Q1/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1B1KBNR w KQkq - 0
6@@EndFEN@@6.dxc5 , I suggest 6...h5 7.Qe2 Nc6 8.h3! and here arises a
critical position, which has not been seen in a single game so far. At this point,
you might raise brows and ask what's the relevance of the line. But well, we need
to analyze all the top authors' suggestions, don't we? So, after 8.h3, I recommend
a pawn sacrifice, which he does not consider. I think this line is one of the most
critical challenges of the repertoire, and both players can quickly get in trouble
if they don't know what they are doing. However, I think Black is just fine, and
it's overwhelmingly likely you will know a lot more than any opponent does. After
his other suggestion
@@StartFEN@@rnbqk1nr/pp2bp1p/4p3/2ppP1p1/3P2Q1/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1B1KBNR w KQkq - 0
6@@EndFEN@@ 6.Qh5 if White finds a beautiful tactical shot, he lands in an
endgame with a superior pawn structure. At first, that endgame seems better for
him, but I don't see much trouble for Black, as long as we understand what our key
ideas are and how to create counterplay. In all fairness, it is a lot easier to
neutralize someone's analysis of 3-4 years ago, when Leela did not exist. 3)
Lifetime Repertoires: Sethuraman's 1.e4. Sethu is another very principled author,
who recommends @@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq
- 0 3@@EndFEN@@ 3.Nc3 , meeting our 3...Be7 with 4.e5 c5 5.Qg4 g5 6.dxc5!
, which is a very critical line. Again, I think we have a way of neutralizing
White's attempts to get an opening pull and I am happy with the result of my
analysis. 4) 1.e4 - Keep It Simple by IM Christof Sielecki. Christof has been
one of the most popular authors on Chessable, and for a good reason. His
explanations are easy to understand, and he doesn't overwhelm with theory.
Following that approach, he suggested the Exchange Variation, which definitely has
a fair share of venom. However, having found one key improvement deep down the line
after @@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0
3@@EndFEN@@ 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.c4 , which is including the move ...h7-
h6! at a right moment, I am very happy with the resulting position. This is not a
theoretical challenge. 5) Coffeehouse Repertoire by GM Gawain Jones. Jones is
another author I really like - as you can see, all of them have been getting
nothing but praise by me so far, because they are really good. But, we have a
strong disagreement. He recommends the Advance Variation, when after
3.e5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 Bd7 6.Bd3 he calls the move 6...Bb5 common, but
bad, due to 7.dxc5 . However, I believe the arising positions not only are not a
theoretical problem for Black, but also, offer a great opportunity to punish White
for expanding so rapidly on the queenside with b2-b4 and a2-a4. If you don't like
this line, you can instead exchange in the centre first with
@@StartFEN@@rn2kbnr/pp1b1ppp/1q2p3/2ppP3/3P4/2PB1N2/PP3PPP/RNBQK2R b KQkq - 4
6@@EndFEN@@ 6...cxd4 , which is a possibility I also mention, but I have
absolutely nothing against allowing for 7.dxc5 while preventing the white knight
from being developed to c3. Not a problem, either. 6) 'Tackle the French' by
ChessForLife. This community author proved his commitment and dedication by
publishing some cutting-edge theoretical ideas. He went on to suggest
3.Bd3 versus the French, which is a practical line that a lot of people don't know
how to handle. Actually, I really like that line for White, and recommended it to a
lot of students for its practicality. However, I also know what its weak points
are. In particular, I consider 3...dxe4 4.Bxe4 Nf6 5.Bf3 Bd6! to be an easy
equalizer, and am happy to prove that in a theoretical chapter, which ended up very
light on theory. 7) 'Ambush 1. e4' by IM Alex Banzea. This is another fun
practical repertoire, where the author suggests 3.Bd3. Again, I am happy with the
recommendation, as explained above. I have looked at several other repertoires,
books, courses, and articles, but these are some of the ones that your opponents
are most likely to use, I believe. Hopefully, now you feel as confident about the
theoretical status of this repertoire as I do! }
2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
{ 3.Bd3 has been suggested by Chessforlife and Alex Banzea. 3...dxe4 4.Bxe4 Nf6
5.Bf3 Bd6! This rare move is aimed at quickly pushing ...e6-e5. It is nearly
unknown, but I think Black easily equalizes here. 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 Bd7
6.Bd3 Bb5 7.dxc5 The British GM Gawain Jones suggested this line in his book,
but after 7...Bxc5 8.b4 8...Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Bf8 10.O-O Nc6! is the move I
suggest, but Jones happens to only mention it as a one-line variation without any
words. I think Black is doing great here. 3.Nc3 Be7 4.e5 c5 5.Qg4 g5 6.dxc5
Suggestion of both Hari and Sethu. Black needs to know what he's doing, but if he
does, he should not be in trouble. 6.Qh5 Alternative recommendation of Hari.
6...cxd4 and a very messy fight arises, where we are doing perfectly okay.
3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 O-O 7.cxd5 Re8+ 8.Be2 Nbd7 9.O-O
Nb6 10.Bg5 h6! is the key idea against Sielecki's suggestion in his 1.e4
repertoire. As you will see in the theoretical chapter, this escape square on h7
will really help us! }
3... Be7 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bd3 c5 7. c3 b6 8. Qe2 a5 9. Nf1 Ba6 10.
Bxa6 Nxa6 11. Ng3
{ In his 1.e4 LTR course, GM Wesley So reaches this position as a response to our
repertoire, but only consdiers 11...Nab8 or 11...h5 . However, I believe a
strong improvement is: }
11... Qc7
{ looking to quickly trade on d4, and then use the c-file either by means
of ...Nb4, ...Rc8 and ...Qc2 in one way or another, or by playing ...Qc4! and
trying to force a queen trade, which, as we know from the chapter on pawn
structures, is always good for Black in this structure. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Typical Pawn Structures, Plans, and Ideas"]
[Black "What NOT to do as WHITE - how the center can collapse very fast"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6
{ This move is a very common one in the Advance French. While we don't play it as a
part of our opening repertoire, instead choosing 4...Qb6 , it is important to
look at how one of the main French ideas - putting pressure on White's d4-pawn -
tends to work. }
5. Nf3 Qb6
{ Here, White needs to start taking care of the upcoming threats to his center.
But let's imagine he fails to, which is extremely common at the club level. }
6. Be2
{ This move is fine if played by a GM, but awful if played by a club player. I am
somewhat joking, of course, but the idea is that White is about to get his center
to fall apart, and the club players usually continue this way in order to castle
next, which is a recipe for a disaster. }
6... Nge7
{ It's better for the knight to go to h6, as we'll see in the later examples, but
for now, let's make this move. Black is looking to get the knight to f5, putting
more pressure on the d4-pawn. }
7. O-O
{ A very natural way for someone who doesn't know the position that well to play,
isn't it? But after this move, White is lost! }
7... cxd4
{ 7...Nf5?! also tries to attack the d4-pawn, but enables it to escape after
8.dxc5! }
8. cxd4 Nf5
{ Now, there is no way to protect the d4-pawn. I guess White could go Be3, but that
drops the pawn on b2 and also results in a lost position. Hopefully, this example
demonstrates to you how fragile the center is in these positions. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "What NOT to do as Black - don't take on d4 too soon!"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6
{ 1...c5 2.c3 e6 3.d4 cxd4? 4.cxd4 d5 5.e5 is another funny way to arrive
at the position we discuss in this example, actually! A lot of my students play the
Alapin as White, Black prematurely captures on d4, gets a French pawn chain and
then wonder why they are almost lost. }
2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 cxd4
{ A lot of people who don't know what they are doing like to exchange on d4 early
on. However, that's a really bad idea, because it enables the white knight to
develop to c3, which can be followed by Ne2 to protect the d4-pawn even more, or by
another, even better idea. }
5. cxd4 Nc6 6. Nf3 Qb6 7. Nc3 Nge7
{ Let's suppose Black tries to follow the same plan of bringing the knight over to
f5. }
8. a3
{ This move covers the b4-square, which, as we will see, will prove very useful in
just a moment. }
8... Nf5
{ It might seem as though the pawn is under pressure, but that's an optical
illusion that fades away after: }
9. Na4
{ Now, the queen has to leave, and since Black has no way of putting pressure on
the d4-pawn, and failed to achieve anything else either, such as trading the light-
squared bishops, he is nearly strategically lost. }
9... Qc7 10. b4
{ Next, White develops the bishop to b2 or somewhere else, plays Rc1, Nc5, etc,
with an overwhelming position where Black has no counterplay. So, don't ever take
on d4 prematurely, unless you either have to, or you win the d5-pawn by force. When
White has already played a move like Nbd2, though, you might take on d4 without as
much damage to your position, since the idea Nc3-a4 is no longer available. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "How White should try to stabilize the center"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6

{ Okay. We now know from the previous examples that if White doesn't pay attention
to his center, then after Nge7/Nh6-f5 and cxd4 it collapses quickly. We also know
that if Black takes on d4 too early, the idea Nc3!, a2-a3 and Na4! kill all the
counterplay on the queenside. Well, but if Black doesn't make the mistake of
trading on d4, then how should White go about dealing with his problems in the
center? Right. He needs to still somehow make Nc3! happen. }
6. a3
{ This move might seem useless and odd. Why waste time moving pawns on the side of
the board? For one, we know covering up the b4-square is useful. Secondly, White
wants to play b2-b4, attack the c5-pawn and make Black release the tension in the
center, for example by capturing ...cxd4, when the knight obtains the c3-square. }
6... Nge7 { Let's say Black continues the development as normal. } 7. b4
{ 7.dxc5 Is also a theme, but that's for a different chapter. } 7... cxd4
{ 7...c4? Is a very bad move that kills tension in the center, as as a result,
destroys all the play Black has been trying to build. We will see examples of when
it's okay to play ...c5-c4 later, but in most cases, that's a wrong way to tackle
the central tension. }
8. cxd4 Nf5
{ Black is attacking the d4-pawn just like before. However, now White can solve
that problem in two ways: either by playing Be3 without hanging the b2-pawn, as
it's now on b4, or playing Bb2, which wasn't possible before, but now is, thanks to
the move b2-b4. }
9. Be3
{ While this is a perfectly normal theoretical position, where a lot of 2700-rated
players represented both sides in multiple games, I don't like it for Black,
because it feels his key idea of trying to put pressure on the White center did not
succeed. It's a bit more complicated than that, and you're welcome to explore this
path at some point of your French Defense journey, but the main point was to show
White's plan of a2-a3 and b2-b4. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Why is playing ...c5-c4 usually a bad idea"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. Bd3 c4

{ This is another example aimed at specifically reinforcing the understanding of
when ...c5-c4 is a bad move. The answer is pretty much 'always', unless certain
conditions are met, as we'll see in the next example. Here, Black will be no
longer able to put pressure on White's d4-pawn. As a result, White is able to
develop play on the kingside without paying any attention to what the opponent is
doing... because they are not doing anything. }
7. Bc2
{ The bishop would love to stay on the b1-h7 diagonal in order to keep an eye on
the h7-pawn. That bishop is White's key attacking piece. Let's now take a look at a
sample sequence that shows how White would develop his risk and effort-free
initiative here. }
7... Nge7 8. Nbd2 Ng6
{ Black's pieces are lacking room. White's knight, at the same time, is looking to
go to the kingside via f1-g3. }
9. h4
{ Of course, h4-h5, chasing that knight, would be very unpleasant for Black. }
9... h5 10. Ng5 { Now, the g5-square is a huge problem, too. } 10... Be7 11.
Ndf3 O-O 12. Ng1
{ A funny knight move wins on the spot: now, the h5-pawn cannot be defended. Not
only is Black losing a pawn, but Qxh5 will create a mating threat of Qxh7, so
perhaps it's a good idea for Black to resign. While this sequence was by no means
necessary or forced, hopefully, it shows the dangers of not having any queenside
counterplay. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "When is it okay to play ...c5-c4?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. a3 c4

{ So, we wanted to talk about when playing ...c5-c4 could be a reasonable idea,
didn't we? As I had said before, it almost always isn't. But the key reason for
playing this move successfully lies in exploiting the weak b3-square, which appears
after a2-a3. So, your guideline for pushing ...c5-c4 will be waiting for a2-a3. If
White plays a2-a3, you by no means HAVE to push ...c5-c4, but doing so becomes more
reasonable. Black gains a couple of things here: 1) He can use the outpost on b3.
For example, if he gets to play ...Na5-b3, that would be great. The knight on b3 is
paralyzing the entire queenside. If it got there right now, it would force an
extremely ugly move Ra2, which would just trap the rook on a square it definitely
does not want to be on. 2) It's no longer possible to ever play b2-b3 and
meet ...cxb3 with axb3, opening the a-file. This means White cannot open the
queenside in an effective way, and Black can, in fact, consider castling long. The
king can be perfectly safe on the queenside in these circumstances. 3) In this
structure, when there are no queens and light-squared bishops (this particular set
of pieces is not a must, but not having it just makes any kind of attack by White
impossible), Black just makes sure he can slowly prepare queenside pawn play
with ...b7-b5, ...a7-a5, ... b5-b4, etc. Let's now look at a sequence that shows
how the game can go here. }
7. Nbd2
{ 7.Be2 Na5 8.O-O ? Nb3 9.Ra2 is exactly the positional nightmare White should
be so self-aware of. 9...Bd7! 10.Nbd2 Ba4! and White's queenside is
paralyzed. }
7... Na5 8. Be2 Bd7 9. O-O h6
{ This move is aimed at covering up the g5-square, so that after ...O-O-O moves
like Ng5 are never a problem. }
10. Re1 O-O-O
{ Obviously, a very complex game is ahead of us, but it's interesting to see that
Black finds the idea of parking his king on the queenside very safe, particularly
because b2-b3 can never result in opening the a-file after ...cxb3 axb3. Then, he
can even continue with ...g7-g5, ...Nge7-g6/f5, etc, and look to attack the white
king! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Why is trading queens always good for Black?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 c6
{ Wait, what? The Caro-Kann? No worries, all good. We are just looking at a
different opening sequence to learn about the idea, which works 99.5% of the time
in the French pawn structure, which will arise just a bit later. 1...e6 2.d4 d5
3.e5 is the way we get to this pawn structure, of course. 3...c5 4.c3 }
2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Bd3 Bxd3 5. Qxd3 e6
{ Here we go. Compared to the French, Black lost a tempo by playing ...c7-c6, as
he'll inevitably continue with ...c6-c5 later, instead of doing that in one move.
But, he got to trade the light-squared bishops: our worst and White's best piece.
But, now is the time to talk about something else. You see, in the French
structure, White always plays and attacks on the kingside, while Black plays on the
queenside. Black's goals typically include trying to win the d4-pawn, trade the
light-squared bishops, invade on the c-file, advance his queenside pawns, and stuff
like that. White's goal is typically... CHECKMATE. Very ambitious and non-
compromising. Well, here is the thing. In order to checkmate, you really need
the queen - the strongest attacking piece. But in order to accomplish Black's
goals, you don't need a queen - no one cares if it's on or off the board if you are
trying to trade the light-squared bishops, you know. So, here is a rule for you:
in the French pawn chain, the queen trade is ALWAYS (okay, in 99.5% of cases) good
for Black! A century ago, in this Caro-Kann position with the identical pawn
structure, Capablance figured it out and used the following cunning idea. }
6. Nf3 Qa5+ 7. c3 Qa6
{ Now, White either trades the queens, completely abandoning any ambitions on the
kingside, or moves the queen away, but then he cannot castle. That's quite a large
problem, isn't it? Summary: you might not be always able to find some forcing
way to trade the queens in the French Advance structures. But, if there is a way to
do so, then always do, it's always good for the Black player! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Why is it important to provoke Ngf3 before locking the center?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Be7
{ In this example, we'll just reinforce the point of waiting for the move Ngf3 and
only then going for a position with the pawn chains, so that f2-f4 becomes
impossible. 3...Nf6 Is the 'parent' variation that was used by Botvinnik, who
pioneered the idea of trading bishops with ...b7-b6 and ...Ba6. But it allows White
to attack on the kingside a lot more easily due to the following idea.: 4.e5 Nfd7
5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 b6 7.Ne2! The knight isn't blocking the f-pawn, which is
crucial. 7...Ba6 8.Bxa6 Nxa6 9.O-O Nc7 10.f4! While Black is not losing
immediately or anything like that, there is no reason to be happy about f4-f5
always being around the corner. }
4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bd3 c5 7. c3 b6 8. O-O Ba6 9. Bxa6 Nxa6
{ Now, as opposed to the line above with 3...Nf6, White cannot attack with f2-f4.
By trading the bishops, Black accomplished an enormous long-term achievement: he
got rid of his worst piece in exchange for White's best one. So, the only goal he
has is to not get attacked, destroyed or devastated very quickly, because he lost a
lot of time. In other words, we got a strategic gain and took a dynamic loss.
But, as long as White has no way to open up the game quickly, then our lag in
development doesn't matter, but long-term achievements do, so it's really useful
that f4-f5 cannot be played nearly as soon as in the example above. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Why ...Nge7, allowing dxc5, is often a bad idea"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Be2 Nge7

{ We had already seen this move in the first examples, when Black quickly made
White's center collapse. But, it's worth knowing that usually, this is not the best
way to develop the knight due to the following reason. }
7. dxc5
{ Now, Black has to take on c5 in a rather ugly way - with his queen - and lose a
lot of time. }
7... Qxc5 8. b4 Qb6 9. b5 Na5 10. O-O
{ White can win even more time with Be3, or with the eventual Nbd2, c3-c4 and Nxc4,
etc. While not a disaster for Black, it's clear this is not the position we should
be very excited about. We don't play 4...Nc6 at all, but it's worth seeing how
Black should develop his knight if 6...Nge7 is a dubious way to do so, and we'll
see that in the next example. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Why ...Nh6 is often good, while Bxh6 isn't scary"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Be2 Nh6

{ I think this is a better way to develop the kingside than ...Nge7. The knight is
ready to come to f5. However, in my experience, most club player-level students of
mine are very scared to play this way because Bxh6 can double the pawns and spoil
their pawn structure. So, let's discuss why is this not a problem for Black. }
7. Bxh6 gxh6
{ Now, Black has a semi-open g-file and a bishop pair. The dark-squared bishop can
prove incredibly strong if White by accident weakens the e1-a5 diagonal, for
example, 7...Qxb2 is something worth keeping in mind. Often - but not here! -
taking on h6 is a tactical blunder because the b2-pawn is hanging. Black attacks
the rook and forces White to respond with Nbd2, then takes the bishop and is just a
healthy pawn up. However, here Black is losing after 8.Be3! Qxa1 9.Qc2! White
is threatening to just castle, play Nbd2 and trap the queen. 9...cxd4 10.Nxd4
Nxd4 11.Bxd4+- Unfortunately, the queen is gonna be lost no matter what. So, in
this sequence, taking on b2 wasn't a good idea... but often, Black can get away
with it. }
8. b3
{ A very natural move at a club level, and a really bad one. 8.Qd2 Is a much
better way to play. However, here the doubled pawns are also by no means a
disaster, for example 8...Bg7 9.O-O O-O Keep in mind, that b1-knight isn't very
happy about not being able to come to d2! 10.Na3 cxd4 11.cxd4 f6 Black opens
up the a1-h8 diagonal and the f-file. His doubled pawns don't bother him much, but
the bishop pair is very useful. The dark-squared bishop does a great job of
protecting the king, too. So, bottom line: don't fear the Bxh6 exchange! }
8... cxd4 9. cxd4 Bb4+
{ Oops! Nc3 is no longer possible, while Nbd2 blunders the d4-pawn! So, White has
to play Kf1. While that is not absolutely terrible, since he can later play g2-g3,
Kg2 and develop the rook, it's still bad as he loses a lot of time. }
10. Kf1 O-O 11. g3 f6 12. exf6 e5
{ Black opens up the entire center, threatens ...Bh3+ and is already just winning.
So, White who gives up the dark-squared bishop, should be very careful about
playing b2-b3! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "The rule of two diagonals - how to win the symmetrical positions!"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5
{ People often find the structure of the Exchange Variation boring and uneventful.
While there is some truth to that, there is an incredibly important theme in this
structure that you want to know - both to outplay your opponents this way and to
not get outplayed. I have no idea how I found out about this theme, as I don't
recall ever reading about it in any book, but I call it 'the rule of two
diagonals'. The diagonals involve the square behind each d-pawn (d3 and d6). In
this case, they are b1-h7 and b8-h2. (Of course, it could also happen in a pawn
structure like @@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0
1@@EndFEN@@ 1.e4 e5 2.d4 d6 3.dxe5 dxe5 , in that case, the key diagonals
would be g1-a7 and g8-a2). Whoever controls both diagonals, controls the world. I
mean, the board. Let's see the examples of one of the sides giving up both
diagonals and what it leads to. }
4. Nf3 Nf6
{ We play 4...Bd6 instead, but this chapter isn't about theory. Let's look at a
sequence that I and many of my students often had a chance to play out as White,
just like this, or something extremely similar. }
5. Bd3
{ 5.Be2 and here is an example of how White, with a series of weak positional
moves, will give up control over both diagonals. 5...Bd6 6.Nbd2 Bf5 7.O-O O-O
8.c3 Nbd7 As you can see, now Black controls so many central squares: e5, e4, f4,
etc, while the White bishops are awfully inactive. Giving up both diagonals is a
very good way to end up in a passive position in this structure, as we see! }
5... Bd6
{ For now, White controls the b1-h7 diagonal, but Black controls the one from b8 to
h2. }
6. Qe2+ Qe7 7. Qxe7+ Bxe7
{ In an attempt to not lose castling rights, Black concedes the diagonal h2-b8.
This is theory - taking with the king is also a decent move. }
8. Bf4
{ White immediately takes the other diagonal, too. Now he controls both and is much
better. }
8... c6 9. O-O O-O 10. Nbd2 h6
{ Black plays this move in order to be able to go ...Be6 without running into
Ng5. }
11. Rfe1 Be6 12. c3 Nbd7 13. h3
{ As you can see, Black has no moves in this position! What do I mean by that?
Well, White can always play Ne5 if he wants to, but Black cannot play ...Ne4. We
don't NEED to play Ne5, but if we wanted to, we could. We control the f5-square, so
ideas like Nh4-f5 are always around the corner. The Black bishops have pretty much
no moves. For instance, next White can play Bh2, g2-g4 to grab more space, Kg2 to
slightly improve the position, and then maybe prepare f4-f5, grabbing even more
space, or Nh4-f5 to get the bishop pair. As you can see, controlling both diagonals
means your opponent has no counterplay! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Quickstarter Guide"]
[Black "The Exchange Variation - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
{ Welcome to this Quickstarter Guide! Here, we will look at some of the most
popular and important lines that White can throw at the French players, so that you
can start playing this repertoire in no time. }
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
{ The mighty Exchange French. While this variation - rightfully so - never carried
a reputation of being a particularly threatening one, is it definitely one of the
lines a lot of French players strongly dislike, both at a club leel and at a
grandmaster level. At least, those who haven't reached the ultimate enlightenment
yet:) The Exchange is the second most played line at the club level, according to
the lichess database, and is mostly played by people who are not familiar with
theory and the French pawn chains, who naturally want to avoid those positions.
However, lately, it saw a significant spike in popularity at a GM-level too,
primarily because of the line
@@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/8/3p4/3P4/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 4@@EndFEN@@
4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.Qe2+! , popularized by Carlsen and many others. Here
are a few quick guidelines before diving into the theoretical part: 1) Even
though after exchanges on d5 the c8-bishop is no longer blocked, the c8-bishop and
the one on c1 are still inferior to their other counterparts, because it's very
likely Black will go ...c7-c6 to cover the b5-square and protect the d5-pawn, and
the pawns on b7, c6 and d5 definitely restrict his light-squared bishop a lot. Same
goes for White. So, as a rule of thumb, you still want to trade the 'French' c8-
bishop, and this is exactly what we will focus on doing. 2) The key idea in these
positions is taking control over the two diagonals, namely b1-h7 and b8-h2. If
one side seizes both diagonals, no matter in the middlegame or the endgame, it
tends to enjoy a considerable long-lasting advantage. 3) One of the most common
mistakes at a club level is placing the knight on c3 or c6. While there are,
sometimes, reasons to place it there, it tends to be very restricted. For example,
if White goes Nc3 and Black responds with ...c7-c6, the knight cannot go to e4, d5
or b5, so what is it doing? Plus, if Black ever goes ...Bg4 to pin the White f3-
knight, Nbd2 will no longer be possible, resolving the pin. So, either don't place
the knight there at all, or do it for a very concrete reason, such as re-routing it
to the kingside right away, such as Nc6-e7-g6/f5. 4) While the positions are
symmetrical and often dry, it is very possible to outplay your opponents, so don't
worry about the draw. Below a strong GM level, just one pair of pawns being absent
by no means indicates some kind of quick draw. A stronger player always wins, and
in fact, this is a perfect playground: a position without much theory! However, if
in some lines the arising positions do end up very drawish, please know it's not a
problem, as White presented no theoretical challenges to us whatsoever. }
3... exd5 4. Bd3
{ This move is considered imprecise because of 4...c5, the point being that if
White tried to trade pieces by giving a check on b5, that would involve losing a
tempo. However, I don't want to play c5 for two reasons: first of all, this
repertoire never features an IQP position for Black, so I don't want us to be
getting into one, and secondly, why not just use the setup that works well after
4.Nf3, too? }
4... Bd6 5. Ne2
{ White can also try playing this way, intending to continue with Bf4, but it is
not critical at all. }
5... Ne7 { Of course, we plan on going ... Bf5 next, swapping the bishops. } 6.
Bf4 Bf5
{ It is also possible to avoid playing symmetrical chess with 6...Bg4 , for
example, which is totally fine, but I think there is no need to be exploring how to
play for a win on move 6 in this non-challenging line. Just getting an easy and
safe position is good enough from a theoretical perspective. }
7. O-O O-O 8. c3
{ Of course, White could also take on f5, that wouldn't change much. } 8... c6
9. Bxd6 Qxd6 10. Ng3 { White forces another trade. } 10... Bxd3 11. Qxd3 Nd7
{ Black finishes the development of his queenside. } 12. Nd2 Rae8
{ Sorry, this is not the most exciting line, but Black equalized very easily, and
we will make sure to discuss how to play a symmetrical position in the chapter on
model games. If you want to avoid this type of outcome, go 6...Bg4 or something
along these lines. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
3... exd5 4. c4
{ This move is known to be suspicious, as it results in a position with the IQP,
where the side with the isolani wants to keep pieces on the board. However, Black
has a possibility of developing very fast while forcing some trades along the way,
too. }
4... Bb4+ 5. Nc3 Ne7
{ The knight is being developed exactly here, in order to later go to f5 and put
pressure on the d4-pawn. }
6. Nf3 O-O 7. Be2 dxc4 { Time to open the position more. } 8. Bxc4 Nbc6
{ Soon, the pawn will be in danger. } 9. O-O Bg4 10. Be3 Nf5
{ Causes a lot of uncomfortable pressure. How to defend everything is not an
obvious question to answer. White is already somewhat worse. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
3... exd5 4. Nf3 { The main theoretical move. } 4... Bd6
{ A somewhat less popular choice than the main symmetrical move 4...Nf6. The idea
is to develop the knight to e7 in order to prepare ...Bf5, exchanging our inferior
bishop and looking to get some kind of an endgame with a knight or dark-squared
bishop versus a dark-squared bishop. }
5. Bd3 { The more popular move, but not a very challenging one. } 5... Ne7
{ The bishop is coming to f5. } 6. O-O O-O
{ However, first, it's important to castle. At this point, White can try multiple
moves, with the most popular ones being 7.Bg5 , pinning the knight and
preventing ... Bf5, as well as 7.Re1 , just improving the position. I do not
believe it is worth investigating every single move in the position in detail, so
let's instead focus on these two and discuss the ideas for both sides. Of course,
no sacrifices on h7 can ever be dangerous, as Black can always bring the bishop to
f5 to help with the defense. }
7. Bg5 f6
{ The move ...f7-f6 often weakens the king, so it's understandable why some readers
might feel uncomfortable playing it. However, here it's a very good one: Black
breaks the pin and is ready to go ... Bf5 or even ...Nf5 next. Besides, he covers
the e5-square. }
8. Bh4 Nf5
{ Here, Black gets the bishop pair, but the active d3-bishop stays alive. } 9.
Bg3 Nxg3 10. hxg3 Be6
{ The bishop gets out before the knight. If needed, it will hide on f7. } 11.
Nbd2 Bf7 12. c3 Nd7 { The rest of the pieces are coming out. } 13. Qc2
{ White keeps developing while gaining a tempo, } 13... g6
{ We deal with the threat to the pawn, of course. } 14. Rfe1 c6
{ Here is our bishop pair! As they say, it's not much, but it's honest work. On a
serious note, while the position is admittedly very equal, the bishops will be
getting stronger and stronger as the pieces come off the board. Now, the goal is
simple: trade all the major pieces and try to open the game with ...c6-c5, maybe
after ...b7-b6 first to avoid an isolani after dxc5. There is no forced draw here.
The game goes on and White will have to earn it deep in the endgame. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
{ A somewhat less popular choice than the main symmetrical move 4...Nf6. The idea
is to develop the knight to e7 in order to prepare ...Bf5, exchanging our inferior
bishop and looking to get some kind of an endgame with a knight or dark-squared
bishop versus a dark-squared bishop. }
5. c4
{ The most critical move, aimed at getting an IQP position in the situation where
Black has already moved the bishop, so ... Bb4+ is no longer as effective. Also,
this move sets an annoying trap which we need to be very careful about. Here,
Black has two sensible choices - 5...Nf6 , giving up the idea of preparing ...Bf5
and just playing versus an isolani, and 5...c6 , reinforcing the pawn and making
room for the bishop on c7, insisting on the old plan on ...Ne7-Bf5. }
5... Nf6
{ This move is more reliable, and I like it as it offers a bit more asymmetrical
chances, while 5...c6 allows for 6.cxd5 with a very dry position. Now, White
can either keep the tension, or push c4-c5 at some point, such as right now, or a
move or two later. }
6. Nc3
{ This is the move order given in Sielecki's course and book 'Keep it Simple -
1.e4', so it's natural to expect a lot of people will go down this route. }
6... O-O
{ Meanwhile, we just continue our development. Now, White has a few choices. Most
often, he decided to go 7.cxd5 and try to hold on to the extra pawn, which is
what Sielecki recommends, but it's also possible to grab space on the queenside
with 7.c5 . Of course, he could just make a developing move like 7.Be2 , but
that is wrong and no strong players make any moves other than the two mentioned
above. }
7. cxd5
{ Sielecki recommends this move. White might either try to hold on to the pawn, or,
more likely, he is just going for an IQP position while making Black spend some
time getting the pawn back. }
7... Re8+
{ It is nice to make the bishop go to e2, preventing the more active moves like
Bc4. }
8. Be2 Nbd7 { We are about to play ...Nb6 and get the pawn back. } 9. O-O Nb6
{ Now, just giving up a pawn doesn't sound particularly appealing for White. He
should try to pin the f6-knight to prevent us from getting it back easily. }
10. Bg5 h6
{ Attention, this is a VERY important improvement, as we'll see down the line.
Sielecki only considers ...Be7, but we don't need to play that move, as we are
happy to win the bishop pair, even if that would prevent us from getting the pawn
back right away! This strong idea was recently used by GM Tomashevsky. Instead,
if White retreats, then after including ...h6 and Bh4, we can always go ...Be7 and
just win a free tempo to get a useful escape square as well as the option of ...g7-
g5, kicking the bishop out with tempo. }
11. Bh4 Be7 12. Bb5 Bd7 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Qb3
{ Is Sielecki's line with an extra useful move ...h7-h6. For instance, here, after:
}
14... a5 15. a4 Bxb5 16. Qxb5 Be7
{ Same idea - ...Bb4 is unstoppable, when ... Bxc3 and ...Qxd5 next cannot be
prevented. This is totally fine for Black. Let's just look a bit deeper. }
17. Rfe1 Bb4 18. Rxe8+
{ White trades everything, as otherwise ... Rxe1, followed by ...Bxc3 and ...Qxd5
would get us our pawn back in no time. }
18... Qxe8 19. Qxe8+ Rxe8 20. Rc1
{ The goal of this move is to x-ray the c7-pawn. } 20... Bxc3 21. Rxc3 Nxd5
{ It looks like Black just got a pawn back and has the better endgame, but White
has a double attack. }
22. Rc5 c6 { However, we are totally fine here. } 23. Rxa5 Re2
{ Black has a lot of activity and will inevitably get a pawn back on the next turn,
or a move later. Please note we would have been in trouble without including this
key move ... h7-h6, this is a very subtle and important improvement. In fact,
White is slightly worse here, as his rook is in a weird spot and he still has the
IQP, while Black's knight enjoys the gorgeous outpost on d5. Keep pushing for a
win! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "The Advance Variation Sidelines - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
{ In this position, the only challenging move is 4.c3 , protecting the d4-pawn
and preparing to recapture back with the pawn, maintaining the powerful center.
However, sometimes White tries other moves. Some of them are played due to lack of
knowledge, as French is by no means the most popular opening at the club level and
people don't have experience in these pawn structures, and some are a bit too
creative for White's own good. }
4. dxc5
{ It seems weird to play this way, especially that now we know there is a Caro-Kann
variation @@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0
1@@EndFEN@@ 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.dxc5 e6 . Essentially, Black gets
that position a tempo up. No wonder he has no problems, to say the last! }
4... Nc6
{ An important detail. While taking on c5 with the bishop right away is certainly
possible, it is preferable to play this move first, attacking the e5-pawn and
forcing Nf3, so that White can never ever play Qg4!, harassing our kingside, which
is a typical idea in the French positions, especially after the f8-bishop comes
out. }
5. Nf3 Bxc5 6. Bd3 { White just continues natural development. } 6... f6
{ Time to blow up this center and take full control of it. Here, White mostly chose
to support the pawn with Qe2, but of course, he can also capture on f6. }
7. Qe2 fxe5
{ We are happy to force the White queen on e5, where it will be vulnerable. }
8. Nxe5 Nxe5 9. Qxe5 Nf6
{ Black enjoys the center and is ready to castle and follow up with ... Bd6
and .. .e6-e5. However, there is one more nuance you want to know. }
10. Bb5+ Kf7 11. O-O Rf8
{ With ...Bd6 and ...e7-e5 coming next, Black has a large initiative. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
{ In this position, the only challenging move is 4. c3, protecting the d4-pawn and
preparing to recapture back with the pawn, maintaining the powerful center.
4. Nf3
{ This can be either a mistake if played by a club player, or a somewhat
interesting yet dubious gambit, if played by someone knowledgeable. In either
case, we are fighting for the advantage! }
4... cxd4
{ If White isn't defending the center, we should stay loyal to the idea of the move
...c7-c5 and ruin it, capturing on d4. If your opponent is new to these positions,
likely he just wasn't aware the center needed protection and will play 5.Nxd4 .
Instead, though, there is an interesting gambit 5.Bd3 , which is actually a
rather underestimated weapon. }
5. Nxd4 Nc6
{ Now, the e5-pawn is under attack. Let's see how to punish careless moves like
6.f4, as well as why capturing on c6 is not good for White. }
6. f4
{ It might seem like a great idea to defend the e5-pawn this way, grabbing space.
Unfortunately, it only weakens the g1-a7 diagonal. }
6... Bc5
{ The knight is under a lot of pressure. We'll see that 6.Nxc6 is not a great move,
either, and here, taking on c6 would be even worse, as White won't be able to
castle kingside anymore, at least without a huge amount of effort, due to this pawn
on f4. }
7. Nb3 Bb6
{ Now, White cannot castle. With the next moves being very easy and natural, such
as ...Nh6/e7 to f5, ...O-O and ...f7-f6!, opening the f-file rapidly to take
advantage of White's lack of development, Black is enjoying a powerful initiative
and is definitely better. There is no point in looking further, as our play is
thematic and obvious. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. Nf3
{ This can be either a mistake, if played by a club player, or a somewhat
interesting yet dubious gambit, if played by someone knowledgeable. In either case,
we are fighting for the advantage! Transposes to 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.Nf3. }
4... cxd4
5. Nxd4 Nc6
6. Nxc6 bxc6
{ Now, Black has great control of the center and is about to follow up with ...Ne7-
g6 and ...Qc7, attacking the e5-pawn. At the right moment, ...f7-f6 would also be
a very appropriate idea. }
7. Bd3 Ne7 8. O-O { White just continues development in a natural way. } 8...
Ng6 { The pawn is under attack. } 9. f4
{ In most games, White chose to defend it this way, potentially hoping to go f4-f5
in the future. }
9... Be7 10. Be3 a5
{ This is a new strategic idea, at least so far for us in this course. The point is
very simple: Black just wants to go ...Ba6 and get rid of the bishops, as the one
on d3 is rather active, while the one on e3 is not, due to the pawns on f4 and e5
severely restricting it. }
11. Nd2 Ba6
{ The bishops disappear, then we castle and start advancing the central pawns
with ...c6-c5 maybe ...d5-d4 or ...c5-c4 to fix the pawn on b2 and enjoy our open
b-file. Black is about to get a lot more space in the center and on the queenside,
while White has no active play. Something certainly went a bit wrong here for
White. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "The Advance Variation Mainlines - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. c3 Qb6
{ Key nuance: we will NOT develop the b8-knight yet. Why? Because our goal is
getting rid of the light-squared bishops, which is something we'll do by
going ...Bd7-b5! So, the knight on c6 will be an obstacle. }
5. Nf3 Bd7
{ Remember, we keep the knight on b8 for the time being. Why are we doing that?
Doesn't it make sense to develop it quickly, putting pressure on the d4-pawn? It
sure does, however, by keeping the knight in its initial position, we don't
obstruct the a4-e8 diagonal, which helps us try to resolve Black's main issue in
the French Defense: getting rid of his bad light-squared bishop, or improving it.
Now, the positional threat is ...Bb5!, forcing an extremely... I highlight,
EXTREMELY beneficial trade. }
6. a3
{ White is looking to play b2-b4 in order to make us release the tension in the
center. If we respond to b2-b4 with ...c5-c4, we'll give up the pressure on the d4-
pawn, which is not good. Instead, taking on d4 gives White an ability to finally
play Nc3, as he always wanted. }
6... Bb5
{ As always, I strongly prefer carrying out our plan without taking on d4. At a GM
level, the move 7.c4 has been the most popular one, however, I've taught this
line to dozens of club level students and not a single one of them ever faced 7.c4,
so if you are a club player, you should focus on 7.Bxb5 or 7.b4 , which
actually transpose one into another. }
7. Bxb5+ Qxb5
{ Again, Qe2 is a bad move, as we always want to trade queens, the benefits of
which are shown in multiple places throughout the chapter. }
8. Qe2
{ Let's just make sure we understand how to handle these positions, as they will be
our main bread and butter. }
8... Qxe2+ 9. Kxe2 Nc6
{ Now, the goal is to just continue natural development with ...Rc8, ...
Kd7, ...Ne7-f5. It could be beneficial to trade on d4 before going ...Nge7, even
though we normally don't want to take on d4 early, so that White cannot ever
accidentally win a pawn with dxc5. Alternatively, ...c5-c4 and ...Na5-b3 is an
interesting and sensible way to continue. }
10. b4
{ Grabbing space on the queenside can still look pretty natural. In fact, this is
what most players did here. }
10... cxd4 11. cxd4 Nge7 12. Nc3 { Time to observe one more positional idea! }
12... Nc8
{ Please note natural moves like 12...Kd7 or 12...Nf5 are also very good, but
since the c4-square is weak, the text move is even nicer. }
13. Be3 Nb6
{ With ...Be7, ...Kd7, ...Nc4, ...Rhc8, etc coming next, Black is clearly in the
driver's seat. It is worth mentioning that we want to go to c8 exactly with the
kingside rook, so that the other one can be useful on the a-file after ...a7-a5 at
some convenient moment. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a3
6... Bb5
level, the move 7. c4 has been the most popular one, however, I've taught this line
to dozens of club level students and not a single one of them ever faced 7. c4, so
if you are a club player, you should focus on 7. Bxb5 or 7. b4, which actually
transpose one into another. }
7. b4 cxd4 8. Bxb5+
{ White normally captures himself to avoid losing castling rights. } 8... Qxb5
9. cxd4 Nd7
{ A very instructive thing to observe. Normally, you are used to seeing the knight
to go c6. So why aren't we doing that this time? There are a few reasons.
Typically, on c6, the knight is putting pressure on the d4-pawn. However, here
it's well-defended and the queen is no longer on b6, so the pawn is not in danger.
By playing b2-b4, White gifted us an outpost on c4, so our knight is looking to
come to b6 and then to c4! Please note that White currently cannot castle, and of
course, as always, Black wants to trade queens, so moves like Qe2 are very welcome.
}
10. Nc3 Qc6
{ Going to c4 might be tempting, but it doesn't make much sense: if your goal is to
prevent castling, you fail, as White can play Ne2 and castle anyway. Here, the
knight is still attacked, and Ne2 runs into a very cute positional idea. }
11. Na4
{ The most common move. White is looking to trade our knight, once it comes to
b6. }
11... Nb6 12. Nxb6 axb6
{ Taking with the queen is also fine, but the pawn recapture is even more
attractive: we are not afraid of the doubled pawns, as the pawns would be simply
perfect on b6 and b5 in the future, covering all the key squares: c4, a4, c5, a5,
etc. Also, the a3-pawn is a bit backward and right now ...Bxb4 is a threat, as the
a3-pawn is pinned on the a-file. }
13. Bb2 { This move defends the a1-rook and stops the threat of ... Bxb4. }
13... Qb5
{ While this is not necessary, I really like the idea of annoying White by
preventing him from castling. Here, he can try numerous moves, but ours will be
more or less automatic: ...Ne7 first, then if the queens come off, ...b6-b5
and ...Kd7, maybe ...Nc8-b6-c4. If they don't come off somehow, which is actually
hard to imagine, since White cannot castle otherwise, we just go ...Ne7-c6, ...Be7,
... Rc8, etc. The doubled b-pawns are not a weakness, and the c4-outpost is a huge
asset. The a3-pawn is backward and the b2-bishop isn't great, either; Black is
pressing. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a4
{ This move is wrong, but it is played rather frequently at the club level. Why is
it played and what makes it wrong? Well, Black played ...Bd7 with the idea of going
...Bb5 to trade the bishops. So the move a2-a4 seems logical, as the point is to
prevent the bishop trade. However, here is the problem. In most of the Advance
French lines, White cannot stand not being able to develop the knight to c3, which
is why one of his main plans involves going a2-a3 and the b2-b4, making Black give
up the tension, so that the knight can finally go to c3. Unfortunately, the move
a2-a4 makes it impossible to ever prepare b2-b4, and this is what's wrong with
White's last move! Now, we can switch to playing in a regular French style, and
even though we no longer get to trade the bishops, we massively benefit from a2-
a4?, which gives up White's main plan and also weakens the b4-square. }
6... Nc6 7. Be2 Nh6 { The knight is coming to f5. } 8. O-O cxd4
{ Now, unfortunately, the White center starts collapsing and he can avoid the total
disaster with one move only. }
9. cxd4 Nf5
{ White just loses the central pawn, this is awful. Please note that Be3 defends
the pawn on d4, but drops the one on b2. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
{ The most popular move. Seeing that there is no pressure on the d4-pawn, White
just continues developing. However, in the main line with
@@StartFEN@@rnb1kbnr/pp3ppp/1q2p3/2ppP3/3P4/2P2N2/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 2
5@@EndFEN@@ 5...Nc6 this move would have been a mistake, as explained in the
chapter on typical pawn structures and ideas. Here, Black has two reasonable
choices, which are consistent with the ideology of this repertoire: to offer a
trade right away, keeping tension on the c-file alive, or to trade on d4 first.
Both decisions have advantages and cons to them, let's see what those are. }
6... Bb5
{ I prefer keeping the tension, as I am not afraid of the only downside of this
decision, which is that White can try the move c3-c4, trying to destroy the typical
French chain. }
7. O-O Bxe2 8. Qxe2 cxd4
{ Now, it's a good time to take on d4. By doing so, we avoid any possibilities
related to White capturing on c5 and winning more time with b2-b4, while also not
suffering from the consequences of Nc3, as the knight can no longer be re-routed to
the kingside via e2. }
9. cxd4 Nc6 10. Nc3
{ White can easily afford to ignore the fact that the d4-pawn seems to be hanging,
because just a slightly deeper look at the position shows it is not. }
10... Nge7
{ While this move is natural, I would award it with an explanation mark, as we did
a good job of not falling for a trap :) Now, Black is about to play . ..Nf5,
looking to add more pressure on the d4-pawn. At the same time, as White lacks his
best piece, the light-squared bishop, it is not entirely obvious what his plan
should be. Most people continued 11.Be3 here, but some other moves are also
possible. }
11. Be3 Nf5
{ As usual, White is facing an eternal question: how to position his rooks? The
upside of Rfd1 is that the other rook can go to c1, working on the c-file. However,
Rad1 might be beneficial because the other rook stays on the f-file, which can
really help White if ...Nxe3 fxe3 ever happens. }
12. Rad1 Bb4
{ While most players developed their bishop to e7, I prefer going to b4. Why so?
Well, White's dark-squared bishop is rather restricted by the e5 and d4-pawns, and
the general wisdom suggests that when an opponent has a bad piece, you want to
leave him with that piece and trade the rest. So, we are creating a strategic
threat of ...Bxc3, which would make the c3-pawn backwards and weak. This is
definitely a downside of Rad1, as on c1, that rook would have been able to
recapture back on c3, helping White avoid the bad pawn structure. }
13. a3
{ Here is an example of how Black would immediately get some nice strategic
advantage. }
13... Bxc3 14. bxc3 Na5
{ Now, the c4-square is in good hands. The c3-pawn is guaranteed to remain
backwards and weak. We are about to continue with ...Rc8, then maybe with ...Qc6-
c4, or even ...Qa6, looking to force a queen trade. Remember one of our rules? The
queen trade in the French structures is good for Black in 99.9% of cases. On the
kingside, on the other hand, White has no play. In fact, another really interesting
plan for Black could be to go ... h7-h6, taking the g5-square under control, and
then... long castling! The thing is that it's not easy to attack on the queenside
for White, as his ruined pawn structure prevents him from getting and enjoying the
open files, so we can easily afford such provocative play. That's the plan I
personally like best! For example, after: }
15. Rb1 Qc6 16. Rfc1 Nc4
{ Black is ready to follow up either with short castling, or with ... h7-h6 and
long castling! Castling long is rather safe, despite the semi-open b-file, because
White's broken pawn structure prevents him from ever playing c3-c4 or a4-a5-a6,
opening more files, while Black can easily deal with any pressure down the b-file
with the simple ...b7-b6 whenever needed. Our pawn structure is superior and
White has a bad bishop, so it's obvious Black enjoys a comfortable positional
advantage. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Tarrasch - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
{ This move, which signifies we are now in the Tarrasch variation, brings the
knight to a very flexible spot, as it is not blocking the c2-pawn, enabling White
to play c2-c3 and reinforce his center, if needed. Additionally, in many of the
Tarrasch lines, White can bring the bishop to d3, the kingside knight to e2 and
this one to f3, reinforcing the d4-pawn even more times. Here, Black has multiple
options: from the dynamic modern 3...c5 4.exd5 Qxd5 , which might be the
soundest theoretical route, or Korchnoi's favorite
@@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPPN1PPP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 1
3@@EndFEN@@ 3...c5 4.exd5 exd5 , getting an IQP, to the old lines with
3@@EndFEN@@ 3...Nf6 . I happen to have a somewhat philosophical approach to
chess openings. I think the Sicilian should be played dynamically, the Pirc should
be used when you want a complex position, and so on. To me, the French Defense is
all about pawn chains and a light-squared bishop. So, I have no desire to go into
the most forcing lines out there. Instead, we will focus on trying to free up or
trade the bishop and get a rather closed position. }
3... Be7
{ We keep the tension and are hoping to provoke Nf3, then create a pawn chain and
trade the bishops by means of ... b7-b6 in such a way that White won't be able to
go f2-f4 anymore, as his knight on f3 will be blocking the pawn. Here, the most
popular move by far is 4.Ngf3 . However, we'll also explore 4.Bd3 and 4.e5 .
Their popularity is about 3:2:1 ratio-wise. }
4. e5 c5
{ Is the most popular move, and a more reliable one than my other recommendation.
Here, White has a choice between the ultra-aggressive 5.Qg4 and the quieter 5.c3
, which tends to be more popular. }
5. Qg4
{ This variation is certainly a lot more critical and will make Black show a lot of
knowledge and courage. Here, most people go 5...Kf8 or 5...g6 , but I want to
offer something different. Something daring. }
5... g5
{ This move, while it looks really weird, was played by Morozevich and a number of
other strong players. Black is threatening to just ruin the center with ... cxd4,
or possibly win time by attacking the White queen with ...h7-h5! or ... Nh6! White
must find Qh5! if he is to fight for any advantage - but, admittedly, in most games
he did... except for the game of the strongest player who had White here, Michael
Adams, who misplayed it versus Moro. }
6. c3 { Let's see what's wrong with taking it slow as White. } 6... cxd4 7.
cxd4 Nc6 { The threats include ...h7-h5 and ...Qb6. } 8. Ngf3 h5
{ The queen is short on squares! } 9. Qg3 Nh6
{ I am afraid it's not possible to avoid losing a lot of material, maybe almost a
queen, for example: }
10. Bd3 Nf5 11. Bxf5 h4 12. Qh3 exf5
{ And with ...f5-f4 or ...g5-g4 coming, White is losing at least a piece on the
next turn - likely, a lot more. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
Here, White has a choice between the ultra-agressive Qg4 and the quieter 5.c3,
which tends to be more popular. }
5. c3 { While more popular, I believe this move is harmless. } 5... cxd4
{ Usually, we don't release the tension early. However, here it's okay, because the
knight has committed to d2 and can no longer come to c3. }
6. cxd4 Qb6 { The pawn is under pressure. } 7. Ngf3
{ This move is less common, as it leaves the queenside in a weird situation, the
d2-knight and c1-bishop don't have much future. }
7... Bd7
{ Our favorite idea from the Advance variation! Black will trade the bishops
with ... Bb5 on the next turn. It's possible to stop that with a2-a4, but the
treatment will prove worse than the issue itself, as after ...Nc6-b4 the b4-square
becomes incredibly weak, White will always need to be on the lookout for ... Nc2
and ...Nd3. }
8. Be2 Bb5
{ I think we can stop here and safely claim Black solved all the problems
identically to the lines in the Advance French 3.e5, and even better since White
played the move Nbd2, which got the entire queenside stuck. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
popular move by far is 4. Ngf3. However, we'll also explore 4. Bd3 and 4. e5. Their
popularity is about 3:2:1 ratio-wise. }
4. Ngf3 { The main move by far. } 4... Nf6 5. Bd3
{ Is another reasonably popular line, which keeps the tension in the center for now
and might result in a lot of simplifications. }
5... c5 6. dxc5
{ Is the line White normally uses when he wants to avoid the typical French
positions. We definitely need to be somewhat careful in the arising endgame. By
the way, if you are looking for a model player whose games you can study, Demidov
would be a perfect candidate. The Russian GM around 2550 in classical chess is
about 100 points stronger in the faster time controls, and he uses this line a lot.
I mean, A LOT! Given he manages to consistently outplay titled players here, I
think we are able to count on doing so, too. And, he gets these positions after
3.Nc3 Be7 too sometimes by a transposition. Of course, the lines have been used
by a number of top players too, like So, Rapport, Yu, Firouzja and others, but it's
no secret I prefer 'down-to-earth' GM games as model examples, as they tend to face
mere mortals who are a lot likely to make mistakes, just like your opponents
will. }
6... dxe4
{ Other moves, like 6...a5 to prevent 7.b4 and try to win the c5-pawn later
without trading too much, are also possible, but I think this simple approach is
the most reliable one. In fact, I can easily see how Black will be playing this
endgame for a win, unless White is careful enough. }
7. Nxe4 Nxe4 8. Bxe4 Qxd1+ 9. Kxd1 Bxc5
{ After the rather forced moves, we arrive at this endgame. In my opinion, the
whole point of playing the French is getting an endgame like this, as long as it's
easy enough for us to solve the problem of the c8-bishop. How will we do that?
Well, once we go ...Nd7-f6, White's e4-bishop will have to leave, which will enable
us to play ...b7-b6. White's king is not weak or misplaced on d1, but he'll need to
spend a bit of time moving it around. }
10. Ke2 Nd7
{ The knight is on its merry way to f6. Now, White usually tried 11.Be3 , looking
to trade our bishop, or 11.Rd1 , getting the rook in the game. After other moves,
we will use similar ideas and plans, it's not worth analyzing this position in too
much detail move by move, as it is not forcing. }
11. Be3
{ Trading the bishops alleviates some of the pressure on the f2-pawn and improves
White's king a bit more. }
11... Bxe3 12. Kxe3 Nc5
{ This move is a bit more precise than 12...Nf6 , as you are guaranteed to snatch
the bishop. }
13. Rhd1
{ Since the bishops cannot escape, the white players would normally just keep
getting the rooks on the open files. }
13... Nxe4 14. Kxe4 Ke7
{ I like this move better than the natural ... b7-b6. Immediately fianchettoing the
bishop is not a mistake, objectively, but it weakens the c6-square, and potentially
the d7-square, which could be a problem if White gets in Ne5 and Rd7 somehow.
Instead, here, our goal is to play ...Bd7 and ... Rhd8, swap the rooks and hide the
bishop on e8 if needed. Later, we'll try to restrict White's king and knight by
going ...f7-f6 and ... e6-e5, placing the pawns on the dark squares, which will
make the bishop just perfect. The goal, of course, is an endgame with a bishop
versus a knight. }
15. Rd4
{ White could make any other rook move, but our plan remains identical. } 15...
Bd7 16. Ne5 { The only critical move. } 16... Be8
{ This move might feel a bit weird, but we preserve the bishop to play for a win
and hope to go ...f7-f6 next, kick the knight out and activate the bishop just a
bit later. }
17. Rad1 f6 18. Nc4 Bg6+ { The c2-pawn is under attack. } 19. Ke3 Rhd8
{ The point of attacking c2 is that White doesn't have the time for moves like Nd6.
Now, he'll have to trade the rooks. }
20. Rxd8 Rxd8 21. Rxd8 Kxd8 22. c3 e5
{ Black enjoys a slightly better endgame. It won't be easy to win, but play with
minimal winning chances without a probability of losing out of the opening with the
Black pieces is a perfect outcome. Next, your goal will be to improve the king
with ...Kd7-e6-d5 and start grabbing space with ...g7-g5, ...h7-h5, maybe ...b7-b5
and ...a7-a5. As you can see, our pawns are already doing a perfect job of
restricting the White king, but we can do even better. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. Ngf3 { The main move by far. } 4... Nf6 5. e5
{ The most principled path, going for the position with pawn chains. } 5...
Nfd7 6. Bd3 c5 { We immediately create tension in the center. } 7. c3 b6 8. O-O
{ Arguably, this is the most natural move, especially for the white players who
just play based on common sense, not on cutting-edge GM-written repertoires. }
8... Ba6 { We continue according to the plan, of course. } 9. Bxa6 Nxa6 10. Re1
{ White is freeing up the f1-square for the knight. It's possible to make other
moves, too, but let's not spread our attention too thin covering a dozen different
non-forcing lines. }
10... O-O { Of course, it is safe to castle, as there is no bishop on d3. } 11.
Nf1 { White continues with the plan of bring the knight over. } 11... Rc8
{ I think that immediately bringing the rook to the file we will be building most
of our play on makes the most sense. Not surprisingly, this logical move has been
chosen by such strong theoreticians as Duda and Goryachkina, both played this way
in 2020. We need to investigate what happens if White continues his kingside play
with Ng3. Alternatively, he can choose to go a2-a3, preventing ...Nb4, which is one
of our main future active ideas. }
12. Ng3
{ The most popular continuation. People like to focus on their own plans, don't
they :) }
12... cxd4 13. cxd4 Nb4
{ The threat of ... Nc2 with a fork on both rooks is no joke. } 14. Re2 b5
{ The idea of this novelty is to grab space on the queenside and prepare the queen
sortie to b6, followed by doubling the rooks on the c-file with ...Rc7 and ...Rfc8.
}
15. a3 Nc6
{ Now, we can proceed on the queenside in multiple ways. One big idea is to take
advantage of the weak b3-square by going ...a5-a4, ...Na5 and ...Nb3. If White does
not somehow checkmate us, Black will dominate in the endgame. Unfortunately, as
there is no way to run the f2-pawn up the board, and the light-squared bishops have
been traded, I do not see how White will create any problems for us, so I tend to
strongly prefer Black in the practical settings in such positions. This is pretty
much the essense of these lines with ...Ba6: first, we endure a bit in the
middlegame, and then enjoy a superior endgame. A perfect line to play versus people
who are not very good at attacking, who tend to make quiet non-rushed moves, as
this simply doesn't work against these positional lines with the light-squared
bishop exchange. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "3.Nc3 with 4.Nf3 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
{ This is by far the most serious theoretical challenge of the French. A few
friends of mine, who are strong GMs, and I used to have the following joke:
'Everyone knows the French is bad, but no one wants to learn the lines after 3.
Nc3, as in both the Classical and the Winaver White needs to know too much. Black
knows that, and knows that after other third moves there are no theoretical
problems. So that's how the French Defense works'. On a serious note, while I
don't think there is anything wrong with the French, and I obviously like this
opening, as otherwise, I wouldn't have been writing about it, I definitely admit
this is the only critical test. If Nc3 did not exist, I would be using the French
all the time, as in all other lines from Tarrasch to the Advance French, Black has
multiple good convenient choices. }
3... Be7
{ For the purpose of this course, I wanted to recommend something very unusual and
interesting. This move is perfectly playable at a GM level, as the analysis and
model games will hopefully prove to you. ---However, at an amateur level, it would
just make a killing. For example, if you use the Lichess Master database, you
will see nearly 62 000 games after 3.Nc3. Nearly 29 000 of them saw 3...Bb4 and
3...Nf6 was played in 26 000. What about 3...Be7 ? 372 games! The white players
have a 0.5% chance of seeing this move, so of course, no one will know much about
it. The theoretical resources, like courses and books, don't cover it in detail
either. You need to understand this offers you a huge advantage for two reasons.
First of all, the opponents won't know what to do. Secondly, even more importantly,
if you are a club player, you have no time, ability and need to memorize hundreds
of sharp Winaver variations. Instead, you want to understand the typical positions
well and play on your own terms, and this is what such variations are all about.
However, this line is perfectly reasonable. it's been played by such strong players
as Nigel Short, Alexey Dreev, Yasser Seirawan, Mikhail Demidov (the main hero of
the line who played dozens of games in it!) and many others. What's the goal? We
want to provoke 4.Ngf3 and then create a pawn chain, just like after
3.Nd2 Be7 , when f2-f4 will no longer be possible. Instead, if White goes
4.e5 right now, we'll have the time to blow up his centre without giving him the
time to play f2-f4 and Nf3, reinforcing the d4 and e5-pawns, unlike after
3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 , when White had the time to do so, as he
attacked our f6-knight and won a tempo that way. At a GM level, most people play
4.Nf3 . However, if you are a club player, you are equally likely to see 4.e5 .
Of course, there are many other moves too, like 4.Bd3 , keeping the tension, or
4.exd5 , going for the Exchange French where the bishop might not be placed that
well on e7 as opposed to d6, and we will cover them all in detail, too. }
4. Nf3
{ The most common move. White gets the knight out and keeps the tension. } 4...
Nf6
{ We are hoping to provoke e4-e5, which is the wrong direction for White to steer
the game in. }
5. e5 Nfd7
{ Now, Black is about to undermine the center with ...c7-c5 and White cannot really
hold it with c2-c3, as the knight is there. This position can also occur via the
Classical French, after
3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd7 5.Nf3 . }
6. Bd3 c5 7. dxc5
{ White needs to capture, or else Black takes on d4 and distracts the f3-knight
from protecting the e5-pawn. }
7... Nc6
{ While it was possible to capture the c5-pawn, I'd rather focus on the one on e5,
looking to provoke White to defend it in a somewhat awkward way. }
8. Bf4 g5
{ Oops! Now the pawn cannot be saved. Alternatively, Black could just take on c5
with the knight, keeping the position solid. }
9. Bg3 g4 10. Nd2 Ndxe5
{ It is not entirely obvious why White gave up the pawn. Black can even easily
afford to castle short, maybe after going ...Ng6. Alternatively, he can
play ...Nxd3 or try to build the center with ...e6-e5 next, which also looks great.
}
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. Bd3
{ It makes a lot more sense for White to keep the tension. Now, of course, we don't
want to play ...dxe4, releasing the tension and getting into the Rubinstein
variation. Instead, we'll undermine the center right away. }
5... c5 6. exd5 exd5
{ This is one of the very few times in the course where we will go for a position
with an IQP. Why would we do this? Here is a HUGE thing to understand. It is much
better for the side that is playing with an IQP when the opponent has a c-pawn
rather than an e-pawn, which is the case here. That is because this way the g1-a7
diagonal is a lot weaker, and Black can generate a lot of pressure on the f2-pawn
by means of ...Bc5, ...Qb6, ...Ne4/g4, etc. }
7. O-O c4
{ Is fantastic for Black. Why? Well, because in these positions, White normally
tries to undermine the c4-pawn with b2-b3 and then build the center with c2-c4, but
the knight is already misplaced on c3, which makes the idea of c2-c4 impossible.
Plus, it can be attacked by ...b5-b4 very easily. }
8. Be2 O-O 9. b3 cxb3 10. axb3 Nc6
{ Is a very comfortable position for Black. Next, we'll go ... Bf5, developing the
bishop to an active square, followed by ...Rc8, and maybe later ...Nb4 to put
pressure on the c3-knight and the c2-pawn. There is no telling why that knight is
on c3. }
11. Ne5
{ Normally, White would immediately try to change the structure, in which case we
can just keep developing. }
11... Bf5 12. Nxc6 bxc6
{ Now, the c6-pawn seems a bit backward, but we can always consider preparing ...
c6-c5. Besides, now that the f3-knight is gone, White's kingside seems a bit
vulnerable, so we can consider ideas like ...Bd6, ...Re8, maybe ...h7-h5-
h4, ...Ng4, ...Qh4, etc, showing the White king it is not enjoying a lot of safety
there. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. Bd3
5... c5 6. exd5 exd5
7. dxc5 O-O
{ Before taking the pawn, we make sure to castle to avoid the aforementioned
Qe2+. }
8. O-O Nbd7
{ This will be a typical theme. Since we are not afraid of White trying to hold on
to the pawn, as we had seen in many variations above, we have all the time in the
world to recapture the pawn. We would prefer to do so with the knight, because the
knight is very active on c5, from where it can come to e4 if needed. Also, ideas
like ...Bg4, ...Re8, ...Bc5 look great. And, once the knight moves from d7 to c5
and e4, the e7-bishop can move over to c5 as well, putting pressure on the f2-pawn.
I believe it is better to investigate these positions on the level of ideas, so
we'll be looking at them in more detail in the chapter on model games. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "3.Nc3 with 4.e5 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
{ White decides to lock up the center, which is a very typical French move. }
4... c5
{ However, the problem here is that it's not possible to go f2-f4 and Nf3,
overprotecting the d4- and e5-pawns. One of them will have to end up vulnerable! }
5. Nf3
{ Is a sensible attempt to protect the d4-pawn, but it doesn't result in a great
position. }
5... Nc6 6. Bb5
{ White usually chooses to play this way, looking to pin the c6-knight. However,
that's hardly a good idea, since he'll need to give up his most precious minor
piece, the light-squared bishop. }
6... Bd7
{ Black had unpinned and is ready to take on d4. For instance, after: } 7. O-O
cxd4
{ The knight cannot take on d4 as the e5-pawn would hang, so the only alternative
is: }
8. Bxc6 dxc3 { We, of course, happily spoil White's pawn structure. } 9. Bxd7+
Qxd7 10. bxc3 Rc8
{ The queenside pawns are weak, next Black will just get the kingside out by
playing ...Bc5 and ...Ne7 and will start doubling on the c-file to win those c-
pawns. White is strategically lost. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
overprotecting the d4 and e5-pawns. One of them will have to endd up vulnerable! }
5. Qg4
{ This is, by far, the most ambitious and principled move. Here, I would be
recommending a very sharp and rather risky continuation, used with success by Nigel
Short and Sergey Matsenko, but Black can also choose the quieter positional move
5...Kf8, which was also tried by several GMs like Chernyshov. }
5... g5
{ This extremely aggressive-looking move has been played in 10(!) games only so
far. The idea is to play ...h7-h5 and grab space on the kingside, and potentially
support ...g5-g4, which can result in White's center completely collapsing in no
time, especially if he plays Nf3 at some point. Furthermore, if Qg4 and Nf3 are
played together, often after ...h7-h5 and ... g5-g4, ... h5-h4, etc, the queen ends
up short on squares and trapped. Obviously, this move considerably weakens the
kingside, so we need to be very careful and precise. }
6. dxc5
{ This is White's most popular move, which has also been recommended by Sethuraman
in his course on the French for White, as well as by Harikhrishna in his. }
6... h5
{ Of course, we proceed with our plan of grabbing space and kicking the queen
out. }
7. Qe2
{ Has been suggested by Hari. This way, White protects the e5-pawn in advance while
also not running into tempi, which would happen if he places his queen on g3.
However, this move also blocks in the kingside pieces, which obviously isn't great.
It doesn't make it a bad move, but it certainly comes with a significant
downside. }
7... Nc6 { First, we are waiting to provoke the move Nf3. } 8. Nf3 g4 9. Nd2
{ We don't want to recapture on c5 with the bishop, as Nb3 will cause us to lose a
lot of time. }
9... b6
{ A very cool pawn sacrifice. Given White is very restricted on the kingside, he
will likely need to castle long. Well, we are waiting for him there, as now the a-
file will be open! Besides, once the a7-pawn is gone, ...Ba6 will be a rather
tempting possibility from now on. }
10. cxb6 axb6
{ Black has a threat of ... Ba6, which will force the White queen back to d1, when
Black can trade on f1, make White misplace his pieces and then win the e5-pawn,
which will be no longer protected by the queen. }
11. a3 { Let's see what happens if White makes a random move and ignores us. }
11... Ba6 12. Qd1 Bxf1 13. Nxf1 Nxe5
{ Of course, having won the central pawn back, Black is clearly better, as he owns
the entire center. Next, we'll just go ...Ng6 and ...Bf6!, installing the bishop
on the long diagonal. The king is perfectly safe in the center, but if needed, we
can easily castle short. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4
1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
overprotecting the d4 and e5-pawns. One of them will have to endd up vulnerable! }
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qe2
downside. }
7... Nc6 { First, we are waiting to provoke the move Nf3. } 8. Nf3 g4 9. Nd2 b6
10. cxb6 axb6
11. Nb3
{ White needs to prepare long casting. Here, 11...Ba6 is not that effective due
to 12.Nb5 , when ...Nd4 is no longer possible as the b3-knight controls that
square, but we have other ideas as well. }
11... Bb4
{ The threat is not only ...Ba6 now, because the c3-knight got pinned, but
also ...d5-d4. }
12. Bd2 { White needs to unpin. } 12... Ba6 13. Nb5 Bxb5
{ Now, White's pieces will end up very misplaced. } 14. Qxb5 Bxd2+ 15. Nxd2 Qc7
{ The e5-pawn will fall with check on the next turn. The c6-knight can be easily
protected with ...Nge7. Please note White cannot castle long here, as that hangs
the a2-pawn. Unfortunately, his position starts falling apart. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "1) The Exchange Variation"]
[Black "Transposition to 4.Nf3 5.Bd3"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
lines a lot of French players strongly dislike, both at a club level and at a
yet : ) The Exchange is the second most played line at the club level, according
to the lichess database, and is mostly played by people who are not familiar with
theory and the French pawn chains, and so naturally want to avoid those positions.
However, lately, it saw a significant spike in popularity at a GM level too,
4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.Qe2+ , popularized by Carlsen and many others. Here are
a few quick guidelines before diving into the theoretical part: 1) Even though
after exchanges on d5 the c8-bishop is no longer blocked, the c8-bishop and the one
on c1 are still inferior to their other counterparts, because it's very likely
Black will go ...c7-c6 to cover the b5-square and protect the d5-pawn, and the
pawns on b7, c6 and d5 definitely restrict his light-squared bishop a lot. Same
positions is taking control over the two diagonals, namely b1-h7 and b8-h2. If one
side seizes both diagonals, no matter in the middlegame or the endgame, it tends to
enjoy a considerable long-lasting advantage. 3) One of the most common mistakes
at a club level is placing the knight on c3 or c6. While there are, sometimes,
reasons to place it there, it tends to be very restricted. For example, if White
goes Nc3 and Black responds with ...c7-c6, the knight cannot go to e4, d5 or b5, so
what is it doing? Plus, if Black ever goes ...Bg4 to pin the White f3-knight, Nbd2
will no longer be possible, resolving the pin. So, either don't place the knight
there at all, or do it for a very concrete reason, such as re-routing it to the
kingside right away, such as Nc6-e7-g6/f5. 4) While the positions are symmetrical
and often dry, it is very possible to outplay your opponents, so don't worry about
the draw. Below a strong GM level, just one pair of pawns being absent by no means
indicates some kind of quick draw. A stronger player always wins, and in fact, this
is a perfect playground: a position without much theory! However, if in some
lines the arising positions do end up very drawish, please know it's not a problem,
as White presented no theoretical challenges to us whatsoever. }
3... exd5 4. Bd3
{ This move is considered imprecise because of 4...c5 , the point being that if
White tried to trade pieces by giving a check with 5.Bb5+ , that would involve
losing a tempo. However, I don't want to play c5 for two reasons: first of all,
this repertoire never features an IQP position for Black, so I don't want us to be
getting into one, and secondly, why not just use the setup that works well after 4.
Nf3, too? }
4... Bd6 5. Nf3 Ne7 { Transposes to the 4.Nf3 Bd6 line. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Bd3 - N1 "]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
yet :) The Exchange is the second most played line at the club level, according to
3... exd5 4. Bd3
4.Nf3, too? }
4... Bd6 5. Ne2
5... Ne7 { Of course, we plan on going ...Bf5 next, swapping the bishops. } 6.
Ng3
{ This is an independent line, which is very rare and hasn't been tried by good
players for a reason, but I thought I'd show it because White's last move
prevents ...Bf5. }
6... O-O 7. O-O f5
{ Playing this move would have been strategically suspicious, had the knight stayed
on f3, as it weakens the e5-square. But with the knight on g3, who cares? The e5-
square cannot be exploited. }
8. f4 { White needs to stop ...f5-f4. } 8... Nd7 9. Nd2 Nf6 10. Nf3 Ne4
{ Black is doing fantastic, the g3-knight is very misplaced in this otherwise
symmetrical position. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Bd3 - N2"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
3... exd5 4. Bd3
4.Nf3, too? }
4... Bd6 5. Ne2
Ng3
{ This is an independent line, which is very rare and hasn't been tried by good
players for a reason, but I thought I'd show it because White's last move
prevents ...Bf5. }
6... O-O 7. O-O f5
{ Playing this move would have been strategically suspicious, had the knight stayed
on f3, as it weakens the e5-square. But with the knight on g3, who cares? The e5-
square cannot be exploited. }
8. Nd2
{ White develops passively and provokes a lot of initiative on the kingside upon
himself. }
8... f4 9. Ne2 Ng6
{ Gives Black a ton of kingside initiative with ...Qg5, ...Nh4, ...Bg4/h3 and other
similar moves coming. This f4-pawn is doing a great job squeezing White's kingside!
}
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
3... exd5 4. Bd3
4.Nf3, too? }
4... Bd6 5. Ne2
Bf4 Bf5
{ It is also possible to avoid playing symmetrical chess with 6...Bg4 , for
example, which is totally fine, but I think there is no need to be exploring how to
play for a win on move 6 in this non-challenging line. Just getting an easy and
safe position is good enough from a theoretical perspective. }
7. O-O O-O 8. c3
{ Of course, White could also take on f5, that wouldn't change much. } 8... c6
9. Bxd6 Qxd6 10. Ng3 { White forces another trade. } 10... Bxd3 11. Qxd3 Nd7
{ Black finishes the development of his queenside. } 12. Nd2 Rae8
{ Sorry, this is not the most exciting line, but Black equalized very easily, and
we will make sure to discuss how to play a symmetrical position in the chapter on
model games. If you want to avoid this type of outcome, go 6...Bg4 or something
along these lines. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.c4 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
3... exd5 4. c4
too. }
4... Bb4+ 5. Bd2
{ Only helps us trade pieces, which is great for the side fighting the IQP, in this
case it is us, of course. }
5... Bxd2+ 6. Nxd2 Nf6
{ Followed by short castling and natural development, likely including ...Bg4 to
trade something on f3 or e2. Black is better, as the isolani will be weaker and
weaker with pieces coming off the board. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.c4 - N2"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
3... exd5 4. c4
too. }
4... Bb4+ 5. Nc3 Ne7
6. Nf3 O-O 7. Be2 dxc4
{ Time to open the position more. Generally, it's very beneficial to wait, and only
take on c4 after White moves the light-squared bishop. This way, it gets to c4 in
two moves, not one, so we win a tempo. }
8. Bxc4 Nbc6 { Soon, the pawn will be in danger. } 9. h3 Nd5
{ The c3-knight is under pressure and ...Re8 is coming. } 10. Bd2 Re8+
{ White is already forced to go back, which obviously is a failure. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.c4 - N3"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
3... exd5 4. c4
too. }
4... Bb4+ 5. Nc3 Ne7
6. Nf3 O-O 7. Be2 dxc4 { Time to open the position more. } 8. Bxc4 Nbc6
{ Soon, the pawn will be in danger. } 9. O-O Bg4 10. Be3 Nf5
{ Causes a lot of uncomfortable pressure. How to defend everything is not an
obvious question to answer. White is already somewhat worse. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Bf4 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
3... exd5 4. Bf4
{ Is completely toothless and only helps Black to develop and trade. } 4... Bd6
5. Bxd6 Qxd6
{ Of course, White's c1-bishop was a bit inferior on paper, as the pawns on b2, c3
and d4 were restricting it, but trading came at a cost of activating our queen.
Plus, we will be able to develop our bishop to f5, preventing Bd3, when White would
take control over the diagonal. }
6. Bd3 { Is not a great idea due to: } 6... Qb4+
{ Attacking the pawns on d4 and b2 at the same time. } 7. Nc3
{ White counterattacks the d5-pawn. } 7... c6
{ One of the pawns falls no matter what. This clearly went wrong for White. He
would have some compensation, but cannot open the position or create any meaningful
threats, so a pawn remains a pawn. Black is clearly better. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
3... exd5 4. Bf4
{ Is completely toothless and only helps Black develop and trade. } 4... Bd6 5.
Bxd6 Qxd6
6. Bd3 { Is not a great idea due to: } 6... Qb4+
{ Attacking the pawns on d4 and b2 at the same time. } 7. c3 Qxb2
{ Is just a free pawn for Black. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Bf4 - alternative to play for a win"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
3... exd5 4. Bf4
Bxd6 Qxd6
6. c3 Nf6
{ Is a way to keep the game more complex, but I don't care enough to explore it, as
this line is completely non-challenging. }
7. Bd3 O-O 8. Ne2
{ Going for 8.Nf3 would run into 8...Re8+ , boosting Black's development. }
8... b6 9. O-O c5
{ Black creates tension in the center and ensures the position will remain
complicated. This is a way to go if you are facing a weaker opponent and want to
keep things more challenging for both sides. Next, just ...Nc6, ...Re8, ...
Bd7, ... Rad8, etc, playing natural centralizing moves. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
3... exd5 4. Bf4
Bxd6 Qxd6
6. c3 Bf5 { Black takes control of the b1-h7 diagonal. } 7. Bd3 Bxd3 8. Qxd3 c6
{ Stopping Qb5+. It was also possible to allow for it and look for some
compensation, but why complicate matters in irrelevant sidelines? }
9. Nf3 Nf6 10. O-O O-O
{ Both parties are finishing their development, the position is very equal. }
11. Ne5 Nbd7 12. f4
{ An attempt to install the knight on e5 and support it this way doesn't give White
much - in fact, it is plainly wrong, as it weakens the e4-square. }
12... Ne4 13. Nd2 Ndf6
{ Next, Black is ready to swap a pair of knights, keep the remaining one on e4 and
chase the White one away with ... f7-f6. Black is slightly better, because with
other things being equal, the e4-square is an outpost, while the one on e5 is not
as we have the option of ...f7-f6. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
3... exd5 4. Bf4
Bxd6 Qxd6
6. c3 Bf5 { Black takes control of the b1-h7 diagonal. } 7. Bd3 Bxd3 8. Qxd3 c6
{ Stopping Qb5+. It was also possible to allow for it and look for some
compensation, but why complicate matters in irrelevant sidelines? }
9. Nf3 Nf6 10. O-O O-O
{ Both parties are finishing their development, the position is very equal. }
11. Nbd2 Nbd7 12. Rfe1 Rfe8
{ Next, all the rooks come off and the position should be very drawish. If you
don't like it, follow the other recommendation on move 6. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 - what NOT to do"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
3... exd5 4. Nf3 { The main theoretical move. } 4... Nf6 5. Bd3 Bd6 6. Qe2+
{ Is the popular theoretical main line, which has become incredibly trendy with
Carlsen, So, Anand, Grischuk, MVL and many others picking White's side. I don't
think White is better, but I actually really like this line for White and would
strongly prefer to avoid it from Black's perspective. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 - what NOT to do (castle first!)"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
{ A somewhat less popular choice than the main symmetrical move 4...Nf6 . The
idea is to develop the knight to e7 in order to prepare ...Bf5, exchanging our
inferior bishop and looking to get some kind of an endgame with a knight or dark-
squared bishop versus a dark-squared bishop. }
{ The bishop is coming to f5. } 6. O-O Bf5 { Results in Black wasting time. }
7. Bxf5 Nxf5 8. Re1+
{ And we need to go ... Ne7 back, which isn't terrible, but why waste that time? }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 5.Bd3 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
7. Re1
{ Is another popular move, which doesn't create any problems for Black, either. }
7... Bf5 { Now, 8.Bg5 transposes to the the 7.Bg5 line, while after: } 8.
Bxf5 Nxf5 9. Qd3 Qd7
{ Black is not experiencing any issues, either. Here, since the bishops are gone,
it's important to point out we have the following way of developing our
queenside. }
10. Nc3 c6 11. Bd2 Na6
{ With the bishop on d3, this move would allow for Bxa6!, spoiling the structure.
Now, however, the knight is perfectly fine, and can come either to b4, or
after ...Rae8 get transferred over to e6 via c7. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 5.Bd3 - N2"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
7. Bg5 f6
the e5-square. }
8. Be3 { Going back makes even less sense. What is the bishop doing there? }
8... Bf5
{ The game will be very similar to the lines with 8.Bh4, except White's bishop is
more passive on e3. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 5.Bd3 - N3"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
7. Bg5 f6
the e5-square. }
8. Bh4 Bf5 { This is more of a dry and drawish path. } 9. Bxf5 Nxf5
{ Only accelerates Black's development, why would White do that? } 10. Bg3 Nxg3
11. hxg3 Nd7
{ This is exactly what we are looking for: a bishop versus a knight. In the future,
the game is likely to open up a bit and we'll be seeking to outplay White in an
endgame. For now, we'll just go ... c7-c6, ...Re8, maybe ...Qe7 or ...Qc7, fight
for the e-file and likely trade all the major pieces there, followed by a long game
in the endgame. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 5.Bd3 - N4"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
7. Bg5 f6
the e5-square. }
8. Bh4 Bf5 { This is a more of a dry and drawish path. } 9. Bg3 Bxg3 10. hxg3
Nbc6
{ Another typical idea worth learning. The idea is that after ... Qd7 and ...Rae8,
once the bishops are traded, this knight will move over, ideally to d6. The best
path will be Nd8-f7-d6, controlling the e4-square. White's pawn structure on the
kingside is not good, actually, for two reasons. The first one is that if we ever
somehow play ...Ng4 and ...Qh5, White cannot ever kick us out with h2-h3. Secondly,
if we bring the knight to e4, f2-f3 is not an easy move to achieve, as the g3-pawn
would be left hanging. }
11. c3 Bxd3 12. Qxd3 Qd7
{ Next, we go ...Rae8 and ...Nf5-d6, followed by ...Nce7, or ...Nc6-d8-f7-d6. While
the position is balanced, the kingside structure is a small disadvantage for White.
}
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 5.Bd3 - an alternative to get more winning chances"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
7. Bg5 f6
the e5-square. }
8. Bh4 Nf5
{ Here, Black gets the bishop pair, but the active d3-bishop stays alive. } 9.
Bg3 Nxg3 10. hxg3 Be6
{ The bishop gets out before the knight. If needed, it will hide on f7. } 11.
Nbd2 Bf7 12. c3 Nd7 { The rest of the pieces are coming out. } 13. Qc2
{ White keeps developing while gaining a tempo, } 13... g6
{ We deal with the threat to the pawn, of course. } 14. Rfe1 c6
{ Here is our bishop pair! As they say, it's not much, but it's honest work. On a
serious note, while the position is admittedly very equal, the bishops will be
getting stronger and stronger as the pieces come off the board. Now, the goal is
simple: trade all the major pieces and try to open the game with ...c6-c5, maybe
after ...b7-b6 first to avoid an isolani after dxc5. There is no forced draw here.
The game goes on and White will have to earn it deep in the endgame. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 with 5.c4 - what NOT to do"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
5. c4
5... Ne7 6. c5 { And we lose the bishop. Be careful not to fall for this! } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 with 5.c4 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
5. c4
5... Nf6
6. cxd5 Nxd5
{ Is a very comfortable version of an isolani for Black, for example: } 7. Nc3
Bb4
{ I like this somewhat unexpected move with the bishop, which makes White respond
passively. It might look weird to move the same piece twice, but our knight was
hanging, so we needed to do something about that anyway. }
8. Bd2 O-O
{ Now, White would have liked to go Bd3 or Bc4, but that runs into ...Re8+, when he
has to go back. Instead, after: }
9. Be2 Nc6 10. O-O Be6
{ The position is very solid, Next, we can continue with ... h7-h6 if needed,
respond to a2-a3 with ...Be7, and just get the rest of the pieces out
with ...Qd7, ...Rad8, ... Rfe8, etc. Please note that the d4-pawn can be easily
attacked with ...Ba5-b6 or ... Be7-f6 and White did not get any typical activity,
such as pinning the f6-knight with Bg5, or building a battery with Bd3-c2, Qd3,
etc. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
5. c4
5... Nf6
6. Nc3
6... O-O
above. }
7. Be2
{ This move is bad because now White has to recapture on c4 and move it again,
wasting a tempo, as opposed to being able to take on c4 in one move. }
7... dxc4 8. Bxc4 Re8+
{ Now, White needs to deal with the pin in a rather awkward way. } 9. Be3 Be6
{ Black, of course, is happy to trade the minor pieces, since he is fighting
against the IQP. }
10. Bxe6 Rxe6 11. O-O Nbd7
{ With ...h7-h6, ... Nb6, ...c7-c6 and ...Nbd5 coming next, we just have a very
solid position with a clear plan: trading everything and win the endgame! White's
light-squared bishop was his most important attacking piece, so now when it's gone,
Black is experiencing no danger whatsoever. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
5. c4
5... Nf6
6. Nc3
6... O-O
above. }
7. c5 Be7
{ Now, we are ready to undermine the pawn on c5 with ...b7-b6. White's development
isn't great. }
8. Be3
{ This move is aimed at protecting the rook on a1, which enables White to
meet ...b7-b6 with b2-b4, followed by meeting ...a7-a5 with a2-a3. It was chosen by
Carlsen at an Olympiad in 2016, in a game where he drew a 2560 player with White. }
8... b6 9. b4 a5 10. a3
{ Here, Sadorra went 10...Ng4 and drew the World Champion, but it's even stronger
to continue with: }
10... Ne4
{ and harass that unprotected knight on c3 right away. Rule of thumb: when the
opponent advances the pawns like that, we should react very quickly, or else the
space advantage would prove very useful. }
11. Qc1
{ White just protects the knight. This position was reached three times only,
always in correspondence games, and all three were played by the same White player.
He must love the setup! }
11... axb4 12. axb4 Rxa1 13. Qxa1 bxc5 14. bxc5 Bf6
{ Black keeps developing, while also gaining time. Now, the pawn is under pressure
and ...Nxc5 followed by ...d5-d4 could be a threat. }
15. Be2 Nxc5 { Open the board up! } 16. dxc5 d4 { For example, after: } 17.
Bxd4 Bxd4 18. Nxd4 Qxd4 { The c5-pawn is not easy to defend. } 19. O-O Qxc5
{ The engine claims White should be able to get a pawn back and make a draw, but a
pawn is a pawn, so it definitely does not appear to be a good outcome for White. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
5. c4
5... Nf6
6. Nc3
6... O-O
above. }
7. c5 Be7
isn't great. }
8. Be3
{ This move is aimed at protecting the rook on a1, which enables White to
meet ...b7-b6 with b2-b4, followed by meeting ...a7-a5 with a2-a3. It was chosen by
Carlsen at an Olympiad in 2016, in a game where he drew a 2560 player with White. }
8... b6 9. cxb6 axb6
{ Results in a position similar to the one after 8.Bd3, but the bishop already
committed to e3, which doesn't make much sense, as it could be more active on f4. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
5. c4
5... Nf6
6. Nc3
6... O-O
above. }
7. c5 Be7
isn't great. }
8. Bd3 b6 9. b4 a5 { Can land White in trouble, because a2-a3 isn't possible. }
10. a3 axb4 11. axb4 Rxa1 { Is the issue, the rook is hanging. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
5. c4
5... Nf6
6. Nc3
6... O-O
above. }
7. c5 Be7
isn't great. }
8. Bd3 b6 9. cxb6 axb6 10. O-O c5
{ Time to fight for the center. This position is completely fine for Black, who
already has more influence in the center and a very comfortable development. }
11. h3 { White prevents the annoying pin ...Bg4. } 11... Nc6
{ Now the d4-pawn is under pressure. } 12. dxc5 bxc5
{ Just gives Black a massive center. Next, Black will go ...Bb7, ...d5-d4! and
enjoy the gorgeous b7-bishop. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
5. c4
5... Nf6
6. Nc3
6... O-O
above. }
7. c5 Be7
isn't great. }
8. Bd3 b6 9. cxb6 axb6 10. O-O c5
{ Now the d4-pawn is under pressure. } 12. Bf4
{ Most people decided to temporarily sacrifice a pawn. } 12... Nxd4
{ There is no reason to not accept. } 13. Nxd4 cxd4 14. Nb5
{ Whie is going to try to get the pawn back. } 14... Bc5
{ Holding on to it isn't worth it, because after: } 15. a3
{ b2-b4 is inevitable and our bishop gets pushed away no matter what. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
5. c4
5... Nf6
6. Nc3
6... O-O
above. }
7. c5 Be7
isn't great. }
8. Bd3 b6 9. cxb6 axb6 10. O-O c5
{ Now the d4-pawn is under pressure. } 12. Bf4
{ Most people decided to temporarily sacrifice a pawn. } 12... Nxd4
{ There is no reason to not accept. } 13. Nxd4 cxd4 14. Nb5
{ Whie is going to try to get the pawn back. } 14... Ne4
{ The knight definitely belongs in the center. } 15. Nxd4 Bc5
{ Black is creating pressure on the f2-pawn, while also preparing ...Qf6, adding
even more. }
16. Be3 Qf6
{ We have a ton of piece play and the isolated d5-pawn is by no means fragile or
important here. Of course, Black didn't have to take on d4 either. Next, we'll just
go ...Bd7, ...Rfe8, etc, improving the position and trying to apply even more
pressure. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
5. c4
5... Nf6
6. Nc3
6... O-O
above. }
7. cxd5
7... Re8+
{ It is nice to make the bishop go to e2, preventing more active moves like Bc4. }
8. Be3 Ng4
{ With ... Bf4 coming next, the pin represents a huge problem for White. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 with 5.c4 - N10 "]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
5. c4
5... Nf6
6. Nc3
6... O-O
above. }
7. cxd5
7... Re8+
Bc4. }
8. Be2 Nbd7 { We are about to play ...Nb6 and get the pawn back. } 9. Bg5
{ Will transpose after: } 9... h6 { See this line. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 with 5.c4 - a possible, but inferior line"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
5. c4
5... Nf6
6. Nc3
6... O-O
above. }
7. cxd5
7... Re8+
Bc4. }
10. Bg5 Be7
{ Is analyzed by Sielecki from White's perspective, with the claim that after: }
11. Bb5 Bd7 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. Qb3
{ White manages to keep the extra pawn. That's true, but I don't think it's
particularly useful. For example, even here, after: }
13... a5 { Black wants to go ...a5-a4 and grab more space. } 14. a4 Bxb5 15.
Qxb5 Be7
{ The bishop is coming to b4, Black can take on c3 at any moment and then win back
the d5-pawn. However, this is not the path I like best. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 with 5.c4 - N11 - neutralizing Sielecki's 1.e4 course"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
5. c4
5... Nf6
6. Nc3
6... O-O
above. }
7. cxd5
7... Re8+
Bc4. }
10. Bg5 h6
11. Bxf6 Qxf6
{ Is not particularly good for White. Next, we'll follow up with ...Bf5 or ...Bg4
to put pressure on the f3-knight, followed by ...Rad8 and moving the d6-bishop,
attacking that d5-pawn multiple times. The recent high-level game Firouzja-So
saw: }
12. Re1 Bg4 13. Ne5
{ White is taking advantage of a tactical nuance to keep his extra pawn. Here,
interestingly, the three weaker players made the right move, but So erred
with ...Bf5? }
13... Bxe2 14. Qxe2 Qg5 { Creates a threat of ...f7-f6. For instance, after: }
15. Ne4 Qh4 16. g3 Qd8
{ Black is totally fine, because it's not possible to simultaneously prevent ...
Nxd5, ...Bxe5 and ...f7-f6. So, on the next turn, we get our pawn back. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 with 5.c4 - N12 - neutralizing Sielecki's 1.e4 course"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
5. c4
5... Nf6
6. Nc3
6... O-O
above. }
7. cxd5
7... Re8+
Bc4. }
10. Bg5 h6
11. Bh4 Be7 12. Bb5 Bd7 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Qb3
{ Is Sielecki's line with an extra useful move ...h7-h6. For instance, here, after:
}
14... a5 15. a4 Bxb5 16. Qxb5 Be7
{ Same idea - ...Bb4 is unstoppable, when ... Bxc3 and ...Qxd5 next cannot be
prevented. This is totally fine for Black. Let's just look a bit deeper. }
17. Rfe1 Bb4 18. Rxe8+
{ White trades everything, as otherwise ... Rxe1, followed by ...Bxc3 and ...Qxd5
would get us our pawn back in no time. }
18... Qxe8 19. Qxe8+ Rxe8 20. Rc1
{ The goal of this move is to x-ray the c7-pawn. } 20... Bxc3 21. Rxc3 Nxd5
{ It looks like Black just got a pawn back and has the better endgame, but White
has a double attack. }
22. Rc5 c6 { However, we are totally fine here. } 23. Rxa5 Re2
{ Black has a lot of activity and will inevitably get a pawn back on the next turn,
or a move later. Please note we would have been in trouble without including this
key move ... h7-h6, this is a very subtle and important improvement. In fact,
White is slightly worse here, as his rook is in a weird spot and he still has the
IQP, while Black's knight enjoys the gorgeous outpost on d5. Keep pushing for a
win! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "2) The Exchange Variation - Model Games"]
[Black "Hirsso, Jyrki vs. Svoboda, Frantisek"]
[Result "*"]
{ Here, we will discuss a correspondence game where White got slowly outplayed in a
very symmetrical position. }
1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. d4 Bd6
{ Reminder: as it's very likely the moves c2-c3 and ...c7-c6 will be played, the
c8-bishop is still an inferior one, while our dark-squared bishop is very powerful.
At the same time, White's c1-bishop is worse than the light-squared one for the
same reason. So, the key objective is to trade the light-squared bishops and keep
the dark-squared ones. }
5. Bd3 Ne7 { Black goes for our setup. } 6. O-O O-O
{ Please remember to castle prior to playing ...Bf5 for the reason explained below!
6...Bf5 is the right idea, but a premature execution, as we discussed in the
theoretical chapter. 7.Bxf5 Nxf5 8.Re1+ And we need to waste time moving the
knight back. Why not castle first instead? }
7. Re1 Bf5
{ Of course, trading the bishops is the easy and logical thing we were intending
the entire time. }
8. Nc3
{ Overall, the knight is misplaced here, but it can be moved over to f4 or g3 via
e2. }
8... c6 { Black overprotects the pawn and prevents Nb5 or Bb5 in the future. }
9. Bg5 f6
{ Of course, as we know from the theoretical chapter, this move is not a weakening
one, at all. Instead, we just win a tempo and take the e5-square under control. }
10. Bh4 Qd7
{ Black is overprotecting the bishop, while also intending to connect the rooks on
the next turn. 10...Bxd3 11.Qxd3 Na6 Is the path I would have found more
logical, intending ...Qd7, ...Rae8 and ... Nc7, bringing it over to e6. }
11. Bg3
{ As I had explained in the theoretical chapter, the pawn structure that arises
after this move is actually not great for White. }
11... Bxd3
{ 11...Bxg3! Would have been a slightly more precise move order, avoiding the note
after the main move in the text. }
12. Qxd3
{ 12.Bxd6! Would have avoided that pawn structure after ...Bxg3 hxg3, as well as
all the problems related to it. }
12... Bxg3 13. hxg3
{ A few key notes about this structure: 1) If our knight gets to e4, challenging
it with f2-f3 is hard, because the g3-pawn would be hanging. 2) If we ever
go ...Ng4-Qh5, h2-h3 is not possible anymore, so White will have to tolerate our
pieces' presence around his king. This structure could be advantageous if White
could use the h-file somehow, but that's not happening, obviously. }
13... Na6 14. a3 Nc7
{ The knight is coming over to control the e6-square, and possibly will be re-
routed further to d6 via e8-d6. }
15. Nd1 Nf5 16. Ne3 Nxe3 17. Rxe3 Rae8
{ It looks like a very equal position for now, doesn't it? Well, let's see! }
18. Rae1 b6 { Black is potentially preparing ...c6-c5. } 19. c3 g6
{ Covering the f5-square. } 20. Kf1 Kg7
{ This is also improving the position a bit: Rxe8 won't ever be a check.
Additionally, in the endgame, after ...g6-g5, the king can easily get out via g6-
f5. }
21. Rxe8 Rxe8 22. Rxe8 Nxe8
{ White was happy to trade, but now the knight is coming over to e4 via d6 and the
pressure starts to increase. }
23. Nd2 Nd6 24. f3 h5
{ A very precise move, preventing g3-g4 to grab space, while also pointing out that
the g3-pawn could be a target, say after ...Nf5 and ...Qd6/c7. Also, of
course, ...g6-g5 and ...h5-h4 could be an idea, tearing White king's shelter apart
quite a bit. }
25. b3
{ White is weakening all the queenside pawns, while also ignoring the dangers to
the g3-pawn. }
25... Nf5 26. Kf2 Qd6
{ Oops! Double attack on the pawns on g3 and a3 suddenly wins. } 27. Nf1 Qxa3
{ Now, Black is a pawn up and the rest is a matter of very easy technique. I hate
the words 'matter of technique' in chess annotations, as often they offer no
insight on what to do, so let's elaborate: Black needs to get an outside passed
pawn with ...a7-a5, ...b6-b5 and ...a5-a4. }
28. b4 Qb2+
{ The king is somewhat weak, so it's understandable White decided to trade the
queens, but the knight endgame is completely hopeless for him. 28...a5! 29.bxa5
bxa5 is the right plan. Black did that a few moves later, so all good. }
29. Qd2 Qxd2+ 30. Nxd2 a5 { Get it going! } 31. bxa5 bxa5 32. g4 hxg4 33. fxg4
Nh6 34. Kg3 a4
{ The white knight will need to get stuck stopping the pawn, which obviously allows
Black to win easily, as he is a piece up. }
35. Nb1 Nf7 36. Na3 Nd6
{ Now, the pawn is simply unstoppable, there is even no need to prepare anything by
using the king. }
37. Kf4 Nb5
{ White resigned, as he is also losing the c3-pawn, which leaves him without any
chances. It's instructive to see that g3-pawn was a huge problem in the endgame,
and while White by no means had to blunder in one move, especially in a
correpondence game, it clearly indicates this simplified position is not a dead
draw, especially OTB, especially if you understand what the opponent's problems are
in this structure. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Stokkentreef, Erik vs. Sumets, Andrey"]
[Result "*"]
{ This game shows how easily one of the sides can get a powerful kingside attack if
the other party is not careful enough. }
1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. d4 Bd6 5. Bd3 Ne7 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 Nbc6
{ This time, Black delays trading the bishops. Remember, the knight is misplaced
here long-term, but short-term, it can jump to b4, help pressure the d4-pawn or be
re-routed via d8 to e6 or f7, or via e7 to f5/g6. }
8. c3 { Naturally, White restricts the knight. } 8... Bf5
{ Time to get rid of the bad bishop. } 9. Be3 Qd7
{ This way of getting the queen in the game is typical, we've seen it in the
theoretical chapter and the other model game. ...Rae8 is coming. }
10. h3 Rae8 { All the pieces are ready to join the battle. } 11. Qc2 Bxd3 12.
Qxd3 f5
{ A very aggressive continuation. Black shows he is not worried about weakening the
e5-square and is looking to play ...f5-f4!, grabbing space and pushing White back,
intending to get a lot of pieces closer to White's king. This move also prevents
Nbd2. 12...Nf5 qould have been a more conservative continuation, for example
13.Nbd2 Nce7 followed by maybe taking on e3, counting on getting an endgame with
a superior minor piece, or preparing ... Ng6-f4. Another good plan could be to
go ...c7-c6 and then ... Bc7 followed by ...Qd6, staring at the white king.
Also, ...f7-f6 would be a useful move at some point, covering the e5-square. }
13. Bg5 { 13.Nbd2?? f4 traps the bishop. } 13... Ng6
{ The knight is coming closer to the kingside, too. } 14. Nbd2 a6
{ Black takes his time and slowly improves the position on the queenside as well,
preventing Qb5. 14...h6 is awkward for White, as the bishop on e3 is always in
danger of being trapped, while Bh4 allows for Nf4. }
15. Nh4
{ White is trying to trade pieces, but by doing so, he misplaces his bishop a
lot. }
15... Nxh4 16. Bxh4 Qf7
{ The bishop is in danger, as ...f5-f4 followed by ...Qh5 or ...h7-h6 and .. .g7-g5
can easily trap it. }
17. f3
{ White is trying to make room for the bishop, but now all the dark squares, such
as f4, e3 and g3 are very weak. }
17... Qh5 18. Bf2 Nd8 { The knight is coming over to f4 via e6. } 19. c4
{ An inappropriate timing for any activity. Instead, White should have been looking
to trade pieces as quickly as he could to reduce the number of threats Black can
create and defend. 19.Rxe8 Rxe8 20.Re1 would have been a more appropriate way
of defending, trading pieces, but after 20...Rxe1+ 21.Bxe1 Ne6 Black certainly
keeps pressing, as White is so passive and the dark squares require a lot of
attention. }
19... Ne6
{ Now, Black gets enough time to bring the knight over to the kingside and generate
a lot of threats there. }
20. cxd5 Nf4 { Of course, no one cares about the d5-pawn. } 21. Qf1 Qg5
{ Threatening ...Nxh3, not only winning a pawn as the g2-pawn is pinned and cannot
take back, but also winning the d2-knight. 21...Nxh3+! would have also been very
strong right away, planning to win the undefended d2-knight back. 22.gxh3 Qg5+
23.Qg2 Qxd2 And, of course, Black is winning here, since all white pawns are
extremely weak. The king is also rather opened up, but perhaps it won't get mated,
as there are not enough pieces on the board. Still, White will have to keep
guarding it, likely it'll cost him a few pawns. 24.b3 Rxe1+ 25.Rxe1 25...Qxa2
and the b3-pawn and the d5-pawn should fall soon enough, too. }
22. Nc4 { White tries saving the knight, but ends up mated... } 22... Nxh3+ 23.
Kh1 Nxf2+ 24. Qxf2 Bg3
{ There is no way to prevent ...Qh4-h2, so White resigned. A wonderful display of
how easy the situation on the kingside can escalate! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Kuijf, Marinus vs. Kortschnoj, Viktor Lvovich"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. c4
{ As I had claimed in the theoretical part, going for the IQP position isn't the
smartest thing for White to do versus the French, and this game displays why really
well. }
4... Nf6
{ 4...Bb4+ is the move order I prefer, followed by ...Ne7, so that the knight can
go to f5 later on. }
5. Nc3 Bb4 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Bd2
{ The problem for White is that Black doesn't have an e-pawn, so as soon as he
castles, ...Re8+ comes as a very unpleasant and distracting threat. }
7... O-O 8. Bd3
{ 8.Nf3 Re8+ 9.Be2 is also possible, but it's very passive. In fact, White still
has a hard time castling after 9...Bxc3! 10.bxc3 10.Bxc3?? Nf4! Game over!
10...Qe7! How to castle now? For instance 11.Ne5 Nd7 12.f4 f6 leaves White
pinned and very uncomfortable. }
8... c5
{ Korchnoi immediately foregoes the idea of playing versus an IQP, transforming the
structure to an even better one. }
9. dxc5
{ 9.Nge2 would have defended the pawn, but after 9...cxd4 10.Nxd4 Re8+! White
is still under pressure and has to retreat. 11.Nde2 Nxc3 12.Bxc3 Bxc3+ 13.bxc3
Nc6 and Black enjoys a clearly superior endgame-ish position, where White's
queenside pawns are weak. }
9... Nxc3 10. Bxc3 Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 Nd7
{ The c5-pawn is about to fall, so White tries to give it up in a way that at least
spoils the opponent's structure. }
12. c6 Nc5 { Korchnoi, however, wins even more time. } 13. Bc2 Re8+ 14. Ne2 Qe7
{ No need to take the pawn. Instead, bring on more pressure! Now, ...b7-b6
and ...Ba6! is a huge threat, followed by ...Rad8. }
15. Kf1 { White tries to unpin by giving up the right to castle. } 15... bxc6
{ Okay, now that White forfeited his castling rights, it makes sense to capture. }
16. Nd4
{ White prevents ...Ba6 with a pin (now this move is just a check), while also
attacking the pawn on c6, which, however, seems rather irrelevant, given he should
be trying to get the rook in the game and not get mated. }
16... Ne4
{ The c3-pawn is under attack, but also, the f2-pawn is under pressure as
well. ...Qf6 or ... Qh4 are on the way, followed by ...Ba6 and ...Rad8. }
17. Nxc6
{ It's understandable White wanted to eliminate this annoying pawn, but now the
initiative is simply decisive. }
17... Ba6+ 18. Kg1 Qc5
{ The f2-pawn is under pressure as well, which forces White to part with the
bishop. }
19. Bxe4 Rxe4 20. Nb4 Rae8
{ Black could get the pawn back right away, but there is no rush. 20...Qxc3
21.Nxa6 Rae8 also wins, as Re1 is unstoppable. }
21. Nxa6 Qxc3 { Same thing. There is no way to save the queen. } 22. Kf1 Qc4+
{ 22...Re2 qould have been even stronger, with ...Qf6 and ...Rd2 and ...R8e2
coming. }
23. Kg1 Qxa6
{ White is now a bit safer, as he avoided the instant loss, but it's still a
terrible position, of course. }
24. g3 Re2
{ Korchnoi is, of course, looking to immediately threaten that f2-pawn. } 25.
Qd7 Qf6 26. Rf1 { So far, everything was forced. } 26... Qf3
{ Korchnoi prevents Kg2, which would have allowed White to unravel. } 27. Qxa7
{ 27.h4! was needed, looking to defend with Rh2 if needed. } 27... Re1
{ Now, we are done. } 28. Qa6 h5
{ Before playing ...R8e2, Black of course needs an escape square. } 29. h4 R8e2
{ How to stop ...Qxf2 now? Sorry buddy, no way. } 30. Qa7 Rxf1+ 31. Kxf1 Rb2
{ With ...Rb1 coming next, White found no better choice than to resign. I think
it's amazing to see how much pressure Black was able to generate by the end of the
first dozen of moves! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "3) The Advance Variation - Sidelines"]
[Black "Transposition to the Exchange Variation"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. Nf3
{ Is also a move order I wanted to consider in this short chapter, as White has an
interesting gambit idea here. }
2... d5 3. exd5 exd5
{ Leads to the chapter on the Exchange French, of course. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Transposition to lines below"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. Nf3
2... d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. d4
{ Transposes to our main lines after
3.e5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 . }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Wing Gambit - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. Nf3
2... d5 3. e5 c5 4. b4
{ The fun gambit, which has been tried by multiple strong players, including
Carlsen, Lagarde, Christiansen, Bortnyk and others. White is looking to get rid of
the c5-pawn in order to be able to build a powerful center. There are many good
moves in this position, but I particularly like a rare, non-French approach.
Accepting the sac is what they want and what they spent time preparing for, right?
No fun for White! }
4... d4
{ This move grabs space in the center and prevents White from playing d2-d4. Next,
Black is ready to accept the sacrifice. Also, this move brings the number of games
in the database from over 3000 to just 220. Not a bad deal on move 4 :) }
5. Bb2
{ It is certainly possible to keep the tension, but here, I really like the
following weird idea. }
5... Bd7
{ The bishop is going to c6. This approach has only one problem: the d4-pawn will
be longer defended by the queen. }
6. bxc5 Bxc5 { However, we don't care. For example, after } 7. Bxd4
{ If instead 7.Nxd4 black gets a winning position after 7...Qb6 8.Nb3 Bxf2+ .
Otherwise, ... Bc6 and ...Ne7 give Black a fantastic position with the space
advantage. }
7... Bxd4 8. Nxd4 Nc6 { The e5-pawn is under attack. } 9. Nxc6 Bxc6 10. d4 Ne7
{ Black is a pawn down, but White cannot finish developing the kingside and ...O-O,
followed by ...Nf5 and ...f7-f6! will blow the center up and nearly crush him. For
example, after: }
11. c3 O-O 12. f3 Nd5
{ Followed by ...f7-f6!, then ... Qh4+!, Black is getting an overwhelming
initiative. White literally hasn't ever moved a single piece! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Wing Gambit - what NOT to do"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. Nf3
2... d5 3. e5 c5 4. b4
No fun for White! }
4... d4
5. bxc5 Bxc5
{ The bishop comes out without wasting any time. Here, White tried trading bishops
with 6.Ba3 , or developing with 6.Bd3 . }
6. Bd3
{ This weird move has also been tried by numerous strong players. White is simply
looking to castle and see what to do next. Please note he has no space to develop
more ambitiously. }
6... Ne7 7. O-O
{ If white tries to start with 7.Be4 to prevent the Bd7-c6 maneuver, Black can
counterattack the e5-pawn with 7...Ng6 , intending Nd7 next. }
7... O-O 8. Bxh7+
{ Is a typical pattern called Greek Gift, which is one of Black's biggest fears in
the French. Let's avoid this! }
8... Kxh7 9. Ng5+ Kg6 10. Ne4
{ There is no checkmate, but the attack is very strong. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. Nf3
2... d5 3. e5 c5 4. b4
No fun for White! }
4... d4
5. bxc5 Bxc5
6. Bd3
{ This weird move has also been tried by numerous strong players. White is simply
looking to castle and see what to do next. Please note he has no space to develop
more ambitiously. }
6... Ne7 7. O-O
{ If white tries to start with 7.Be4 to prevent the Bd7-c6 maneuver, Black can
counterattack the e5-pawn with 7...Ng6 , intending Nd7 next. }
7... Bd7
{ The bishop is coming to c6, followed by ...Nd7. This is already a brand-new
position, so it's hard to say how exactly White will continue, but it's rather hard
to see any reasonable moves for him besides Ba3, trading the bishops, which looks
similar to 6. Ba3. Alternatively, he can go Be4, intending d2-d3 and Nbd2, but that
only helps us trade the bishops. }
8. Be4 Bc6
{ Next, we trade the bishops and go ...Nd7, or ...Nbc6 if that square is available.
Please note White always has to fear ...d4-d3, as that will cramp his position in
the center. However, playing d2-d3 is not a solution to this, either, because the
c3-square becomes a gaping hole, where the Black knight would happily land,
after ...Nd5-c3. White's position is already rather cramped and uncomfortable. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. Nf3
2... d5 3. e5 c5 4. b4
No fun for White! }
4... d4
5. bxc5 Bxc5
6. Ba3 Nd7
{ Black defends the bishop, looking to recapture with the knight. There were only
two games that reached this position. For example, after: }
7. Bxc5 Nxc5 8. Bb5+ Kf8
{ Is the key idea, as blocking on d6 with either piece loses the d4-pawn. Giving up
that pawn is not bad, but there is no need. While not being able to castle might
sound awkward, our d4-pawn provides us with a lot of space and confidence in
tomorrow. Next, we can play ...a7-a6 and ...b7-b5!, winning time. }
9. O-O a6 10. Be2 b5
{ Black controls the center and is ready to follow up with ...Bb7. The king can get
out after ...g7-g6 and ...Kg7, the knight goes to e7, we are doing fantastic.
Please note the idea ...Ne7-g6 is potentially interesting, but has to be
implemented carefully as going there with the knight would disable the plan
of ...g7-g6 and ...Kg7. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.dxc5 - what NOT to do"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. dxc5
4... Bxc5 5. Qg4
{ Is still okay for Black, but I would strongly prefer avoiding this. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.dxc5 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. dxc5
4... Nc6
out. }
7. exf6 { Taking only helps Black develop even quicker. } 7... Nxf6 8. O-O O-O
{ Is just a position where Black is clearly for choice, as he is about to go ...e6-
e5 and ...e5-e4, occupying the entire center with his pawns and starting to push
the White pieces back. Importantly, there is one more detail we need to know. }
9. c4
{ Most people tried playing this way, which is an understandable decision, as it
puts pressure on the center, discouraging the ...e6-e5 advance. }
9... dxc4
{ This capture might seem unnatural, as it weakens the structure, but after the
forced moves }
10. Bxc4 Qxd1 11. Rxd1 Ng4
{ The f2-pawn is in danger and White is losing material. } 12. Rf1 Nd4
{ Looking to get rid of the f-knight to put even more pressure on f2. } 13.
Nbd2 b5 { Winning even more time. } 14. Bd3 Bb7
{ The difference in activity is absolutely overwhelming, White doesn't have a
single move and can safely start planning his resignation. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.dxc5 - what NOT to do"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. dxc5
4... Nc6
out. }
7. Qe2 fxe5
{ Black enjoys the center and is ready to castle and follow up with ...Bd6
and ...e6-e5. However, there is one more nuance you want to know. }
10. Bb5+ Bd7 11. Qxe6+
{ Is pretty much the only way to ruin this position, as we just lost the key
central pawn. Don't do that! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.dxc5 - N2"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. dxc5
4... Nc6
out. }
7. Qe2 fxe5
{ Black enjoys the center and is ready to castle and follow up with ...Bd6
and ...e6-e5. }
10. Bb5+ Kf7 11. O-O Rf8
{ With ...Bd6 and ...e7-e5 coming next, Black has a large initiative. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Bb5"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. Bb5+
{ This check is frequently given by beginners, who are just a bit too fascinated by
the idea of giving a check. It would probably win by force in a variant 'Three
Checks', but that's not what we're doing here. On a more serious note, it's a bad
move, as Black's light-squared bishop is very restricted by the pawns on e6 and d5,
so trading that bishop, especially when White himself wastes two moves to do that,
is a huge achievement for us. }
4... Bd7 5. Bxd7+ Qxd7
{ Next, we just develop the standard way with ...Nc6, ...Nge7-f5, etc, pressuring
the d4-pawn. For example, after: }
6. c3 Nc6 7. Nf3 Nge7 8. O-O
{ 8.dxc5 Ng6! will get White's e5-pawn in quite a bit of trouble. } 8... Nf5
{ White's position is already somewhat uncomfortable, as wasting all that time
prevented him from achieving typical ideas like getting a2-a3 and b2-b4 in, or
solving the problem of the b1-knight in any other way. The knight cannot come out
to d2 as the d4-pawn would be lost. Instead, after: }
9. Be3 f6 { Is very strong, blowing up the center from the other direction. }
10. exf6 gxf6
{ With ...Rg8 and ...O-O-O coming next, as well as this massive center, which
enables us to go ...e6-e5! anytime we want, Black is clearly in the driver's
seat. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Be3 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. Be3
{ This is another move that beginners and post-beginner level players can easily go
for, thinking they are defending the d4-pawn. }
4... cxd4 5. Bxd4 Nc6 { The bishop is hanging, so is the e5-pawn. } 6. c3
{ Defending a bishop is also possible, but obviously, doesn't represent any kind of
a threat. }
6... Nge7 { We are ready to take on d4 and bring the other knight on c6. } 7.
Nf3 Nxd4 8. cxd4 Qb6
{ With ...Nc6 coming next, White's entire queenside is under pressure. Next, we
will go ...Bd7 and ...Rc8 to create more threats on the queenside, in particularly
the c-file, as well as ...Be7 and ...O-O, getting the rest of the pieces out. If
the White bishop is on d3, you need to be on the lookout for the Greek Gift though,
so ...h7-h6 might be a useful move to include before castling. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. Be3
{ This is another move that beginners and post-beginner level players can easily go
for, thinking they are defending the d4-pawn. }
4... cxd4 5. Bxd4 Nc6 { The bishop is hanging, so is the e5-pawn. } 6. Bb5
{ In practice, White most often chose this 'active' looking approach, pinning the
knight. However, this backfires very fast. }
6... Qa5+
{ Forcing the knight to go to the ugly c3-square, so that c2-c3, reinforcing the
d4-bishop, is no longer possible. }
7. Nc3 a6 8. Bxc6+ bxc6
{ With ...c6-c5 coming next, followed by ...d5-d4 and ...Bb7, Black has the bishop
pair, the entire center to himself, and an overwhelming strategic advantage. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Qg4 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. Qg4
{ The old move that was recommended by Nimzowitch with the idea of giving up the
d4-pawn and then ignoring it by playing Bd3, Nf3, etc, looking to just attack
Black's king. As innovative as it was back in the day, when the whole concept of
blockade was appearing, this odd idea did not stand the test of time. }
4... Nc6
{ Intsead of taking the pawn right away, we will put even more pressure on the
center. The idea is to force White to go Nf3 to restrict his options a bit. }
5. Nf3 cxd4
{ We have a positional threat of ...f7-f6!, undermining the center, unless White
does something about this. }
6. Bd3
{ White does not care about the d4-pawn and simply completes development, aiming at
kingside domination. To prevent that, Black must fight back resolutely and
energetically. }
6... h5
{ Here, 6...f6 is possible, but running into 7.Qh5+! is somewhat awkward, so
we'll not do that right away. This is a rather rare move - only 25 games in the
database! - but a very powerful one, as the queen is being forced away. }
7. Qg3
{ The queen would normally retreat this way in order to overprotect the e5-pawn and
prepare the bishop's development. }
7... h4 8. Qg4 Nh6 { Time to win another tempo. } 9. Qf4 Be7
{ Next, we are about to occupy the entire center with a very powerful move ...f7-
f5!, and if White does not capture, follow with ...Nf7!, attacking the e5-pawn
more, and then use the fact the center is locked up to proceed with ...g7-g5! and
destroy White with our space on the kingside. If he does take on f6, we'll just
have the center. For example, if he played some bad move like 10.a3, then: }
10. a3 f5 11. exf6 Bxf6
{ With ...e6-e5 coming next, our center is absolutely decisive, and even a check on
g6 is not a problem: ...Kf8 or ...Nf7 is an easy cure to this tiny issue. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. Qg4
4... Nc6
5. Nf3 cxd4
6. Bd3
{ White prevends as though the d4-pawn doesn't exist, instead focusing on
developing, looking to dominate Black on the kingside if he plays slowly and
indecisively. }
6... h5
{ Here, ...f7-f6 is possible, but running into Qh5+! is somewhat awkward, so we'll
not do that right away. This is a rather rare move - only 25 games in the database!
- but a very powerful one, as the quene is being forced away. }
7. Qg3
10. a3 f5 11. O-O Nf7
{ With ...g7-g5 coming, Black is completely winning. Of course, White cannot take
the d4-pawn and get it back easily as he would lose the pawn on e5. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. Qg4
4... Nc6
5. Nf3 cxd4
6. Bd3
{ White prevends as though the d4-pawn doesn't exist, instead focusing on
developing, looking to dominate Black on the kingside if he plays slowly and
indecisively. }
6... h5
{ Here, ...f7-f6 is possible, but running into Qh5+! is somewhat awkward, so we'll
not do that right away. This is a rather rare move - only 25 games in the database!
- but a very powerful one, as the quene is being forced away. }
7. Qg3
10. Nxd4
{ White is best off trying to get his pawn back right away, but this allows for
another very energetic response. }
10... g5
{ The e5-pawn is very weak and close to falling, so White more or less has to take
the knight. }
11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Qe3 c5
{ Black owns the entire center. ...c5-c4 followed by ...Nf5 is on the way, for
example. The bishop will get out to b7, as ...d5-d4 can follow at any moment. White
has literally nothing to boast of, except his pawn on e5, which is actually more of
a liability, and importantly, Black's king is perfectly safe, both in the center,
as well as on the kingside after ...Kf8-g7, or after castling. Our position is
already strategically winning, as it looks like White skipped about 5 turns. As
romantic as all these old lines are, they are mostly just bad, which has been
proven here, too. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. Nf3
4... cxd4
5. Nxd4 Nc6
6. f4
6... Bc5
on f4. }
7. c3 Qb6
{ Just makes the knight on d4 collapse, there is no more way to support it. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. Nf3
4... cxd4
5. Nxd4 Nc6
6. f4
6... Bc5
on f4. }
7. Nb3 Bb6
{ Now, White cannot castle. With the next moves being very easy and natural, such
as ...Nh6/e7 to f5, ...O-O and ...f7-f6!, opening the f-file rapidly to take
advantage of White's lack of development, Black is enjoying a powerful initiative
and is definitely better. There is no point in looking further, as our play is
thematic and obvious. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. Nf3
4... cxd4
...c7-c5 and ruin it, capturing on d4. If your opponent is new to this positions,
likely he just wasn't aware the center needed protection and will play 5. Nxd4.
Instead, though, there is an interesting gambit 5. Bd3, which is actually a rather
underestimated weapon. }
5. Nxd4 Nc6
{ Now, the e5-pawn is under attack. Let's see how to punish careless moves like 6.
f4, as well as why capturing on c6 is not good for White. }
6. Nxc6 bxc6
{ Now, Black has great control of the center and is about to follow up with ...Ne7-
g6 and ...Qc7, attacking the e5-pawn. At the right moment, ...f7-f6 would also be
a very appropriate idea. }
7. Bd3 Ne7 8. O-O { White just continues development in a natural way. } 8...
Ng6 { The pawn is under attack. } 9. f4
{ In most games, White chose to defend it this way, potentially hoping to go f4-f5
in the future. }
9... Be7
{ Alternatively, developing the bishop with 9...Bc5 isn't bad, either. On one
hand, that move wins a tempo, as it's a check, and prevents Be3. But on the other,
it might run into Nc3-a4 at some point, which could be rather annoying. }
10. Be3 a5
{ This is a new strategic idea, at least so far for us in this course. The point is
very simple: Black just wants to go ...Ba6 and get rid of the bishops, as the one
on d3 is rather active, while the one on e3 is not, due to the pawns on f4 and e5
severely restricting it. }
11. Nd2 Ba6
{ The bishops disappear, then we castle and start advancing the central pawns
with ...c6-c5 maybe ...d5-d4 or ...c5-c4 to fix the pawn on b2 and enjoy our open
b-file. Black is about to get a lot more space in the center and on the queenside,
while White has no active play. Something certainly went a bit wrong here for
White. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. Nf3
4... cxd4
5. Bd3
{ White just ignores the d4-pawn, looking to castle, and maybe get it back with
Nbd2-b3, capturing on d4 with that knight. }
5... Nc6 6. O-O Nge7
{ I prefer not trying to hold on to the pawn with 6...Bc5 , as after the eventual
Nb3 the only logical retreat would be ...Bb6, but from there, the bishop won't be
able to come back to the kingside if needed. Instead, I greatly enjoy the idea of
preparing the very quick ...f7-f6, trying to dismantle the last bit of the white
center - the e5-pawn. }
7. Re1
{ It is also possible to do without Bf4, but our plan doesn't change one bit. }
7... Ng6 8. Nbd2 f6
{ This time, however, I prefer this move rather than ...f7-f5, since there is no
bishop on g3 to try to trap with ...f5-f4. So, it's better to have the option of
taking the e5-pawn. }
9. exf6 gxf6
{ With ...e6-e5 coming, or just ...Bd6 and ...O-O, keeping this large center, I
like Black's position a lot better and I believe we can stop, as our next moves are
very easy. Giving up the center certainly wasn't White's very best idea! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. Nf3
4... cxd4
5. Bd3
5... Nc6 6. O-O Nge7
7. Bf4
{ Typically, White would develop the bishop here, so that the e5-pawn is
overprotected and the knight can come to d2 without blocking the bishop back on c1.
}
7... Ng6 { Black wins a tempo while unraveling his kingside. } 8. Bg3 f5
{ As you might have seen across this chapter, I like this move a bit more
than ...f7-f6, as it gives White a chance to make a strategic mistake of not taking
en passant, which will lead him to a terrible position without space. }
9. Nbd2 { Is very ignorant. } 9... Be7 10. Nb3 f4
{ A move too early. Be careful! } 11. Bxg6+ { Check! } 11... hxg6 12. Bxf4
{ White just won a pawn. Don't do this yet! } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. Nf3
4... cxd4
5. Bd3
5... Nc6 6. O-O Nge7
7. Bf4
}
9. Nbd2 { Is very ignorant. } 9... Be7 10. Nb3 O-O
{ We don't care about the d4-pawn, as now ...f5-f4! is a threat, trapping the
bishop. Please note it wasn't a threat a move earlier, as Bxg6! would come with
check. This line is a good demonstration of what the problem can be. }
11. Qd2 { It's necessary to do something about ...f5-f4, but after: } 11... f4
12. Bxg6 fxg3 13. Bd3 Rxf3
{ The last move wasn't necessary, but it's too fun to not make. } 14. gxf3
gxh2+ 15. Kh1 Bg5
{ Black's kingside attack will be too powerful, as ... Qf8 is coming,
or ...Bh6, ...Qh4, ...Bd7, ...Rf8, etc. Please note it was by no means needed to go
...f5-f4 or sacrifice an exchange, but White really did a lot of wrong things which
deserved to be punished. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. Nf3
4... cxd4
5. Bd3
5... Nc6 6. O-O Nge7
7. Bf4
}
9. exf6 gxf6
{ We are ready to build a huge center with ...e6-e5, so White should better do
something about this. Luckily for him, there is a tactic that gets him the
sacrificed pawn back. }
10. Nxd4
{ Bxg6 will be a check, which enables White to temporarily sacrifice a piece and
get it back right away. }
10... Nxd4 11. Bxg6+ hxg6 12. Qxd4
{ White managed to get the pawn back, but after: } 12... Kf7
{ Black is ready to follow up with ...e6-e5. With the center, the bishop pair and
the semi-open h-file, we hold a large positional advantage. This was certainly not
the outcome White was hoping for! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
4. Nf3
4... cxd4
5. Bd3
5... Nc6 6. O-O Nge7
7. Bf4
}
9. exf6 gxf6
{ We are ready to build a huge center with ...e6-e5, so White should better do
something about this. Luckily for him, there is a tactic that gets him the
sacrificed pawn back. }
10. Nxd4
{ Bxg6 will be a check, which enables White to temporarily sacrifice a piece and
get it back right away. }
10... Nxd4 11. Bxg6+ hxg6 12. Qxd4
{ White managed to get the pawn back, but after: } 12... e5
{ Is too early, since: } 13. Bxe5 fxe5 14. Qxe5+
{ Wins the h8-rook and the game. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "4) The Advance Variation - Mainlines"]
[Black "6.Bd3 - a decent alternative"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Bd3
{ This variation is an attempt to play a gambit: if Black takes on d4, White would
just castle. It appeared rather recently and was recommended by the British GM
Gawain Jones in his recent book 'Coffehouse Repertoire - 1.e4'. }
6... cxd4 7. O-O Bb5
{ Is also good, but I prefer to not release the tension if possible. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Bd3
6... Bb5
{ Here, playing 6...Bb5, keeping the tension, has been considered a bit
undesirable, as White has an interesting idea, pointed out by Gawain Jones in his
White repertoire 1.e4, published by Quality Chess. However, we would still do
that, as I tend to disagree! }
7. O-O Bxd3 8. Qxd3 Nd7
{ Is exactly what we want. Next, the other knight comes to c6 via e7, the bishop
goes to e7. Black is doing fantastic: the only bad pieces got swapped, White has no
attack and we have no issues with lack of space. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Bd3
6... Bb5
7. Bxb5+ Qxb5
{ Transposes to @@StartFEN@@rn2kbnr/pp1b1ppp/1q2p3/2ppP3/3P4/2P2N2/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R
w KQkq - 3 6@@EndFEN@@ 6.Be2 Bb5 7.Bxb5 . }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Bd3
6... Bb5
7. Bc2
{ Does not make much sense, as now it would be very hard to castle. I like the
following cool idea: }
7... a5
{ The idea is to make sure the bishop can stay on a6 without being chased away from
the f1-a6 diagonal by the white pawns. Now, it's not at all obvious how White
should be preparing short castling, unless he goes Ba4 to trade the light-squared
bishops, in which case the idea of playing Bc2 is clearly proven pointless. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Bd3 - what NOT to do"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Bd3
6... Bb5
7. dxc5
{ This is a rather forcing idea, which had previously been considered the reason
why Black needed to take on d4 himself a move ago. It's not that simple, though. }
7... Bxc5 8. b4
{ White is grabbing space, taking advantage of the fact the f2-pawn is not hanging.
}
8... Bxf2+ 9. Ke2 { And the bishop will be trapped after Rf1 coming next. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Bd3
6... Bb5
7. dxc5
7... Bxc5 8. b4
}
8... Bxd3 9. Qxd3 Bf8
{ This line has been tried by numerous strong GMs, such as Volkov, Rozentalis and
many others. As Jones points out, while the move looks passive, it leaves the e7-
square available for the knight. Keep in mind that while Black wasted quite a bit
of time, White got himself a really backward c-pawn and a hole on c4. So if we
trade queens or somehow otherwise get rid of the dynamic aspect of the position,
everything will be good! }
10. O-O Nc6
{ Jones focuses on 10...Ne7 , which is indeed the main move. However, I prefer
first developing the queenside knight, not blocking the bishop and keeping an eye
on the e5-pawn. }
11. a3
{ Is the correspondence game Jones refers to here, not offering any annotations. }
11... Nge7 12. c4
{ White is getting rid of his backward pawn. A rather typical idea, which is often
seen in the Caro-Kann, too. }
12... dxc4 13. Qxc4
{ Here, he claims after 13...Nd5 White is a tiny bit better. I do not find this
claim, not supported by words, convincing: Black does not really have a space
disadvantage (he has less space, but all the pieces are coming out easily and are
not lacking space), 7there are no targets in our position. Instead, White has a
weak square on d5 that we can use as an outpost, a rather restricted dark-squared
bishop, and no attack, as the light-squared bishops are gone. Here, I'd like to
suggest a novelty. }
13... Ng6 { Black wins a tempo by attacking the e5-pawn. } 14. Bb2 Be7
{ Next, we just want to castle and play ...Rfd8 and ...Rac8. For example, after: }
15. Nbd2 O-O 16. Ne4 Rac8
{ I already slightly prefer Black, who can now bring the knight over to f4 and to
d3 or d5, or try to generate queenside counterplay with ...a7-a5. One of the big
ideas of going ...Ng6 and moving the knight later again, instead of going ...Nd5
right away, was to provoke White to place his bishop on b2, where it does
absolutely nothing. This variation does not represent any theoretical challenge
whatsoever to Black. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Bd3
6... Bb5
7. dxc5
7... Bxc5 8. b4
}
8... Bxd3 9. Qxd3 Bf8
{ This line has been tried by numerous strong GMs, such as Volkov, Rozentalis and
many others. As Jones points out, while the move looks massive, it leaves the e7-
square available for the knight. Keep in mind that while Black wasted quite a bit
of time, White got himself a really backward c-pawn and a hole on c4. So if we
trade queens or somehow otherwise get rid of the dynamic aspect of the position,
everything will be good! }
10. O-O Nc6
{ Jones focuses on 10...Ne7 , which is indeed the main move. However, I prefer
first developing the queenside knight, not blocking the bishop and keeping an eye
on the e5-pawn. }
11. Be3 Qc7 12. Nbd2 Nge7
{ With ...Nf5 or ...Ng6 followed by ...Be7 coming next, this position seems totally
fine to me. Again, White has a backward pawn on c3 and a hole on c4. All our pieces
are good, so I don't really see any issues. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.a3 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a3
6... Bb5
7. Bxb5+ Qxb5 8. Qe2
8... Qxe2+ 9. Kxe2 Nc6
{ Now, the goal is to just continue natural development
with ...Rc8, ...Kd7, ...Ne7-f5. It could be beneficial to trade on d4 before
going ...Nge7, even though we normally don't want to take on d4 early, so that
White cannot ever accidentally win a pawn with dxc5. }
10. b4
{ Grabbing space on the queenside can still look pretty natural. In fact, this is
what most players did here. }
10... cxd4 11. cxd4 Nge7 12. Nc3 { Time to observe one more positional idea! }
12... Nc8
{ Please note natural moves like 12...Kd7 or 12...Nf5 are also very good, but
since the c4-square is weak, the text move is even nicer. }
13. Be3 Nb6
{ With ...Be7, ...Kd7, ...Nc4, ...Rhc8, etc coming next, Black is clearly in the
driver's seat. It is worth mentioning that we want to go to c8 exactly with the
kingside rook, so that the other one can be useful on the a-file after ...a7-a5 at
some convenient moment. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.a3 - N2"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a3
6... Bb5
8... Qxe2+ 9. Kxe2 Nc6
going .. .Nge7, even though we normally don't want to take on d4 early, so that
10. Be3 c4
{ Is another good idea, because the b3-square is a hole. Next, the knight goes to
a5, trying to get to b3. Black can easily bring the other one in via e7-c6, too,
and start playing on the queenside. However, since this is not the plan we
regularly go for in other lines, I'd rather not dive too deep into it here, either.
But it's a good one, too! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.a3 - N3"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a3
6... Bb5
8... Qxe2+ 9. Kxe2 Nc6
going .. .Nge7, even though we normally don't want to take on d4 early, so that
10. Be3 cxd4 11. cxd4 Nge7 { The knight is on its merry way to f5. } 12. Nc3
Nf5
{ Next, we can proceed with ...Kd7, ...Rc8, etc. Alternatively, the ...f7-f6 break
could be an interesting idea. }
13. g4 { This potential structural change is worth mentioning. } 13... Nxe3 14.
fxe3
{ White reinforces his center and gets a semi-open f-file. This is usually best
answered with an immediate break ...f7-f6, challenging the e5-pawn. }
14... f6 15. exf6 gxf6
{ The g4-pawn is a bit weird, as ...h7-h5 or ... Rg8 can always harass it. Next, we
can even go ...Be7 and castle long, looking to get counterplay with this ...Rg8, or
even by breaking in the center with ... e6-e5! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Transposition to the lines below"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a3
6... Bb5
7. Bxb5+ Qxb5 8. b4
{ Again, 8.Qe2 is a bad move, as we always want to trade queens, the benefits of
which are shown in multiple places throughout the chapter. }
8... cxd4 9. cxd4
{ The game transposed to the line covered via
@@StartFEN@@rn2kbnr/pp3ppp/1q2p3/1bppP3/3P4/P1P2N2/1P3PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 1
7@@EndFEN@@ 7.b4 cxd4 8.Bxb5+ Qxb5 9.cxd4 . }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.a3 with 7.c4 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a3
6... Bb5
7. c4 { One of the most critical lines in the whole 3.e5 variation. } 7... Bxc4
{ This is very similar to a similar position seen after
@@StartFEN@@rn2kbnr/pp1b1ppp/1q2p3/2ppP3/3P4/2P2N2/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 3
6@@EndFEN@@ 6.Be2 Bb5 7.c4 , where the same position arose, just without the
move a3. That move is beneficial to White as it prevents checks from b4 (remember,
in that line, we would go ...Qb4+, trading queens). However, it also has a large
downside: the b3-square becomes weak! }
8. Bxc4 dxc4 9. d5
{ White is trying to open up the center. Now, playing in a similar way to the
aforementioned line 6.Be2 is not possible as we don't have a check on b4 with our
queen. But, I want to introduce a cool idea that takes advantage of the weakness on
b3! }
9... Qb3
{ This move has been tried by several strong players, such as GM Rustemov. Black
is, interestingly enough, very happy to let White go d5-d6, getting a passed
pawn! }
10. d6 { Might seem tempting, but doesn't work out that well, as after: } 10...
Qxd1+ 11. Kxd1 f6
{ The core of White's pawns, the pawn on e5, is getting undermined. This means the
one on d6 won't be a protected passer anymore - success! }
12. Nbd2
{ White tries to get the pawn on c4 and protect ones on d6 and e5, which makes
sense. }
12... Nc6 { Reinforcing pressure on the e5-pawn. } 13. Nxc4 Nxe5 14. Ncxe5 fxe5
{ The d6-pawn falls and White is already sliding into trouble. He still has some
compensation, as our structure is a bit ugly and his development is a bit better,
but a pawn is a pawn, and the position is already simplified enough for him to not
be able to create any threats. Black is better. Let's just get the rest of the
pieces out: Nf6, etc. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a3
6... Bb5
8. Bxc4 dxc4 9. d5
b3! }
9... Qb3
pawn! }
10. Qxb3 cxb3
{ It might appear the white pawn can come to d6 and be really strong, but that's
incorrect. }
11. dxe6 fxe6
{ This way, White avoids getting a weak d6-pawn, but now Black gets a semi-open f-
file and outposts on d5, f5 and d4. }
12. Nbd2
{ The obvious 12.Ng5 is bad for White after 12...Nc6 13.Nxe6 Kd7 14.Nxf8
Rxf8 , where black is better. White should better get the b3-pawn before Black
can protect it with ...Nc6-a5. }
12... Nc6 13. Nxb3 b6
{ The b3-knight is very restricted, the e5-pawn is weak, Black enjoys outposts on
f5, d5 and d4 and can play against the e5-pawn with ...Ne7-g6, too, if he wants to.
Alternatively, we go ... Nge7-d5/f5, ...Be7, ...Rd8, etc, with a clearly better
position. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a3
6... Bb5
8. Bxc4 dxc4 9. d5
b3! }
9... Qb3
pawn! }
10. Qxb3 cxb3
{ It might appear the white pawn can come to d6 and be really strong, but that's
incorrect. }
11. d6 f6
{ And the pawn gets undermined. With ...Nc6 coming next, the e-pawn falls, so will
the d6-pawn. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.a3 with 7.b4 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a3
6... Bb5
7. b4 cxd4 8. cxd4 Bxf1
{ It is not obvious, why anyone would voluntarily lose their castling rights.
It's true that it's a common idea in the French to sometimes castle 'by hand' with
g3+Kg2 or simply keep the king where it is and play h4 with ideas of h5 and Rh3.
In this specific instance, however, where LSBs have been traded, it doesn't work
too well and Black should be slightly better, but it's not TOTALLY silly overall in
the French Defense. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a3
6... Bb5
7. b4 cxd4 8. Bxb5+
9. cxd4 Nd7
go to c6. So why aren't we doing that this time? There are a few reasons.
}
10. Qe2
{ As we had learned in the chapter on pawn structures and typical ideas, trading
queens in the French pawn chain structure is good for Black in 99% of cases, since
our play is on the queenside, on the c-file, etc. White, instead, typically has
more space and wants to play on the kingside, so trading queens means our play on
the c-file remains as powerful, while White won't have a single active idea. Keep
in mind he's got other problems too: our outpost on c4 is amazing, the c1-bishop is
restricted, and so on. }
10... Qxe2+ 11. Kxe2 Nb6
{ The knight is on its merry way to c4, the rook is coming to c8. Next, the other
knight can go to e7 and c6, or even from e7 to c8 and b6, supporting that one on
c4! Crucially, we absolutely do not need to castle. Instead, it's much smarter to
keep the king on d7, so it can easily join the game once more pieces come off the
board. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a3
6... Bb5
7. b4 cxd4 8. Bxb5+
9. cxd4 Nd7
}
10. Nc3 Qc6
11. Ne2
{ White solves the problem of a hanging knight by moving it to the kingside.
Unfortunately, he runs into a cute theme. }
11... Nb6 12. O-O Qa4
{ Remember, Black wants to trade queens! White can choose to decline, but after: }
13. Qd3 Rc8
{ We can always insist with Qc2 next, which does not look great for White. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a3
6... Bb5
7. b4 cxd4 8. Bxb5+
9. cxd4 Nd7
}
10. Nc3 Qc6
11. Na4
b6. }
11... Nb6 12. Nxb6 axb6
13. O-O Bxb4 { Is just a free pawn for Black. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a3
6... Bb5
7. b4 cxd4 8. Bxb5+
9. cxd4 Nd7
}
10. Nc3 Qc6
11. Na4
b6. }
11... Nb6 12. Nxb6 axb6
13. Bb2 { This move defends the a1-rook and stops the threat of ...Bxb4. }
13... Qb5
{ While this is not necessary, I really like the idea of annoying White by
preventing him from castling. Here, he can try numerous moves, but ours will be
more or less automatic: ...Ne7 first, then if the queens come off, ...b6-b5
and ...Kd7, maybe ...Nc8-b6-c4. If they don't come off somehow, which is actually
hard to imagine, since White cannot castle otherwise, we just go ...Ne7-c6, ...Be7,
... Rc8, etc. The doubled b-pawns are not a weakness, and the c4-outpost is a huge
asset. The a3-pawn is backward and the b2-bishop isn't great, either; Black is
pressing. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a3
6... Bb5
7. b4 cxd4 8. Bxb5+
9. cxd4 Nd7
}
10. Nc3 Qc6
11. Na4
b6. }
11... Nb6 12. Nc5
{ Has never been played, and for a number of good reasons. For instance, after: }
12... Nc4 13. O-O Bxc5 14. dxc5 Ne7
{ Black is ready to undermine this pawn structure with ...b7-b6 or ...a7-a5, the
c1-bishop is rather bad, and the c4-knight is gorgeous. With castling and queenside
pawn breaks coming next, White is finding himself on the wrong end of equality. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.a4 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a4
6... Nc6 7. Be2 Nh6 { The knight is coming to f5. } 8. Bxh6 gxh6
{ Is not great for White: now, the bishop is no longer defending the b2-pawn, and
moves like Qc2 are not possible as the d4-pawn is also under attack. Plus, the b3-
square is very weak. Our king can find a very safe hideout on the queenside, of
course. We discuss this structure in more detail in the chapter on pawn structures,
but let's look at a few sample lines. }
9. Qd2
{ This position was seen in one game only, back in 2009. Here, I'd like to
introduce a novelty. }
9... cxd4 10. cxd4 Na5
{ The queen on d2 is doing a good job of protecting the pawns on b2 and d4, but
it's vulnerable to this annoying Nb3! }
11. Ra2
{ White has to find this only ugly move, as moves like 11.Qd1 instead lose the b-
pawn. }
11... Qb3 { Poor White is pushed against the wall. } 12. Nc3 Bb4
{ The threat is to take on a2 and then on d2, winning an exchange. } 13. Ra1
Nc4
{ White is under a lot of pressure. All the black pieces are extremely active, the
bishop pair is amazing. }
14. Bxc4 Qxc4
{ White cannot castle and unpin. Next, we could add more pressure with ...Rc8, or
even castle long and hide the king on b8. The semi-open g-file doesn't hurt,
either. We are doing fantastic! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.a4 - N2"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a4
{ Now, unfortunately, the white center starts collapsing and he can avoid the total
9. a5
{ The only move. The goal is to distract the queen or the knight from attacking d4.
But, it costs White a pawn! }
9... Nxa5
{ Now, the knight is coming to b3! Just retreating 9...Qd8 is also good and
results in the less forcing positions, in case you want a quieter alternative. }
10. cxd4 Nb3 11. Ra2 Nxc1 12. Qxc1 Nf5
{ Black is a pawn up, has the bishop pair, and a better position for all reasons.
This has to be an easy win. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.a4 - N3"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a4
9. a5
{ The only move. The goal is to distract the queen or the knight from attacking d4.
But, it costs White a pawn! }
9... Nxa5
{ Now, the knight is coming to b3! Just retreating 9...Qd8 is also good and
results in the less forcing positions, in case you want a quieter alternative. }
10. b4 { White also needs to prevent ...Nb3. } 10... Nc6 11. b5
{ Again, the knight needs to be forced away from the d4-pawn. } 11... Ne7
{ It doesn't make sense to go to a5, where it will be restricted and loose.
Instead, g6! could be really good. The only game that got to this position saw: }
12. Qxd4 Qxd4 13. cxd4 Ng6
{ Black retains his extra pawn and is not facing any dangers. Admittedly, there is
some compensation, as the semi-open a-file creates an issue, but if anything, Black
could always go ...a7-a6, lose a pawn, but liquidate the whole queenside and not
lose. Certainly not a line to go for as White! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.a4 - N4"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. a4
9. cxd4 Nf5
{ White just loses the central pawn, this is awful. Please note that Be3 defends
the pawn on d4, but drops the one on b2. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Na3 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Na3
{ This awkward-looking move makes some sense: White tries to prevent ...Bb5 while
also looking to re-route the knight to c2 in order to reinforce his d4-pawn.
However, it has obvious flaws: it takes a lot of time to move the knight. }
6... cxd4
{ The knight is no longer going to c3, so we can release the tension. } 7. cxd4
Bb4+
{ I also really like the idea of taking advantage of this loose b4-square by giving
this check. }
8. Bd2 Nc6
{ Now, the issue is that if White ever goes Nc2, it would block the second rank, so
that after ...Bxd2 Qxd2 the White queen won't be defending the b2-pawn anymore. }
9. Bxb4 Qxb4+
{ Of course, White needs to trade queens. Overall, as we know, the trade is
beneficial for Black, but what other choice does White have? }
10. Qd2 f6
{ Another typical French theme: we are undermining the e5-pawn, looking to
dismantle his space advantage in the center, as well as to get a semi-open f-file.
This position is already brand-new, so let's just look briefly at some logical
continuations. }
11. Nc2 { White chooses to not capture on f6, instead forcing a queen trade. }
11... Qxd2+
{ Given that we had already played ...f7-f6, which makes the king a bit weak, it is
not desirable to take the b2-pawn with 11...Qxb2 and allow White to go 12.Bd3 ,
castle, and keep the middlegame-style position on the board. Our king won't be
happy. So, we are instead trading the queens, opting for a very comfortable
endgame. }
12. Kxd2 Nge7
{ We are potentially ready to capture on e5 and go ...Ng6!, when the e5-pawn is
about to fall. Taking on f6, of course, helps us improve the pawn structure, while
keeping the tension is also suspicious. For example: }
13. Bd3 { Preventing ...Ng6, but then we just keep improving the position. }
13... O-O
{ There was no need to castle from a king safety's perspective, but we get the rook
on the f-file, and are about to improve the bishop with ...Be8-g6 or h5. Again,
Black is slightly better, as White has no play. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Na3 - N2"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Na3
{ This awkward-looking move makes some sense: White tries to prevent ...Bb5 while
also looking to re-route the knight to c2 in order to reinforce his d4-pawn.
However, it has obvious flaws: it takes a lot of time to move the knight. }
6... cxd4
{ The knight is no longer going to c3, so we can release the tension. } 7. cxd4
Bb4+
{ I also really like the idea of taking advantage of this loose b4-square by giving
this check. }
8. Bd2 Nc6
{ Now, the issue is that if White ever goes Nc2, it would block the second rank, so
that after ...Bxd2 Qxd2 the White queen won't be defending the b2-pawn anymore. }
9. Bxb4 Qxb4+ { Of course, White needs to trade queens. } 10. Qd2 f6
{ Another typical French theme: we are undermining the e5-pawn, looking to
dismantle his space advantage in the center, as well as to get a semi-open f-file.
This position is already brand-new, so let's just look briefly at some logical
continuations. }
11. exf6 gxf6
{ Remember, the queen trade is inevitable, so this recapture doesn't weaken the
king or anything like that. }
12. Be2 Qxd2+ 13. Kxd2 Ke7
{ The black king can even find a really nice spot on d6! For example, we go ...a7-
a6, preventing Nb5, then go ...Kd6, ...Nge7, and possibly even prepare ...e6-e5.
Black has the much better control of the center, a semi-open g-file and no bad
pieces; the d7-bishop is not bad at all, as it will get very active either
after ...e6-e5, or after ...Be8-g6. I think we are clearly better, as the ... e6-
e5 break will give us considerable spatial superiority, while White has no play. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Be2 - what NOT to do"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... cxd4 7. cxd4 Bb5
{ Is also a perfectly viable path. However, I like it a bit less, as it allows the
white knight to come out to c3. Instead, taking on d4 as soon as White played Nd2
or Na3 is a lot more beneficial. }
8. Nc3 Bxe2 9. Nxe2
{ To avoid any confusion, as in the main line we will be taking on d4 at some point
as well: here, White benefits from being able to take on e2 with the knight, as it
can now move to the kingside easily, helping White build an attack. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... Bb5
French chain. }
7. c4
{ This move is a temporary - or not! - pawn sacrifice. It aims to take the game
away from the typical French situations, as the center is now opening up rapidly. }
7... Bxc4 { Of course, it makes sense to trade the bishops. } 8. Bxc4 dxc4 9.
d5
{ The whole point! White is looking to get a powerful pawn on d6, if possible, or
activate his queen. }
9... exd5
{ We don't need to let him play d5-d6, getting a protected passed pawn. } 10.
Qxd5 Ne7 { Black develops a knight with a tempo. } 11. Qxc4
{ White gets his missing pawn back. } 11... Qb4+
{ 11...Qa6 with a similar idea is also interesting. Black is looking to trade
queens to get a beneficial endgame, where White's advanced e5-pawn will be rather
weak than strong and where we will have the queenside majority. Now, White can
choose to capture on b4 or not. Doubling the pawns might seem tempting, but it
carries a huge downside: the c3-square will be no longer available to the b1-
knight. Most strong players decided to just block the check. }
12. Qxb4 cxb4
{ Now, it is not obvious how to develop that knight, as the square on d2 is a
rather passive one, and going there also blocks the c1-bishop. In most games,
White decided to castle first. }
13. O-O Nbc6 { Of course, we continue the natural development. } 14. Bf4
{ It makes sense to get the bishop out before playing Nbd2, so that it does not
wind up blocked. However, no matter where the bishop goes, it ends up attacked by
some knight moves like ...Nd5. }
14... Nd5
{ This is a novelty, which is surprising, as this knight move seems most natural:
who doesn't want their horsey in the center? }
15. Bg3 Be7 16. Nbd2
{ White can also try to start with 16.Rd1 , before Black can play 16...Rfd8.
Black's reply is instructive: 16...O-O-O , immediately getting the other rook in
the game. }
16... O-O
{ Both parties made reasonable development moves. Next, we are ready to go ...Rfd8
and maybe ...Nb6-a4!, looking to harass the white queenside, trying to provoke b2-
b3, which will be a disastrous positional decision, as the c3-square would become a
huge hole, where the black knight would really enjoy sitting. Again, the endgame
is balanced, but I'd slightly prefer Black because the e5-pawn is weakish and the
g3-bishop is rather inactive. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... Bb5
French chain. }
7. c4
{ This move is a temporary - or not! - pawn sacrifice. It aims to take the game
away from the typical French situations, as the center is now opening up rapidly. }
7... Bxc4 { Of course, it makes sense to trade the bishops. } 8. Bxc4 dxc4 9.
d5
{ The whole point! White is looking to get a powerful pawn on d6, if possible, or
activate his queen. }
9... exd5
{ We don't need to let him play d5-d6, getting a protected passed pawn. } 10.
Qxd5 Ne7 { Black develops a knight with a tempo. } 11. Qxc4
{ White gets his missing pawn back. } 11... Qb4+
{ 11...Qa6 with a similar idea is also interesting. Black is looking to trade
queens to get a beneficial endgame, where White's advanced e5-pawn will be rather
weak than strong and where we will have the queenside majority. Now, White can
choose to capture on b4 or not. Doubling the pawns might seem tempting, but it
carries a huge downside: the c3-square will be no longer available to the b1-
knight. Most strong players decided to just block the check. }
12. Nbd2 Nbc6
{ Trading is totally fine, but it makes sense to wait a bit. In particular, we hope
White castles, so that once we trade the queens, the white king will be rather far
away from the center. }
13. O-O Qxc4 14. Nxc4 Nf5
{ We are slightly better in this endgame because the e5-pawn is too advanced and a
bit weak. Additionally, Black enjoys an outpost on d4; the squares on d5 and f5
are also very nicely available for our pieces. Furthermore, the white bishop on
c1 is rather restricted by that awkward e5-pawn. And, finally, the black king can
stay in the center in the event of trades, while the white one already got away
from the center, which won't be a good thing as the pieces keep coming off the
board. Next, we'll go ...Be7, ...Rd8, maybe ...Nd4, and so on. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Be2 - what NOT to do"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... Bb5
French chain. }
7. Bxb5+ { Does not make much sense, as after: } 7... Qxb5
{ White cannot castle. Again, over and over, I repeat: the queen trade is fantastic
for Black! White tried playing this way, though, with the idea of trying to grab
space. Let's see how that happens and what we should do. }
8. a4 Qa6
{ Seems natural, as it prevents White from castling, but is not a good move,
because: }
9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. b4 { Wins White a lot of time and space. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... Bb5
French chain. }
8. a4 Qd7 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. b4
{ Is not nearly as effective here, as the queen is not on the poor a6-square. }
10... Bb6
{ Going here makes the most sense, so that we don't block the g8-knight from e7. }
11. O-O Ne7 12. Nbd2 Nbc6
{ Again, White has a backward c-pawn and no particular active ideas. Next, we can
go ... Bc7 and ...Ng6, trying to harass the e5-pawn. Of course, simply castling and
maybe going ...a7-a6 to prevent some queenside advances makes sense, too. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... Bb5
French chain. }
8. a4 Qd7 9. O-O Nc6
{ Is a typical good position. A reminder from the chapter on pawn structures: since
White's pawn is not on a2, here ...c5-c4!? and ...Na5-b3 is an interesting idea.
Or, we can just take on d4 and develop in a standard way with ...Nge7-f5, etc. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... Bb5
French chain. }
9. Nxd4
{ Is also possible, of course, but does not make much sense: now, the e5-pawn is
more vulnerable and the c3-pawn is blocking the White knight. }
9... Nc6 { We are immediately trading off that knight, too. } 10. Be3
{ Here, it's totally okay to take the e5-pawn, even though it results in some weird
forced repetition which you can look up on your own. Or, instead, we can keep
trading, which I would prefer, as the goal is not to study dozens of random forcing
lines. }
10... Nxd4 11. cxd4
{ Is positionally wrong, at least in combination with Nxd4 a few moves ago, as
White just helped us trade pieces, which is good, as we had less space. }
11... Ne7
{ Then ...Nc6 or ...Nf5, ...Be7, ...O-O, place rooks on the c-file, etc. Easy
typical play! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... Bb5
French chain. }
9. Nxd4
{ Is also possible, of course, but does not make much sense: now, the e5-pawn is
more vulnerable and the c3-pawn is blocking the White knight. }
9... Nc6 { We are immediately trading off that knight, too. } 10. Be3
{ Here, it's totally okay to take the e5-pawn, even though it results in some weird
forced repetitio which you can look up on your own. Or, instead, we can keep
trading, which I would prefer, as the goal is not to study dozens of random forcing
lines. }
10... Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Qc6
{ With ...Ne7-f5 coming next, Black's position seems very comfortable. It was also
possible to trade the bishops with ...Bc5, but I'd rather keep them, as the white
one is likely to prove a liability in the endgame. At this point, Black traded
enough pieces to not worry about his lack of space, it's no longer a disadvantage.
Then, we can advance the queenside pawns with ...b5, ...a5, maybe ...b4, ...Qc4,
etc. The position seems very comfortable. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... Bb5
French chain. }
9. cxd4 Nc6 10. Be3
{ Other moves that defend the pawn are also perfectly possible, but they are just a
bit inferior to Nc3, as they determine positions of the white pieces earlier than
needed without any upside. }
10... Nge7
{ The knight is about to go to f5 with some very typical positions, similar to the
main line. We will also see more of those in the chapter on model games. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "ignoring development - what NOT to do"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... Bb5
French chain. }
9. cxd4 Nc6 10. Nc3
10... Nxd4
{ Greed is not a good thing, especially when the kingside pieces have not moved
even once. }
11. Nxd4 Qxd4 12. Qb5+
{ White deprives us of castling rights, wins the b7-pawn and pretty much wins on
the spot. }
12... Kd8 13. Qxb7 Rc8 14. Qxf7
{ What a disaster! Don't do that :) } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... Bb5
French chain. }
9. cxd4 Nc6 10. Nc3
10... Nge7
{ While this move is natural, I would award it with an exclamation mark, as we did
a good job of not falling for a trap :) Now, Black is about to play ...Nf5, looking
to add more pressure on the d4-pawn. At the same time, as White lacks his best
piece, the light-squared bishop, it is not entirely obvious what his plan should
be. Most people continued 11.Be3 here, but some other moves are also possible. }
11. Qb5
{ I was shocked to see this is the second most popular move, as the queen trade
clearly helps Black, as I said about a hundred times in this chapter. }
11... Qxb5 12. Nxb5 Kd7
{ Next, we go ...f7-f6, ...Ng6 or f5, develop the bishop, enjoy the open c-file and
a semi-open f-file. }
13. Nd6 { Looks tempting, but is wrong. } 13... f6 14. Nxb7 Nf5
{ The pawn on d4 is under so much pressure and the b7-knight got cut out.
Next, ...Rb8 will trap it and force White to return his extra pawn back, which will
give Black a huge advantage, as our king is a lot more active, just as all the
other pieces, and White's center is under lots of pressure. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... Bb5
French chain. }
9. cxd4 Nc6 10. Nc3
10... Nge7
possible. }
11. Na4 { White also tried harassing the queen, but after: } 11... Qb4
{ The queen is attacking this awkward knight. Going to c5 is too dangerous, while
retreating doesn't make sense, either. }
12. Nc5 Nf5
{ Now, the d4-pawn is hanging, so is the knight on c5. Why did White do this? }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Be2 - N10"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... Bb5
French chain. }
9. cxd4 Nc6 10. Nc3
10... Nge7
possible. }
11. Be3 Nf5
12. Rfd1
{ Let's call this 'the queenside plan', as White abandons his kingside ambitions. }
12... Bb4 { Again, the bishop goes go b4. We want to capture on c3. } 13. Na4
{ Kosteniuk tried this move to prevent ...Bxc3. } 13... Qa5 14. b3
{ This move protects the knight, but weakens the c1-square. Also, importantly, the
rook is no longer on f1, which means opening the f-file is not as good for White.
Here is a new theme. }
14... Nxe3 15. fxe3 Ba3
{ Black now prevents Rac1 once and forever and enjoys a clear positional advantage.
Next, we go ...O-O, ...Nb4 and ...Rac8, looking to invade on the c-file. White, on
the other hand, has no counterplay; plus, his a4-knight is really misplaced. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Be2 - N11"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... Bb5
French chain. }
9. cxd4 Nc6 10. Nc3
10... Nge7
possible. }
11. Be3 Nf5
12. Rfd1
{ Let's call this 'the queenside plan', as White abandons his kingside ambitions. }
12... Bb4 { Again, the bishop goes go b4. We want to capture on c3. } 13. Rac1
O-O
{ Next, the goal is to take on c3, play ...Rac8 and ...Nce7 to trade all the rooks,
like in the line with Rad1. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Be2 - N12"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... Bb5
French chain. }
9. cxd4 Nc6 10. Nc3
10... Nge7
possible. }
11. Be3 Nf5
12. Rad1 Bb4
13. g4
{ Was tried in one game. Here, we can retreat, which is totally fine, but I think
it's not bad at all to simply take. }
13... Nxe3 14. fxe3 O-O
{ Black's king is very safe, of course. If needed, we can play ... f7-f6 to get
play on the f-file. Black is very comfortable overall. Of course, this idea
of ...Bxc3, getting a backward c3-pawn and an outpost on c4, also looks great. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Be2 - N13"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... Bb5
French chain. }
9. cxd4 Nc6 10. Nc3
10... Nge7
possible. }
11. Be3 Nf5
12. Rad1 Bb4
13. a3
{ Here is an example of how Black would immediately get some nice strategic
advantage. }
13... Bxc3 14. bxc3 Na5
{ Now, the c4-square is in good hands. The c3-pawn is guaranteed to remain
backwards and weak. We are about to continue with ...Rc8, then maybe with ...Qc6-
c4, or even ...Qa6, looking to force a queen trade. Remember one of our rules? The
queen trade in the French structures is good for Black in 99.9% of cases. On the
kingside, on the other hand, White has no play. In fact, another really interesting
plan for Black could be to go ... h7-h6, taking the g5-square under control, and
then... long castling! The thing is that it's not easy to attack on the queenside
for White, as his ruined pawn structure prevents him from getting and enjoying the
open files, so we can easily afford such provocative play. That's the plan I
personally like best! For example, after: }
15. Rb1 Qc6 16. Rfc1 Nc4
{ Black is ready to follow up either with short castling, or with ...h7-h6 and long
castling! Our pawn structure is superior and White has a bad bishop, so it's
obvious Black enjoys a comfortable positional advantage. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Be2 - N14"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
5. Nf3 Bd7
6. Be2
6... Bb5
French chain. }
9. cxd4 Nc6 10. Nc3
10... Nge7
possible. }
11. Be3 Nf5
12. Rad1 Bb4
13. Rc1
{ Is possible, but looks weird: why did the rook go to d1 a move ago in the first
place? }
13... O-O
{ There are no games here, so we shall stop, but let me first show you one more
positional theme. }
14. a3 { What to do with the bishop now? } 14... Bxc3
{ We don't need it! The white e3-bishop does nothing, so we want to trade queens
and rooks and get an endgame with a knight versus a poor bishop. }
15. Rxc3 Rac8
{ Next, we go ...Nce7 and swap all the rooks on the c-file, heading towards a
favorable endgame. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "5) The Advance Variation - Model Games"]
[Black "Erigaisi, Arjun Kumar vs. Maghsoodloo, Parham"]
[Result "*"]
{ In this game, we will see how advancing the queenside pawns might seem rather
tempting for White, but in reality, turns out to be a bad idea and results in the
position falling apart. }
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Bd7
{ Of course, Black is looking to trade the bishops. } 6. Bd3 Bb5 7. O-O
{ White does not mind the trade, which, of course, is great for us. } 7... Bxd3
{ Besides the bad bishop, Black has less space so trading one or two pairs of
pieces is desirable. Also, Black has a potential outpost on c4 (which actually
becomes a strong square later in the game) . Essentially, Black gains a lot of
static pluses from this trade at the price of slowing development down a bit. }
8. Qxd3 Nc6
{ 8...Nd7 Is an even more reliable path, the point being to bring the other
knight on c6 via e7 and develop the bishop to e7. This way, all the pieces easily
find good spots for themselves. }
9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. b4
{ White decides to take on c5 and grab space on the queenside. Now, Black needs to
be a bit careful, as the more logical retreat to e7 results in the kingside
development becoming very uncomfortable: where would the g8-knight go? However,
while we seem to be wasting time, it's important to keep in mind the old rule
'Pawns don't go backwards'. Advancing the pawns weakened the e5-pawn, the c3-pawn
and the c4-square. }
10... Bf8
{ The knight will come out via e7. Later, it can go to g6 or f5 and then bishop
will again step on e7. Of course, we are dreaming of trading queens, even though
there is currently no way of making that happen. }
11. a4
{ White keeps going all-in on the queenside. However, his last move doesn't do
much: playing b4-b5 will only weaken the a5-square and allow for ...Na5-c4, while
playing a4-a5 weakens the light squares and makes all the white pawns go on the
dark ones, which the c1-bishop won't be too happy about. }
11... Nge7 { Black is continuing the development, as planned. } 12. b5 Na5 13.
h4
{ The idea of this move is to grab space on the kingside, potentially
discourage ...Ng6 in view of h4-h5, and potentially prepare to jump on g5 with some
piece. However, since the light-squared bishops are absent, White doesn't have any
attack, but placing all the pawns on the dark squares hurts White long-term. }
13... h5
{ Black fixes the kingside pawns and makes sure the h4-pawn can be easily attacked
in the future with ...Nf5, ...Be7, etc. Please note a cute tactical detail: the
queen is pinning the f2-pawn, which means playing g2-g3 with the knight on f5 will
be a blunder due to ...Nxg3! }
14. Re1
{ It's not easy to say what the rook is doing here, since overprotecting the e5-
pawn is by no means necessary. 14.Be3 White needed to focus on development, so
that after 14...Qc7 15.Nbd2 he can prevent ... Nb3 or ...Nc4 a lot more easily,
and potentially even try to push c3-c4 to get rid of his queenside weaknesses. }
14... Nf5 15. Bg5 Bc5
{ The bishop is coming out with a tempo, attacking f2. Please note that now it's
becoming clear how weakening White's queenside play was. He gifted us the squares
on c5 and c4 while gaining nothing in return. This is literally Black's dream
position, where he got all the pieces to the places where they need to be while not
running into a risk of an attack. }
16. Ra2 Nc4 17. Rae2
{ White is trying to get the rook in the game, but it's not entirely obvious what
it is doing on e2. }
17... a6
{ Time to expose the over-advanced queenside pawns. Another rule of thumb for you
to keep in mind: the more the pawns advance, the more vulnerable they tend to be,
the easier it is to undermine them. Obviously, advancing the pawns can be very
beneficial, too: after all, they control a lot of space. However, advancing pawns
and then not supporting them with pieces is ...not good, which Black convincingly
proves here. }
18. bxa6 Qxa6 { The a4-pawn is in trouble, too. } 19. Nbd2
{ This runs into a very elegant tactical shot. 19.Ra2 b5!? and it's not
entirely obvious how not to lose the a4-pawn. }
19... Nxd2
{ Unfortunately, Black misses the instant win. But, of course, he keeps a huge
positional advantage. 19...Ng3!! would have trapped and won the rook, since the
f2-pawn is pinned! }
20. Qxd2
{ 20.Rxd2 was necessary, but apparently, both players failed to see that ...Ng3!
shot. 20...Qxd3 21.Rxd3 Rxa4 and Black should easily convert his extra pawn and
superior position. Next, he would just go ... Kd7, ...Rha8, and start trading rooks
on the a-file. Please note the dark-squared bishop is still bad and the c3-pawn is
still weak. }
20... Qxa4
{ Black failed to spot the instant win, but still picked a pawn and should be able
to convert rather easily, as White doesn't have any counterplay. 20...Ng3-+
would have again won on the spot. }
21. Rb1 b6
{ Again, no need to allow for counterplay. 21...Ng3! 22.Ree1 Ne4! would have
again won on the spot. Blind spot, isn't it? }
22. Kh2 Qc4 23. g3 Ra3
{ Time to attack the weakness on c3. The black king can either castle into a safe
position or, step to d7 to free up the h8-rook not fearing any dangers in the
centre. }
24. Rc1 Kd7
{ This is a more elegant solution, as the king would be much better placed here in
the endgame after the queen trade. }
25. Ne1 Rha8 26. Nd3 Ra2 { Finally, time to trade more major pieces. } 27. Rc2
Rxc2 28. Qxc2 Ra3 { The c3-pawn is falling, too. } 29. Nxc5+ Qxc5 30. Qb1
{ 30.Bd2? Nd4! os a very cute instant win. } 30... Kc6
{ Black overprotects the pawn and the b5-square, maybe looking to trade the queens
with ...Qb5 next. }
31. Kg2 Qc4 32. Qb2 Rxc3 33. Rd2 Kb7
{ Moving the king away from the c-file, just in case. } 34. Qa1
{ Accelerates the loss, but White couldn't do much, anyway. } 34... Rc1
{ With ...Qf1 coming next, White is getting checkmated. What a gorgeous positional
win for Black, who took advantage of all the weakening pawn moves, exposed the
queenside weaknesses and always kept things under control. Please note that without
the light-squared bishop, White never had any activity or threats and Black has not
experienced any shortage of space whatsoever. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Grandelius, Nils vs. Harikrishna, Pentala"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. Be2 cxd4

{ I prefer not capturing on d4, because it allows White to play Nc3. However, as I
explained in the theoretical chapter, capturing also has advantages: namely, the
lines with c3-c4 and with dxc5 are avoided. So, choosing one or the other is merely
a matter of taste. 6...Bb5 is the move recommended in the theoretical chapter,
trading the bishops, but keeping the tension. }
7. cxd4 Bb5 8. O-O
{ 8.Nc3 Bxe2 9.Nxe2 is the line I personally somewhat dislike for Black, since
the knight is quickly moving over to the kingside. Overall, it's worth
understanding that Ne2 is dangerous because it allows two typical ideas for White:
- putting the knight on h5; - playing f4-f5 followed by Nf4. }
8... Bxe2 9. Qxe2 Nc6
{ Another possible plan that I also really like is going ...Ne7, intending to bring
the kingside knight to c6 and the queenside one to d7, followed by ... Be7 and O-O.
This way, the pieces are placed very organically - even though, admittedly, in a
rather non-threatening way. This might seem to be a passive setup, but White cannot
create any threats on the kingside without the light-squared bishops, so we can
afford to take it slow. And, our pieces are guaranteed not to be in the way of each
other. }
10. Nc3 Nge7
{ Black continues natural development. 10...Nxd4?? Of course, the pawn isn't
hanging. I explained this in the theoretical chapter and repeat it here: be
careful! 11.Nxd4 Qxd4 12.Qb5+ Kd8 13.Qxb7 and White wins. Overall, trading
light-squared bishops slightly weakens Black's queenside, so some care is required.
}
11. Qd3 Rc8 12. Rd1 h6
{ An interesting idea, aimed at preventing the white pieces from ever coming to g5.
Please note the position is very closed, which means time is a lot less important
than it would be in some crazy 1. e4 e5 gambit, and Black can take the time for all
these pawn moves without any worries. }
13. Bd2 Ng6 { The knight is coming out to make way for the bishop. } 14. h4 Bb4
{ Not only does this move leave the square on e7 available for the knight to return
to in the event of h4-h5, but also, Black is able to trade his bishop for the white
knight or bishop, looking to eliminate the space disadvantage even further. }
15. Na4
{ White is attacking the queen with a tempo, maybe looking to bring the knight to
c5 after trading the bishops. 15.a3 Bxc3! would be great for Black, since
White's remaining bishop isn't that active. 16.Bxc3 O-O ⇆ Next, Black can re-
route his knight from g6 back to e7 and maybe f5, maybe go ...Rc7, ...Rfc8 and
start trying to make progress on the queenside. For example, we can go ...
a6, ...Qb3, ...b7-b5, etc. Or somehow move the queen away, ... b7-b5, ...a7-a5 and
prepare ...b5-b4, running the pawns. }
15... Qc7 16. h5 Nge7 17. Bf4
{ White is looking to keep more pieces on the board, which is an understandable
decision, but a questionable one, as his bishop is not particularly useful. }
17... Qa5 { The knight is in an awkward spot. } 18. b3
{ 18.Nc3 would have been awkward, but necessary. 18...Bxc3! would give Black a
clear target: a backward c3-pawn and an outpost on c4. 19.bxc3 Qc7 with ... Na5-
c4 coming next, Black is clearly strategically in the driver's seat. }
18... b5 19. Nb2 Ba3
{ Now, the bishop is in an amazing position, as it's staring at the c1-square. This
is really important from the strategic perspective, as there is only one open file
on the board, which means not being able to fight for it puts White at a huge
disadvantage. Additionally, Black can consider jumping to b4 with his knight
sometime soon. }
20. Qe2 O-O { Finally! The f-rook is ready to join the party. } 21. Rab1 Rc7
{ Continuing to play in a very natural way, doubling on the c-file. } 22. Nd3
Qb6 { The d4-pawn is under pressure. } 23. b4
{ White is trying to act actively, but it only weakens his position. } 23... a5
{ Black is immediately striking on the queenside. Not only is it strong, but it was
actually needed, as the a3-bishop got cut out and was in danger of being trapped
with Rb3! coming out. }
24. bxa5 Nxa5 { The knight is about to come to c4. } 25. Bc1 Bxc1 26. Rdxc1
Rxc1+ 27. Nxc1 Nc4
{ The white pieces are a lot more passive. And, additionally, numerous pawns are
rather weak: a2, d4 and even h5 is a bit loose! }
28. Nb3 Ra8 29. Rc1 Nc6 30. g3 Ra3
{ Black is looking to increase pressure on the a2-pawn. Unfortunately, after the
inevitable ...Nb4 and ...Qa7 it looks like White is just losing his pawn. }
31. Kg2 Qa7 32. Rc2 Nb4 33. Rc3 Nxa2
{ The pawn is gone and the game is coming to an end. } 34. Rd3 Rxb3
{ A cute way to finish the game. } 35. Rxb3 Nc1
{ Black gets his exchange back and is just queening the pawn. } 36. Qc2 Nxb3
37. Qxb3 Qa4 38. Qb1 b4
{ White resigned, as after ...b4-b3-b2 the pawn will queen and there is nothing to
be done about that. I think it is rather instructive to see how several
reasonable-looking positional decisions, such as keeping the bishops with Bf4, then
playing b2-b3 and then b3-b4 landed White in a lot of trouble from the strategic
standpoint. Hari took advantage of his queenside ideas just flawlessly! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Ivanovic, Bozidar vs. Beliavsky, Alexander G"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. Be2 Bb5

{ This time, Black trades bishops without exchanging in the center, as I recommend
in the theoretical chapter. Let's see what happens if White tries to capture on c5
and grab space. }
7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. O-O
{ 8.b4? was premature, as 8...Bxf2+ wins a pawn. 9.Kf1 Bc6 Next, we go ...Be3
and the bishop gets out of danger. }
8... Bxe2 9. Qxe2 Qa6
{ Another cool idea worth reviewing. As we know, in these positions, Black always
wants to trade queens. So he offers just that! Let's explain further: Black wants
to trade queens because he has static advantages, while White has the dynamic
advantage of a lead in development and chances of a kingside attack. So, trading
queens is a typical method of reducing White's dynamic potential. Also, here, Qa6
essentially steals a tempo, since white will either move the queen to a worse
square or trade and help black develop the Nb8. }
10. Qxa6
{ I think White would have been better off keeping the queens, but since endgames
will be our bread and butter, let's see how that went. }
10... Nxa6 11. Nbd2 Ne7 12. Nb3 Bb6
{ The bishop is happy to stay on the long g1-a7 diagonal. } 13. Re1 Nc6 14. a4
{ Trying to grab space on the queenside. } 14... O-O 15. Be3 Bc7
{ Black is not willing to trade the bishops, as he is claiming the white one is
rather restricted by his own pawns, primarily the one on e3. }
16. Bf4 Nab8 { Improving the worst piece. } 17. Nc5 b6
{ Of course, the knight won't be able to stay on c5. } 18. Nd3 Nd7
{ Black managed to improve his knight that was so inactive on the edge. } 19.
Nd4 Na5 { Now, the knight is coming to c4 to put pressure on the queenside. }
20. b3 Rfc8
{ The rook is coming to the semi-open file to join the action. Please note it's
rather smart to use exactly this rook, because the other one could prove useful on
the b or a-file. }
21. Rab1 Bd8
{ The bishop can get re-routed to e7. Now, the c3-pawn is under pressure. } 22.
Bd2
{ 22.Rec1! ws needed, defending the c3-pawn and not running into that
nasty ...Nc5-e4! }
22... Nc5
{ White is in a rather awkward situation, as not only is the b3-pawn weak, but
also, the knight is about to jump to e4, winning the c3-pawn. }
23. Nxc5 bxc5 24. Nb5 Rcb8
{ Now, the threat is ... a7-a6, kicking the knight out and winning the b3-pawn. }
25. b4 Nc4 { Now, the outpost on c4 is fantastic. } 26. Bf4 g5
{ Winning even more time and restricting White even more. } 27. Bc1 cxb4 28.
cxb4 a5
{ Black is getting ready to open even more files, so that the a4-pawn is getting
even weaker. }
29. bxa5 Rxa5 { Now, ...Rba8 is about to win the a4-pawn. } 30. h4 h6
{ Black just reinforces his g5-pawn, instead of getting into any kind of
complications. 30...gxh4 would have been even stronger. Now, the a4-pawn is
still under pressure, but the one on h4 is not easy to win back. }
31. hxg5 hxg5 32. Be3 Rxa4
{ The a4-pawn fell, now we are a pawn up and Black has a protected passed pawn on
d5. }
33. Nd6 Rxb1 34. Rxb1 Kg7 { The e5-pawn is under attack, so is the e3-bishop. }
35. Rb8 Nxe3 36. fxe3 Be7
{ It's crucial to eliminate the knight to prevent even the slightest bits of
counterplay. }
37. Rb7 Bxd6 38. exd6 Ra8
{ The d6-pawn is easy to stop and win, so it is over. } 39. Rd7 Kf6 40. Kf2 Rf8
41. Kf3 Ke5 { Time to activate the king. } 42. Kg4 f5+
{ It's totally okay to give the g-pawn, as we are able to win the g2-pawn back and
also cut off the white king. }
43. Kh5
{ White tries to not take the pawn in order to prevent the king from getting cut
off, but that isn't helping. 43.Kxg5 Rg8+ 44.Kh6 Rxg2 Now, the white king is
horrible and the d-pawn still won't go anywhere. 45.Rd8 Rg3 46.d7 Kd6 and the
pawn is easily neutralized. }
43... f4 44. exf4+ gxf4 45. Kg6 d4 46. Kg7 Rb8
{ White resigned, as ...Rb6-d6 will win the pawn, and the black ones are easily
promoting. Again, White got too ambitious and wanted more on the queenside than he
should have, while Black's play after the queen trade was crystal-clear and easy. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Fernando, Diogo vs. Rozentalis, Eduardas"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. Be2 cxd4

{ Again, this time Black decides to capture on d4, eliminating the tension, but
allowing for Nc3. }
7. cxd4 Bb5 8. Nc3 Bxe2 9. Nxe2
{ This is exactly the reason why I don't like taking on d4, as now the white knight
can move over to the kingside in a very efficient manner. At the same time, this
is by no means a disaster, Black is doing fine. Let's see how he handled this
position in the current game! }
9... Ne7
{ The idea of this move is to bring exactly the kingside knight to the queenside,
while the other one will come to d7. Next, Black just goes ...Be7 and castles,
following it with the typical queenside play, such as doubling on the c-file, etc.
9...Nc6 is totally possible, but then developing the kingside knight becomes
harder, as on e7 it would be blocking that f8-bishop. }
10. O-O Nec6 11. Qd3
{ This move is aimed at connecting the rooks after developing the bishops. Of
course, the queen is also staring at that h7-pawn. }
11... Nd7 12. Bf4 h6
{ Black is not only covering the g5-square, but he is also potentially keeping the
option of ...g7-g5 open, followed by long castling and fun play on the kingside.
12...Qxb2 was perfectly possible as well. True enough, White is able to win the
b7-pawn back, but Black manages to achieve a queen trade, which is always fantastic
news for us. 13.Rfb1 Qa3! If White refuses to take, he won't be able to win the
b7-pawn. 14.Qxa3 Bxa3 15.Rxb7 Nb6 The rook on the 7th rank is not particularly
dangerous: for example, Black can meet Rc7 with ... Rc8, trading the rooks. Now,
the c4-square is weak and the White dark-squared bishop is rather passive and
restricted by the pawns, so I am not particularly optimistic about White's
prospects in this endgame. }
13. h4 g6
{ I am not sure if this move was necessary at all. Now, the f6-square gets weaker,
and if Black ever wants to go ...g7-g5, he could definitely try to do that in one
go. }
14. Bd2 Be7 15. Qe3
{ White, however, isn't doing anything particularly active, just waiting. Now,
Black is finally starting to do the right thing. }
15... g5 { Get it goin'! } 16. Nh2
{ White starts playing passively, which is almost never a good approach in such
complex positions with the inevitable opposite side castled kings. 16.b4! would
have been rather strong, trying to point out Black's king might also be in a rather
awkward spot. }
16... O-O-O 17. Rab1 gxh4
{ Not only is Black opening the g-file, but also, he's taking a pawn, which is not
that easy to claim back. It was also possible and equally good to take this pawn a
move ago. }
18. Kh1
{ 18.b4 would have been necessary again. Why play so passively? 18...Rdg8 19.a4
Kb8! would be a good idea, hiding the king away from the c-file in advance.
White's attack is not that easy to develop, actually. For example, if 20.b5 then
after 20...Na5 the knight is coming to c4 and White doesn't have much going on on
the queenside. }
18... Rdg8 19. b4 Rg7 { Black is calmly doubling up on the g-file. } 20. a4
Rhg8 { The g2-pawn is in danger. } 21. Qc3
{ 21.Rg1 would have been better, asking Black how to make progress on the
kingside. Admittedly, it's still not that easy! }
21... Bxb4 { White is blundering a very cute thing. } 22. Rxb4 Qxb4 23. Qxc6+
{ This version of the endgame is even worse for White, as Black has an opportunity
to push ...c6-c5 at some point and undermine White's centre, as well as the open b-
file, which is fantastic news for the rooks. 23.Qxb4 Nxb4 24.Bxb4 Rxg2
results in a rather beneficial position for Black, who has a rook and multiple
pawns for the two minor pieces. Next, the pawn can go to h3, the knight can come
over to c4 via b6 and the queenside pawns can be set in motion with ...a5, ...Kc7-
c6, ... b7-b5, etc. }
23... bxc6 24. Bxb4 Rxg2 25. Nf4 R2g5 { The rook is coming back home. } 26. Rc1
Kb7 27. Nd3 Nb6
{ The knight is attacking the a4-pawn, while also looking to come to c4. } 28.
Rb1 Kc8
{ 28...Ka8! would have been a lot better, the point being that this move does not
block the b-file and allows for ...Rb8 next. }
29. Be7 Rf5 30. Bxh4
{ 30.a5! seems better, as it is rather crucial for White not to lose the a-pawn,
since losing it means Black gets a passed pawn on the a-file. Instead, picking the
h4-pawn is not nearly as relevant, as they are rather worthless. }
30... Nxa4
{ Now, Black is much better, and eventually, he went on to win this endgame. The
key takeaway from this game should be that instead of playing regular positional
moves like short castling, Black can also choose a much more ambitious plan of
castling long and going for a kingside attack, even though, obviously, it does not
come without risks. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "6) The Tarrasch Variation without 4.e5"]
[Black "4.Bd3 5.c3 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. Bd3
{ This move will result in a rather forcing line, where the typical French pawn
structure might get destroyed rather fast. }
4... c5 { Black is counterattacking the center right away. } 5. c3
{ Is lame and gives us a great position where we fight the IQP. } 5... cxd4 6.
cxd4 dxe4 7. Nxe4 Nf6
{ There is no need to know more than this. We'll just trade pieces next, White got
a weird setup where the knight moved twice, which is great news for us, because we
want to be trading minor pieces. That knight on e4 will help us achieve just that!
One more idea worth learning is that the c8-bishop can get out in a very nice way
here. }
8. Nf3 Bd7 9. O-O Bc6
{ Following with ...Nd7, Black is very comfortable and is ready to start swapping
pieces and looking for a better endgame. Most games went: }
10. Qe2 { But now, it'd be really strong and easy enough to just trade down. }
10... Bxe4 11. Bxe4 Nxe4 12. Qxe4 Nc6
{ With ...Qd7 and ...Nb4-d5 coming next, Black seems to be clearly in the driver's
seat, as all the typical attacking ideas White is hoping for in the IQP positions
are non-existent. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Bd3 c5 5.dxc5 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. Bd3
4... c5 { Black is counterattacking the center right away. } 5. dxc5
{ Normally, White captures this pawn, hoping we would take back with the bishop and
lose time by moving it twice. }
5... Nf6
{ However, we have no desire of doing so. Instead, we keep adding pressure on that
e4-pawn. }
6. e5
{ Is possible, but in my opinion, is too strategically risky, as now the e5-pawn is
a bit weak. }
6... Nfd7 7. Ngf3 Nc6
{ The e5-pawn is a huge target and we can always add more pressure with ...Qc7. For
instance, in most games, Qe2 was played. }
8. Qe2 Qc7
{ The e5-pawn will fall. The only game that reached this position saw: } 9. Nb3
{ Protecting the c5-pawn, but after: } 9... Ndxe5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5
{ Black is hunting that d3-bishop, the c5-pawn is weak and we own the entire
center. White has to be very careful, since if he allows for ...e6-e5, he might
simply end up steamrolled. }
11. Be3 Nxd3+ 12. cxd3 e5
{ And it clearly looks like White did something he wasn't supposed to. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. Bd3
5... Nf6
e4-pawn. }
6. exd5 Nxd5
{ Takes us back to the lines with
@@StartFEN@@rnbqk1nr/ppp1bppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPPN1PPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 2
4@@EndFEN@@ 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 c5 6.exd5 see here. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. Bd3
5... Nf6
e4-pawn. }
6. Ngf3 dxe4 7. Nxe4 Nxe4 8. Bxe4 Qxd1+ 9. Kxd1 Bxc5
{ Transposes to the line
@@StartFEN@@rnbqk1nr/ppp1bppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPPN1PPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 2
4@@EndFEN@@ 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 c5 6.dxc5 dxe4 . }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. Bd3
5... Nf6
e4-pawn. }
6. Qe2
{ White supports the e4-pawn. Here, I particularly like the idea of capturing the
c5-pawn with the knight, but we cannot go ...Nbd7, as after e4-e5! the other knight
can no longer come back to d7, which is horrible for us. }
6... Nbd7 { A huge mistake. } 7. e5
{ We can no longer retreat to d7 with that f6-knight! Don't ever do this! } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. Bd3
5... Nf6
e4-pawn. }
6. Qe2
6... O-O { For now, we just castle. } 7. Ngf3 a5
{ The plan is ...Na6, followed by taking on c5. This is how multiple super-GM level
games went. }
8. O-O Na6 9. e5
{ Remember, we couldn't go ...Nbd7 because of e4-e5, when the f6-knight has no good
squares to retreat to! Here, White immediately advances the central pawn, because
we can no longer attack it with ...Nd7, ...Nc6 and ... Qc7. }
9... Nd7
{ And this is, by all means, a critical position. If White does nothing, we
play ...Naxc5 and continue with ...a5-a4, grabbing space on the queenside, maybe
take ...Nxd3, improve the bishop with ...Bd7 or ...b7-b6 and ...Bb7/a6. So, White
needs to either make room for his bishop to avoid ...Nxd3, or try to challenge our
center right away. }
10. c3
{ Is also possible, in order to make room for the bishop, but it's not particularly
challenging. }
10... Naxc5 11. Bc2 b6
{ And with ...Ba6 coming, Black is doing perfectly fine. It's worth pointing out
that once we've gotten the bishop out, the next mini-plan will involve ...f7-f6 or
even ...f7-f5, looking to provoke White to take, which surrenders the center, or
otherwise grabbing a lot of space on the kingside and restricting the c2-bishop
considerably. Black is doing fantastic here, as a lot of model games indicate.
You can study games of Caruana, Korobov and Bluebaum, among others. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. Bd3
5... Nf6
e4-pawn. }
6. Qe2
games went. }
8. O-O Na6 9. e5
9... Nd7
10. c4
{ This very principled move is immediately attacking the d5-pawn, the stronghold of
our position, which results in very non-French positions. }
10... Naxc5
{ Is also possible, but allows for cxd5 in a situation where ...Qxd5 cannot be
played, which I am not sure if I like. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. Bd3
5... Nf6
e4-pawn. }
6. Qe2
games went. }
8. O-O Na6 9. e5
9... Nd7
10. c4
{ This very principled move is immediately attacking the d5-pawn, the stronghold of
our position, which results in very non-French positions. }
10... Ndxc5
{ This move is less frequent, but it was played by So and many other strong
players. The idea is that 11.Bc2? will be met with 11...Nb4! , winning a tempo
and activating the knight, while after: }
11. Bb1 { the bishop is blocking the a1-rook inside, of course. } 11... d4
{ The pawn is coming to d3. } 12. Rd1
{ In all of the games here, everyone has played Rd1, getting on the d-file. }
12... d3 { However, the brave pawn keeps advancing. } 13. Qe3 b6
{ In a game between Liang and So, Black demonstrated he is not afraid of losing the
pawn, because he gets a ton of activity and far superior coordination, while the
a1-rook remains stuck. }
14. Ne1
{ This was played in Liang,A (2552)-So,W (2786), Saint Louis 2018. }
14... Ra7
{ Here, I would like to suggest this cute novelty. The rook is coming in the game
via the 7th rank. If White waits and allows for ... Rd7, the d3-pawn will just
paralyze White, so he needs to take. }
15. Nxd3 Nxd3 16. Bxd3 Rd7
{ However, Black gets so much activity! For example, after: } 17. Bc2 Nb4 18.
Ba4 Rd3
{ White is just completely stuck. Next, we can trade the bishops with ...Bd7 and
triple on the d-file with ...Rfd8. I have no idea how is the queenside supposed to
be coming out here. I admit this line wasn't very positional, instead, we had to
play rather dynamically, but this is a part of chess. I hope the arising
positions seem as fun to you as they do to me, and admittedly, not too many people
below 2000 FIDE would be able to find c2-c4!, let our pawn run all the way down to
d3 and willingly get their queenside stuck. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. Ngf3 { The main move by far. } 4... Nf6 5. exd5
{ Results in a position from the exchange variation, where the d2-knight is
blocking the queenside. }
5... exd5 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O Bg4
{ The bishop on c1 is blocked, we are not experiencing any problems whatsoever.
Next, we'll go ...c7-c5, ...Nc6, etc. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 - transposition to the lines below"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. Ngf3 { The main move by far. } 4... Nf6
{ We are particularly fond of playing this move exactly after Ngf3, when f2-f4 is
no longer possible. }
5. Bd3
5... c5 6. e5 Nfd7 7. c3 { Transposes to the lines with 5. e5. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
5... c5 6. exd5
{ Is a possibility as well, which however hasn't been played much. I think it is
because the knight on d2 is blocking the queenside, and the bishop is already on
d3. If we were to compare this to the lines with
3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 exd5 , the bishop would typically go to b5. Instead, if Black
took with the queen, the bishop would go to c4, winning a tempo by attacking the
queen. }
6... Qxd5
{ Since playing Bc4 involves wasting a tempo, we don't have any problems here.
White can transpose into the inferior variation of
3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.dxc5 , but that doesn't do much. However, a different
path is even simpler - see the next lines. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 - N3 - trap the queen!"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
5... c5 6. exd5
queen. }
6... Nxd5
{ Of course, this move is even simpler. Why take with the queen and waste time? }
7. dxc5 Nd7
{ It's best to recapture on c5 with the knight, winning a tempo by harassing the
d3-bishop. }
8. b4 Nc3 { And White suddenly loses the queen. Oops! } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
5... c5 6. exd5
queen. }
6... Nxd5
{ Of course, this move is even simpler. Why take with the queen and waste time? }
7. dxc5 Nd7
{ It's best to recapture on c5 with the knight, winning a tempo by harassing the
d3-bishop. }
8. Nb3 { White mostly tried to defend the pawn this way. } 8... a5
{ It's possible to win the pawn back right away, but I like this novelty, aimed at
provoking a2-a4 - or else White's knight will get kicked away. }
9. a4 Nxc5 10. Nxc5 Bxc5
{ The point is that now the knight on d5 enjoys the self-appointed outpost, meaning
that while c2-c4 is possible, it will result in the b4-square becoming a permanent
outpost. Instead, if we hadn't included ...a7-a5 and a2-a4, White could place the
pawn on a3 and go c2-c4 next. }
11. O-O O-O
{ With ...b7-b6 and ...Bb7 coming next, Black has absolutely nothing to worry
about. 12.c4 Nb4 13.Bxh7+ Kxh7 14.Ng5+ Kg8 15.Qh5 Qd3 doesn't work. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
5... c5 6. dxc5
will. }
6... dxe4
10. Ke2 Nd7
11. Rd1 { White keeps the bishops on, for now. } 11... Nf6
{ We immediately kick the bishop out, preparing ...b7-b6 in the future. } 12.
Bg5
{ Is a funny move, which of course creates a one-move trap: take the bishop and get
mated with Rd8! However, we don't need to do that. Instead, we'll grab the bishop
pair. }
12... h6 13. Bh4 g5
{ And on the next turn we win the bishop on e4 for free, as there isn't a mate
threat of Rd8. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
5... c5 6. dxc5
will. }
6... dxe4
10. Ke2 Nd7
Bg5
{ Is a funny move, which of course creates a one-move trap: take the bishop and get
mated with Rd8! However, we don't need to do that. Instead, we'll grab the bishop
pair. }
12... h6 13. Bxf6 gxf6
{ Now, we enjoy the semi-open g-file and perfect control of the central squares,
such as e5, f5, and d5. Black sometimes even goes for this pawn structure on move
4 or 5, looking to suffer through the middlegame where his king tends to be
vulnerable but hoping for a good endgame. Well, we already have an endgame, so
this structure can only be advantageous. Next, we'll just go ...Ke7, kick the
bishop out with ...f6-f5, and can trade rooks with ...Rd8 if needed. The goal is
an endgame with minor pieces only. }
14. Nd4
{ The only challenging idea - White finds a way of keeping his bishop on the h1-a8
diagonal in order to prevent ...Bd7 or ... b7-b6. }
14... f5 15. Bf3 Ke7
{ With ...Rd8, ...Rb8 if needed and ...Bd7 coming next, Black has nothing to worry
about. We'll talk more about this in the chapter on model games! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
5... c5 6. dxc5
will. }
6... dxe4
10. Ke2 Nd7
Bd3 Ke7
{ Of course, in an endgame, we don't want to castle. Next, we'll go ...Rd8
and ...Bd7. It's crucial to insert ...Rd8 first, because ...Bd7 can be met with
Ne5, attacking the bishop, when a typical reaction should be ...Be8. But of course,
you don't want to play ...Be8 and block that kingside rook in. So, make sure to get
it out beforehand! }
13. Ne5
{ Normally, White would make this move to take the d7-square under control. }
13... Rd8
{ Next, we can go ...Nd7 and get rid of the knight. For example, after: } 14.
Bd2 Nd7 15. Nxd7 Bxd7
{ Is not a problem, obviously. A nice detail here would be to meet: } 16. Be4
{ with... } 16... Bb5+ 17. Ke1 Rab8
{ Next, we'll double on the d-file and will start advancing the central pawns
with ...f7-f6, ...e6-e5, etc. Our bishops are incredibly active! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
5... c5 6. dxc5
will. }
6... dxe4
10. Ke2 Nd7
Bd3 Ke7
{ Of course, in an endgame, we don't want to castle. Next, we'll go ...Rd8
and ...Bd7. It's crucial to insert ...Rd8 first, because ...Bd7 can be met with
Ne5, attacking the bishop, when a typical reaction should be ...Be8. But of course,
you don't want to play ...Be8 and block that kingside rook in. So, make sure to get
it out beforehand! }
13. Ne5
{ Normally, White would make this move to take the d7-square under control. }
13... Rd8
{ Next, we can go ...Nd7 and get rid of the knight. For example, after: } 14.
Bd2 Nd7 15. Nf3
{ If White wants a more complex game, it makes sense to try to keep the knights on
the board. But I doubt the objective strength of that decision. }
15... b6
{ Black is very comfortable. The king isn't great on e2, actually, and after ...
Bb7, we can proceed with ...Rc8, possibly move the bishop back to d6 and make path
to c5 for our knight. Black is the one who will be putting pressure on White's
queenside, and on top of that, when the time is right, we can go ... e6-e5, ...f7-
f5 and start advancing the central pawns. Likely, it'll work best without rooks. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
5... c5 6. dxc5
will. }
6... dxe4
10. Ke2 Nd7
11. Be3
11... Bxe3 12. Kxe3 Nc5
the bishop. }
13. Rhd1
13... Nxe4 14. Kxe4 Ke7
versus a knight. }
15. Rd4
Bd7 16. Rad1 Bc6+ 17. Ke3 f6
{ Is already clearly advantageous to Black, who restricted the knight, prevented
Ne5, and is about to start outplaying White by going ...e6-e5, ...Rhd8, etc.
Remember, trading the rooks is good for us! Also, you can consider grabbing space
with ...g7-g5, ...h7-h5, etc. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 - Endgame - a drawish alternative"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
5... c5 6. dxc5
will. }
6... dxe4
10. Ke2 Nd7
11. Be3
11... Bxe3 12. Kxe3 Nc5
the bishop. }
13. Rhd1
13... Nxe4 14. Kxe4 Ke7
versus a knight. }
15. Rd4
Bd7 16. Ne5 { The only critical move. } 16... Rhd8
{ Is not ambitious and allows White to escape into an equal endgame. } 17.
Rxd7+ Rxd7 18. Nxd7 Kxd7
{ Unfortunately, I cannot offer much of a winning chance here. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
5... c5 6. dxc5
will. }
6... dxe4
10. Ke2 Nd7
11. Be3
11... Bxe3 12. Kxe3 Nc5
the bishop. }
13. Rhd1
13... Nxe4 14. Kxe4 Ke7
versus a knight. }
15. Rd4
Bd7 16. Ne5 { The only critical move. } 16... Be8
{ This move might feel a bit weird, but we preserve the bishop to play for a win
and hope to go ...f7-f6 next, kick the knight out and activate the bishop just a
bit later. }
17. Rad1 f6 18. Nc4 Bg6+ { The c2-pawn is under attack. } 19. Ke3 Rhd8
{ The point of attacking c2 is that White doesn't have the time for moves like Nd6.
Now, he'll have to trade the rooks. }
20. Rxd8 Rxd8 21. Rxd8 Kxd8 22. c3 e5
{ Black enjoys a slightly better endgame. It won't be easy to win, but play with
minimal winning chances without a probability of losing out of the opening with the
Black pieces is a perfect outcome. Next, your goal will be to improve the king
with ...Kd7-e6-d5 and start grabbing space with ...g7-g5, ...h7-h5, maybe ...b7-b5
and ...a7-a5. As you can see, our pawns are already doing a perfect job of
restricting the White king, but we can do even better. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 5.e5 - transposition to lines below"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
Nfd7 6. c3 c5 7. Bd3
{ Is just a different move order and a transposition to the main line, obviously. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 5.e5- what NOT to do (create tension in the center!)"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
Nfd7 6. Bd3 b6 { Is imprecise, because it allows for ideas like: } 7. O-O Ba6
8. c4
{ And the center blows up in a way that is clearly not beneficial to Black because
he'll have to respond with ...c7-c6, in which case White will be the one to control
tension in the center, not Black. At the very least, he could always trade cxd5
cxd5, which would be as bad for us as if we had decided to trade on d4 early on - a
typical mistake in the French. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 5.e5 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
Nf1 { White continues with the plan of bringing the knight over. } 11... Rc8
12. a3
{ Is a prophylaxis versus ...Nb4. However, now the c4- and b3-squares become
weaker, which enables the following typical idea. }
12... Nab8 13. Ng3 Nc6 { The knight is going to a5, then to c4 or to b3. } 14.
Be3 { White just keeps developing. } 14... b5
{ Another good idea, looking to follow up with ...a7-a5 and ...b5-b4, opening up
the queenside. Please note this move doesn't cancel out the idea of ...Na5, we can
always use that plan later. I think Black is very comfortable here, as White
doesn't have much play on the kingside. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 5.e5 - N2"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
12. Ng3
they :) }
12... cxd4 13. Nxd4
{ This is a possible way of recapturing, but this is not a very favorable
structure, as Black gets more play versus the e5-pawn, while f2-f4 weakens the e4-
square, which can be taken advantage of after ...Nc5 and even ...f7-f5. Besides, we
can not trade off that d4-knight. }
13... Nab8
{ The only game that reached this position saw White try aggressively on the
kingside. }
14. Qg4 Kh8
{ Stopping Bh6. Now, ...Nc6 is on the way. If White ever goes f2-f4-, he'll block
the c1-bishop in, which makes ...Bc5 a lot more powerful, since now White's bishop
can no longer get out to, say, g5. Once the knights are traded, ...b5-b4 will be a
great way of making progress on the queenside. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 - what NOT to do"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
12. Ng3
they :) }
12... cxd4 13. Nxd4
{ This is a possible way of recapturing, but this is not a very favorable
structure, as Black gets more play versus the e5-pawn, while f2-f4 weakens the e4-
square, which can be taken advantage of after ...Nc5 and even ...f7-f5. Besides, we
can not trade off that d4-knight. }
13... Nab8
{ The only game that reached this position saw White try aggressively on the
kingside. }
14. Qg4 Nc6 15. Bh6
{ Wins White an exchange and should be avoided, but Black did blunder this in the
game. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 5.e5 - N3"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
12. Ng3
they :) }
12... cxd4 13. cxd4 Nb4
{ The threat of ... Nc2 with a fork on both rooks is no joke. } 14. Re2 b5
{ The idea of this novelty is to grab space on the queenside and prepare the queen
sortie to b6, followed by doubling the rooks on the c-file with ...Rc7 and ...Rfc8.
}
15. a3 Nc6
{ Now, we can proceed on the queenside in multiple ways. One big idea is to take
advantage of the weak b3-square by going ...a5-a4, ...Na5 and ...Nb3. If White does
not somehow checkmate us, Black will dominate in the endgame. Unfortunately, as
there is no way to run the f2-pawn up the board, and the light-squared bishops have
been traded, I do not see how White will create any problems for us, so I tend to
strongly prefer Black in the practical settings in such positions. This is pretty
much the essense of these lines with ...Ba6: first, we endure a bit in the
middlegame, and then enjoy a superior endgame. A perfect line to play versus people
who are not very good at attacking, who tend to make quiet non-rushed moves, as
this simply doesn't work against these positional lines with the light-squared
bishop exchange. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "harmless (almost) transposition"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
Nfd7 6. Bd3 c5 { We immediately create tension in the center. } 7. c3 b6 8. Qe2
{ Along with castling, this is one of the two most popular moves, and I think a
more dangerous one than castling, in no small part because delaying O-O enables
White to use the f1-square for his knight quickly to re-route it to the kingside.
Another idea of White's last move is really simple: he is looking to prevent us
from trading the bishops! But, of course, we are by no means done trying. }
8... a5
{ Here, most people would castle, however, it's also worth mentioning a few other
ideas, such as 9.a4 , or the very rare 9.Nf1!? , recommended by So in his LTR
1.e4. }
9. a4 { This move carries an interesting positional idea behind it. } 9... Ba6
10. Bxa6
{ This doesn't do much, of course, the inclusion of the moves a2-a4 and ...a7-a5
favors Black. Here is another thought for you: when the opponents are playing on
opposite flanks, usually it's not a good idea to advance the pawns on the flank
where your opponent is stronger, as it usually only creates new targets. For
example, here, Black can take advantage of the a4-pawn either by taking ...cxd4 and
installing the knight on b4, when a2-a3 is no longer possible, or go ...c5-c4 and
then ...b6-b5 when the time is right, opening the queenside and exposing the b2-
weakness. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 5.e5 - N4"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
8... a5
1.e4. }
9. a4 { This move carries an interesting positional idea behind it. } 9... Ba6
10. Bb5
{ White hopes we'll take on b5 when after 11...Bxb5 12.axb5! the b5-pawn is
incredibly annoying, as it prevents ...Na6 and ...Nc6. But are we by no means
obliged to do that. }
10... Qc8 { Black defends the bishop and prepares ...Nc6. } 11. O-O Nc6
{ Now, taking on a6 is illogical, but White needs to be aware of the following
positional trap. }
12. h3 { Let's suppose he makes a random move. } 12... cxd4
{ By trading, Black's knight gains access to the b4-square. } 13. cxd4 Bxb5 14.
axb5 Nb4
{ I think allowing for this sequence is a suspicious idea from White's perspective,
because now the b4-square is a great outpost and the c-file is in Black's hands.
For example, one funny way of taking advantage of it is ...Ra7-c7, activating the
rook that way. The b5-pawn is going to be rather weak than strong here, as it's no
longer restricting anyone, but in the future can be easily attacked. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 5.e5 - N5"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
8... a5
1.e4. }
9. O-O Ba6
{ Obviously, taking on a6 or allowing for ... Bxd3 will result in positions similar
to the ones we discuss elsewhere in the chapter, but White has one brand-new
opportunity that we hadn't talked about yet. }
10. c4
{ This move immediately blows up the center. It's really important to have some
idea of what you're doing, not even because the line is dangerous (actually, I
believe this idea is very risky for White), but because this is a very non-French
position. This kind of pawn break is more common in the Caro-Kann. Now, it's
crucial we immediately create pressure on his d4-pawn, too. }
10... Nc6 11. cxd5 { White always captured, looking to remove the e6-pawn. }
11... Bxd3 12. Qxd3 exd5 13. Re1
{ After pretty much any other move than dxc5, we have the following strong idea: }
13... Nf8
{ The knight will feel great on e6, preventing the e5-e6 break, putting pressure on
the d4-pawn and allowing the queen to defend d5. Black is already slightly better,
as White's center is fragile and he has no active ideas. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 5.e5 - N6"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
8... a5
1.e4. }
9. O-O Ba6
{ Obviously, taking on a6 or allowing for ... Bxd3 will result in positions similar
to the ones we discuss elsewhere in the chapter, but White has one brand-new
opportunity that we hadn't talked about yet. }
10. c4
{ This move immediately blows up the center. It's really important to have some
idea of what you're doing, not even because the line is dangerous (actually, I
believe this idea is very risky for White), but because this is a very non-French
position. This kind of pawn break is more common in the Caro-Kann. Now, it's
crucial we immediately create pressure on his d4-pawn, too. }
10... Nc6 11. cxd5 { White always captured, looking to remove the e6-pawn. }
11... Bxd3 12. Qxd3 exd5 13. dxc5
{ This is what people mostly went for, and it's an understandable move: after all,
it seems logical to open up the center when Black still hadn't castled and the d5-
pawn is under attack. However, it seems to be the wrong idea. }
13... Nxc5
{ Once in a lifetime, we'll accept an IQP position. Or sorry, that's not an IQP, is
it? As a friend of mine, a very strong GM, likes to say: this is no longer an
isolated pawn; there are no obstacles on its way, so it's a passed pawn. }
14. Qf5
{ Normally, White would go here, looking to keep the queen close to the kingside,
but after: }
14... Qd7 15. Qxd7+ Kxd7
{ Black is clearly better. The d-pawn will be very strong, the knight can move over
to e6, the bishop will come to c5, and after ...Rd8, ...Rac8 and ...d5-d4-d3, Black
will dominate the board. White doesn't need to let all of those things happen,
but that's the plan, and defending isn't easy. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 5.e5 - N7"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
8... a5
1.e4. }
9. Nf1
{ The idea of this move is to take advantage of the fact the f1-square is not
occupied by the rook and bring the knight over to the kingside prior to castling in
order to save time. }
9... Ba6 { We insist on our key plan of trading the bishops, of course. } 10.
Bxa6 { White usually takes, as the knight on a6 is somewhat misplaced. } 10...
Nxa6 11. Ng3 { The knight is coming over to the kingside, as planned. } 11...
Qc7
{ A very interesting and logical novelty. We are preparing to take advantage of the
c-file. Now, Black has a cute positional threat. }
12. h3 { Let's make a random move for White to see what we want. } 12... cxd4
13. cxd4 Qc4
{ You must be already getting annoyed with my mantra, but I'll repeat: the queen
trade is always good for Black. However, White cannot avoid it, as then it won't
be possible to castle, which means we successfully reached a great endgame where
the c-file is ours and the c1-bishop is a bit of a bad piece. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 5.e5 - N8"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
8... a5
1.e4. }
9. Nf1
Qc7
12. O-O cxd4 13. cxd4 Qc4 { We go for the same plan anyway. } 14. Qd1
{ Of course, the trade would really help us, so White declines. } 14... O-O
{ We are castling not as much for the sake of king safety, as in order to get the
kingside rook in the game. Now, we're ready to play ... Rfc8, followed by queenside
play like ...Nb4, ...a5-a4, ...b6-b5-b4, etc. }
15. a3 { Preventing ...Nb4! certainly seems like a good idea. } 15... Rfc8
{ We continue with our plan anyway. } 16. Ng5
{ Going forward doesn't give White much, actually. } 16... h6
{ No need to tolerate that knight there, especially because Qh5 was on its way to
disturb us. }
17. Nh3 Qc2 { Remember, the queen trade is good! } 18. Qg4
{ So White declines. } 18... Qg6
{ We can keep insisting. At this point, if White goes Qd1 or Qe2, Black can always
just repeat the moves by insisting on the trade, or keep playing on the queenside
with ...b5-b4, ...a5-a4, etc. It's also crucial to understand that after: }
19. Qxg6 fxg6
{ The arising structure is beneficial to us! Black is better in this endgame, as
the kingside pawns are by no means weak and can be easily defended with ...Kf7.
In fact, the pawns are really useful, as they can grab more space with ...g6-g5,
massively restricting the white knights. At the same time, we own the c-file and
will effortlessly continue our expansion on the queenside with ...a5-a4,
maybe ...Ndb8-c6-a5-b3, etc. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 5.e5 - N9 - White blunders"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
8... a5
1.e4. }
9. Nf1
Qc7
{ We continue with our plan anyway. } 16. Ne1
{ This is a very cunning multi-functional move. For one, White is
preventing ...Qc2, which would have immediately given us a fantastic position.
Secondly, he is potentially preparing ideas like Qg4 or Qh5. }
16... b5
{ Preparing ...b5-b4, looking to force White to recapture, so that our knight can
get more active. Or, if he does not react, the pawn might really enjoy itself on
b3. }
17. Qg4
{ Crucially, such ambitious attempts to bring the pieces over to the kingside
immediately get White in a losing position. If that wasn't the case, our position
would have been rather scary! }
17... Nxe5
{ White cannot take as the d4-pawn is pinned. We just won a pawn and the knight can
go to g6, or to f6 via d7. White has no attack and his position has already fallen
apart. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Ngf3 5.e5 - N10 - a fun sacrifice leading to a draw"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
8... a5
1.e4. }
9. Nf1
Qc7
{ We continue with our plan anyway. } 16. Ne1
{ This is a very cunning multi-functional move. For one, White is
preventing ...Qc2, which would have immediately given us a fantastic position.
Secondly, he is potentially preparing ideas like Qg4 or Qh5. }
16... b5
{ Preparing ...b5-b4, looking to force White to recapture, so that our knight can
get more active. Or, if he does not react, the pawn might really enjoy itself on
b3. }
17. f4
{ The most direct approach to this brand-new position. White is looking to
immediately break through with f4-f5!, opening the kingside. }
17... g6
{ It is crucial to prevent f4-f5, as most of our pieces are on the queenside, so we
are certainly not ready for the kingside to open up. Now, if White does nothing, we
are ready to continue with the queenside play ...a5-a4, ...b5-b4, etc. }
18. f5
{ However, White can take advantage of the fact we don't have too many defenders
and try to break through by the most direct means possible. }
18... exf5
{ Okay, now we are winning unless there is a forcing follow-up. We just need the
time to go ...Nf8-e6, ...Bf8-g7, ...Qc7, etc. }
19. Rxf5 { White does have one, though. } 19... gxf5 20. Nxf5
{ Now, Qg4-Qg7 is a threat of mate in two. The following variation is forced. }
20... Bf8 { We are covering the g7-square. } 21. Qg4+ Kh8 22. Nf3
{ The knight is coming to g5 to create threats on f7 and h7. } 22... Qc6 23.
Ng5 Qg6
{ However, Black is on time to defend. We are a rook up, so unless White does
something right now, we will easily win. }
24. Nh4 { Unfortunately, there is a way to force repetition. } 24... Qg7 25.
Nf5 Qg6
{ This is a rather entertaining draw, isn't it? I think this line nicely
illustrates that while Black does need to be a bit careful, he has plenty of
resources to defend on the kingside, and of course, not a lot of people will be
willing to even consider sacrificing so directly in a brand-new unexplored
position. After all, even if they do, we are still doing perfectly okay, the line
is completely sound from the theoretical standpoint, and yes, 25 moves of perfect
chess usually results in a draw. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "7) The Tarrasch Variation with 4.e5"]
[Black "3.Nd2 Be7 vs. The ambitious choice"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 Nh6
{ I have discovered this rather odd idea only a few months ago and wanted to
include it as a fun alternative. The idea behind the move is to play ...f7-f6
quickly, undermining the white center, and move the knight either to f5, pressuring
the d4-pawn, or to f7, attacking the one on e5, taking advantage of the fact Bxh6
is never a possibility. Since it's an alternative line, we won't go too deep, let
me just show you a few potential ways the game can go, and you can explore the rest
on your own. }
5. Bd3 { This is White's most popular move, he just keeps developing. } 5... f6
{ This was tried in one game only, and White immediately went wrong. } 6. Qh5+
Nf7 { Now, the center is very fragile! } 7. f4 c5 8. c3 cxd4 9. cxd4 Nc6
{ The queen is very misplaced on h5. } 10. Ne2 Qb6 11. Nf3
{ And here, it would have been very strong to continue dynamically. } 11... Nb4
12. Bb1 Bd7
{ With ...Bb5 and ...Rc8 coming next, White is not enjoying the holes on d3 and c2,
and the queen on h5 is a bit of an elephant in a china shop. Black is already
taking over. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "1.3.Nd2 Be7 vs. The ambitious choice"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 Nh6
{ I have discovered this rather odd idea only a few months ago and wanted to
include it as a fun alternative. The idea behind the move is to play ...f7-f6
quickly, undermining the white center, and move the knight either to f5, pressuring
the d4-pawn, or to f7, attacking the one on e5, taking advantage of the fact Bxh6
is never a possibility. Since it's an alternative line, we won't go too deep, let
me just show you a few potential ways the game can go, and you can explore the rest
on your own. }
5. Bd3 { This is White's most popular move, he just keeps developing. } 5... f6
{ This was tried in one game only, and White immediately went wrong. } 6. Ngf3
{ Is a better way to go, just keeping a grip on the center, when for example after:
}
6... O-O 7. O-O c5
{ White needs to find some very dynamic moves like 8.c4!? , which likely gives
him an edge, even though the position remains very complicated. However, passive
play leads nowhere. }
8. c3 Nc6 9. Re1
{ Suppose White continues the regular way, looking to reinforce the e5-pawn and
play Nf1-g3 next. }
9... cxd4 10. cxd4 fxe5
{ Black is taking advantage of the fact the knight cannot recapture, as the d4-pawn
would hang. }
11. dxe5 Nf5
{ With ...Bd7-e8-g6 coming next, I think Black clearly solved all his problems: the
bishop is not a bad piece anymore, the f-file is semi-open and under control, and
the d5-pawn is a protected passed one, meaning any endgame will be hugely
advantageous to us. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 c5 5.c3 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
6. cxd4 Qb6 { The pawn is under pressure. } 7. Ngf3
{ This move is less common, as it leaves the queenside in a weird situation, the
d2-knight and c1-bishop don't have much future. }
7... Bd7
{ Our favorite idea from the Advance variation! Black will trade the bishops
with ... Bb5 on the next turn. It's possible to stop that with a2-a4, but the
treatment will prove worse than the issue itself, as after ...Nc6-b4 the b4-square
becomes incredibly weak, White will always need to be on the lookout for ... Nc2
and ...Nd3. }
8. Be2 Bb5
{ I think we can stop here and safely claim Black solved all the problems
identically to the lines in the Advance French 3.e5, and even better since White
played the move Nbd2, which got the entire queenside stuck. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 c5 5.c3 - N2"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
6. cxd4 Qb6 { The pawn is under pressure. } 7. Ndf3
{ Normally, White plays this way in order to be able to continue with Bd3 and Nge2,
overprotecting the d4-pawn, and most importantly, not blocking in the c1-bishop. }
7... Bb4+
{ This check isn't easy to deal with and it is important that we free up the e7-
square for our knight since it lacks squares. Of course, the knight could also
come out via h6, but it has more potential on e7, from where it can go to f5, g6,
c6, support control of the c8-square, etc. }
8. Bd2 Bd7
{ Unfortunately, this move, which is a trademark of our entire repertoire, has
already been played once in this position, so I can no longer claim it's a novelty.
The goal is to go ...Bb5 soon. In fact, we can do it on the next turn, even though
it would seemingly hang the b4-bishop. }
9. Bd3
{ For example, the simple development allows us to take on d2 and then go ...Bb5,
or even get a little fancy with: }
9... Bb5 { The point being that after: } 10. Bxb4 Bxd3
{ The b4-bishop is hanging. } 11. Bc5 Qxb2
{ Losing the crucial pawn and likely the game. Since there are no tactics, Black
just achieves a lot of trades and is doing great. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 c5 5.c3 - N3"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
7... Bb4+
{ This check isn't easy to deal with, so it's very tempting and good to give it.
Most importantly, we are freeing up the e7-square for our knight, which is really
useful, as it didn't have too many places to go. }
8. Bd2 Bd7
9. a4
{ Prevents ...Bb5, but the cost - weakening the b4-square - is too high. } 9...
Nc6
{ Now, the d4-pawn is under a lot of pressure, which makes moves like Bd3
impossible, while after: }
10. Bxb4 Nxb4
{ Black is also better: the c-file is a problem, the squares on c2 and d3 will
always be an issue. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 c5 5.c3 - N4"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
7... Bb4+
8. Bd2 Bd7
9. Bxb4
{ The only game that featured this position saw White capture, but after: }
9... Qxb4+ 10. Qd2 Nc6
{ Black doesn't have the slightest bit of problems, as he can easily get a lot of
play on the c-file with ...Rc8 and ...Nb4. Also, the ...f7-f6 break comes in very
handy. }
11. Bd3 Qxd2+ 12. Kxd2 Nb4
{ It's definitely nice to harass the bishop right away. Where would it go? }
13. Be2 { Blocks the g1-knight in and allows for: } 13... Rc8
{ With a lot of counterplay on the c-file. Besides the obvious threat of invasion
on c2, we are ready to develop with ...Ne7 and undermine the e5-pawn with the
typical ... f7-f6. If White doesn't want to run into ...Rc2, he needs to go: }
14. a3 Nc6
{ The b3- and c4-squares become very weak and we are able to threaten ...Na5 at all
times. I think Black is already slightly better with ...f7-f6 and ...Na5 coming -
the counterplay is everywhere! Of course, if White makes a move like Rc1, you
will need to wait with ...Na5, but that's okay - just castling and playing ...f7-f6
is more than good enough for now, too. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 c5 5.c3 - N5"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
7... Bb4+
8. Bd2 Bd7
9. Bxb4
{ The only game that featured this position saw White capture, but after: }
9... Qxb4+ 10. Qd2 Nc6
{ Black doesn't have the slightest bit of problems, as he can easily get a lot of
play on the c-file with ...Rc8 and ...Nb4. Also, the ...f7-f6 break comes in very
handy. }
11. Bd3 Qxd2+ 12. Kxd2 Nb4
{ It's definitely nice to harass the bishop right away. Where would it go? }
13. Bb1
{ Both players who got here with White chose to retreat this way, but now we
readily solve the main issue of the French, which is activating that light-squared
bishop. }
13... Bb5
{ If Ne2, we are happy to capture that knight! Next, we will make typical moves
like ...Ne7, ...Rc8, maybe ...f7-f6, or maybe ...h7-h6 to cover up the g5-square
and then go ...Kd7, improving the king and preparing to double on the c-file. Black
is doing fantastic. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
{ The queen is short on squares! } 9. Qg3 Nh6
{ I am afraid it's not possible to avoid losing a lot of material, maybe almost a
queen, for example: }
10. Bd3 Nf5 11. Bxf5 h4 12. Qh3 exf5
{ And with ...f5-f4 or ...g5-g4 coming, White is losing at least a piece on the
next turn - likely, a lot more. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N2"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
{ The queen is short on squares! } 9. Qh3 g4 { And Black wins a piece. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N3"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
cxd4 Nc6 { The threats include ...h7-h5 and ...Qb6. } 8. Nb3 a5
{ The knight is in trouble. } 9. a4 Nb4 { Now, ...Nc2 is a huge threat. } 10.
Qd1 Qc7 { Again, ...Nc2 is a huge issue. } 11. Bd3 Nxd3+ 12. Qxd3 b6
{ With ...Ba6 coming next, followed by ...Rc8, ...h7-h5 and ...Nh6, Black has a
huge amount of initiative. In fact, White just won't be able to finish his
development, or avoid a very bad endgame. Let me just show you a few more moves. }
13. Ne2 Ba6 14. Qd1 Rc8 15. O-O Qc2
{ It's not possible to avoid the queen trade as the e2-knight is hanging, while
after: }
16. Nc3 Qxd1 17. Rxd1 h5
{ Black has a winning endgame due to his space advantage, bishop pair, and
domination on multiple weak squares, such as the f1-a6 diagonal, the c-file, the
b4-square, etc. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N4"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5 { This was the choice of Adams versus Moro. However, after: } 6... h5
{ White ends up losing a lot of time. } 7. Bb5+ Bd7
{ Black would love to trade the bishops, especially while also getting a boost in
development. }
8. Qe2 Qc7
{ The c5-pawn is falling, the one on e5 is also a bit loose, and importantly, Nf3
is always a difficult move to make because of ...g5-g4 coming whenever Black
pleases. I think this position is very rich, wild and unexplored, we cannot look at
every move, but let's see a few lines and ideas. }
9. b4 { White is trying to hold on to the c5-pawn. } 9... a5
{ Of course, we'll immediately undermine his structure. a2-a3 isn't possible as the
a1-rook isn't defended, so ...axb4 will win a pawn. }
10. c3 axb4 11. cxb4 b6
{ A typical idea. Now, the c5- and b4-pawns are under fire. For example, after: }
12. Nb3 bxc5 13. bxc5 Bxb5 14. Qxb5+ Nd7
{ Black will win the c5-pawn and steer the game towards a strategically winning
endgame with a protected passed d5-pawn and a weakness on a2. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N5"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5 { This was the choice of Adams versus Moro. However, after: } 6... h5
{ White ends up losing a lot of time. } 7. Bb5+ Bd7
{ Black would love to trade the bishops, especially while also getting a boost in
development. }
8. Qe2 Qc7
{ The c5-pawn is falling, the one on e5 is also a bit loose, and importantly, Nf3
is always a difficult move to make because of ...g5-g4 coming whenever Black
pleases. I think this position is very rich, wild and unexplored, we cannot look at
every move, but let's see a few lines and ideas. }
9. Nb3 { Adams tried to hold on to the pawn this way. } 9... Bxb5 10. Qxb5+
{ Here, Morozevich chose 10...Nc6 and won an excellent game, but I prefer: }
10... Nd7
{ As this move attacks the pawns on e5 and c5. It's not possible for White to
protect both of them, which means we are getting a fantastic position with the
better pawn structure. }
11. Qe2 Qxe5
{ The endgame would be perhaps lost for White, as the c5-pawn is super weak and our
kingside space will prevent him from developing, while after: }
12. Be3 Ngf6 13. O-O-O g4
{ White still cannot get the kingside out, and we are ready to go ...Qc7 and pick
the c5-pawn. This also looks like something we should be rather excited about. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - what NOT to do"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5 { This move prevents both ...h7-h5 and ...Nh6. } 6... Nc6
{ Is what was played most often, but I don't like this move, because after: }
7. Ndf3
{ White saves a tempo on c2-c3, allowing Black to win the d-pawn, but destroying
our kingside. }
7... cxd4 8. Nh3
{ This is awful because next, White plays Nxg5 and our kingside does not look
healthy at all. In fact, Black scored 1.5/7 here, which isn't impressive, either.
Please note the c2-pawn is safe here. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N6"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5 { This move prevents both ...h7-h5 and ...Nh6. } 6... Qc7
{ This move is very rare, it's been played only in two games so far, both at a
level below 2400. The whole point is that Black is now threatening cxd4 followed by
Qxc2!, which is a huge deal. }
7. Ndf3
{ No longer works nearly as well, because now the c2-pawn is being x-rayed. }
7... cxd4 8. Nxg5 Qxe5+
{ Losing the pawn with check isn't particularly appealing. } 9. Be2 Qg7
{ Black protects the f7-pawn, sets his sight on the one on g2 after ... h7-h6
coming up, and, of course, built a powerful center. With ...Nc6 and ... e6-e5
coming next, as well as with ...Nf6 next, winning a tempo by attacking White's
queen, Black is completely winning! The engine already claims it's -5, which I
think is a bit surprising, but absolutely correct. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N7"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
7. Ndf3
{ No longer works nearly as well, because now the c2-pawn is being x-rayed. }
7... cxd4 8. Bd3
{ White needs to defend the c2-pawn. However, now the d3-bishop comes under fire. }
8... Nc6
{ The e5-pawn is under attack. Remember, taking with the knight allows for Qxe5+
followed by ...Qg7, like in the previous line. }
9. Bxg5 Nxe5 { ...Nxd3 is coming. } 10. Bxe7 Nxd3+ 11. cxd3 Nxe7
{ White has to be worried about ...Qa5 coming next, as well as just ...Bd7
and ...Rc8. Black can certainly consider castling long, but ...Ng6 followed
by ...f7-f6 and ... Kf7 is perfectly safe, too. In fact, if we are allowed to
go ...f7-f6 and ... e6-e5, we should be completely winning. This is not lost for
White yet, but certainly looks difficult, because taking the d4-pawn is sketchy due
to ... Qa5+ coming up. Not taking is scary as you might not get it back, and it's
not entirely obvious how to develop the rest of the pieces. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N8"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
7. c3 { White needs to deal with the threats to the c2-pawn. } 7... Nc6
{ We keep increasing pressure on the d4-pawn. } 8. Ndf3
{ This time, attacking the g5-pawn is no longer good, as ...cxd4 will also threaten
to open more files and destroy White's queenside with ...dxc3. }
8... cxd4 9. Bxg5 { Gets the pawn, but also gets the queenside ruined. } 9...
dxc3 10. bxc3 Nxe5
{ ... Qxc3 is coming, Black won the crucial central pawn and is just a pawn up for
nothing. That's it, White is lost. That h5-queen looks so weird here! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N9"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
{ We keep increasing pressure on the d4-pawn. } 8. Ndf3
{ This time, attacking the g5-pawn is no longer good, as ...cxd4 will also threaten
to open more files and destroy White's queenside with ...dxc3. }
8... cxd4 9. cxd4 Nb4
{ ...Nc2+ cannot be prevented, which means the white king loses castling rights and
is about to wander around the center, and 10.Rb1 runs into the very annoying
10...Qc2! . I am afraid at this point White's position is already simply lost. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - what NOT to do (prevent the check!)"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
{ We keep increasing pressure on the d4-pawn. } 8. Ngf3
{ White needs to keep the center protected. But how is this different in terms of
stopping ...cxd4 and ...Nb4? Well, the thing is that he is getting one step closer
to castling, so ...Nb4 can be met with Bb5+ and O-O! }
8... cxd4 9. cxd4 Nb4 10. Bb5+
{ Is a problem, as next White just castles and the threat of ...Nc2+ fades away,
leaving us with a ruined kingside. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N10"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
8... Bd7
{ We just keep developing, potentially preparing long castling, while also taking
care of Bb5+. }
9. Be2
{ White could also refuse to take the pawn and simply develop, but then we castle
long. }
9... O-O-O
{ Hold on, aren't we hanging the f7-pawn? Not really. Now, we are
threatening ...f7-f6, looking to blow up the center quickly, or maybe even ...Be8
followed by ...f7-f6. The position is extremely messy and wild, and there are no
games in the database, so we cannot analyze it inside out, but let's look at some
ideas. }
10. Nxg5 cxd4 11. Nxf7 Be8
{ White's center is collapsing, while the knight has been neutralized. This isn't
looking good for him. The e5-pawn is hanging, and ...dxc3 is a nasty positional
threat, ruining the queenside. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N11"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
8... Bd7
care of Bb5+. }
9. Be2
{ White could also refuse to take the pawn and simply develop, but then we castle
long. }
9... O-O-O
{ Hold on, aren't we hanging the f7-pawn? Not really. Now, we are
threatening ...f7-f6, looking to blow up the center quickly, or maybe even ...Be8
followed by ...f7-f6. The position is extremely messy and wild, and there are no
games in the database, so we cannot analyze it inside out, but let's look at some
ideas. }
10. Qxf7 h5
{ The queen is nearly trapped! The threat is 11.-- Nh6! 12.Qg6 Nf5! , cutting
that queen off completely. At this point, White cannot not have his position fall
apart, for example: }
11. Qg6 Nh6 12. Qc2 g4 13. Ng1 cxd4 14. cxd4 Nxd4
{ And Black reaches a completely winning endgame, where we ruined White's center
and are threatening all kinds of stuff like ...Nc2, while White is stuck on the
first rank. Look at that g4-pawn and take a sip to its health! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N12"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
8... Bd7
care of Bb5+. }
9. Nxg5 { White has to go down the principled route. } 9... Bxg5 10. Qxg5 cxd4
{ We are taking advantage of the opportunity to destroy the center, of course. }
11. Qg7 { Does not win a rook or create any problems due to: } 11... Qxe5+
{ Check! } 12. Qxe5 Nxe5 13. cxd4 Nc6
{ And Black is doing great, as the d4-pawn is now weak and ...f7-f6 followed by ...
e6-e5 will help us build a gorgeous center. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N13"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
8... Bd7
care of Bb5+. }
11. cxd4 { Allows to either win the pawn back, or continue the development. }
11... Nge7
{ This is much stronger, as we need to make sure Qg7 doesn't trap and win our rook.
Now, Black is threatening not only ... Nxd4, but also ...Nb4-c2! White's position
is extremely difficult to play, for example: }
12. Nf3 Nb4 13. Rb1 Qc2
{ And Black is getting a decisive amount of initiative. } 14. Ra1 Qe4+
{ With ...Nc2 coming next, the game is over. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N14"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
8... Bd7
care of Bb5+. }
11. Nf3
{ White has to keep playing very precisely to avoid having the position collapse.
Now, the threat is Qg7, trapping the rook, as his last move overprotected the e5-
pawn. }
11... Nge7 12. cxd4 Nb4
{ Is again a disaster for White, who cannot cope with the threat of ...Nc2. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N15"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
8... Bd7
care of Bb5+. }
11. Nf3
pawn. }
11... Nge7 12. Nxd4
{ Is possible, but now we can either take on e5 with the queen, getting a decent
endgame, or keep developing the initiative with: }
12... Nxd4 13. cxd4 Qb6
{ The d4-pawn is under pressure, ...Nf5 and ...Rc8 are on the way. The key thing to
understand here is that White has NO development whatsoever, not a single piece is
out, except for the queen, which typically isn't a great thing. For example, after:
}
14. Qd2 Nc6 15. Be2 Qxd4
{ Black gets the pawn back and obtains a very comfortable endgame with a lot of
activity. }
16. Qxd4 Nxd4
{ With ...Nc2 being an immediate threat and moves like ...Rc8 or ...Bb5 coming
next, I think we are clearly enjoying ourselves here. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - what NOT to do"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
8... Bd7
care of Bb5+. }
11. Nf3
pawn. }
11... Nge7 12. Qf6
{ The only move that keeps creating problems. At this point, we are analyzing this
more for fun that for the actual practical reasons, as we've been out of known
theory for half a dozen moves, no one will play a series of only precise moves to
get here. }
12... O-O-O
{ Black just keeps developing. Let me just show you one entertaining line, which
demonstrates best possible play by White. }
13. cxd4 Rhg8 { We make it difficult for the f1-bishop to come out. } 14. Bd3
{ White still gets it out, ignoring the threat! } 14... Rxg2 15. Bg5
{ The rook is almost trapped! } 15... Rg4 16. h3
{ is the example of what's wrong with the rook's position. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N16"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
8... Bd7
care of Bb5+. }
11. Nf3
pawn. }
11... Nge7 12. Qf6
get here. }
12... O-O-O
{ The rook is almost trapped! } 15... Qb6
{ We are threatening the b2-pawn, the d4-pawn... and something else. Please note
White can no longer castle. }
16. b3 { Defending the b2-pawn seems reasonable. } 16... Nxd4
{ We can safely ignore that e7-knight, as our threats are much stronger. } 17.
Qxe7 Nxf3+ 18. Kd1 Nxg5
{ Black wins a piece and will likely checkmate White in two-three moves. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N17"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
8... Bd7
care of Bb5+. }
11. Nf3
pawn. }
11... Nge7 12. Qf6
get here. }
12... O-O-O
16. b3 { Defending the b2-pawn seems reasonable. } 16... Nxd4
{ We can safely ignore that e7-knight, as our threats are much stronger. } 17.
Rc1+
{ White takes advantage of an opportunity to get the rook in the game with tempo. }
17... Kb8 { 17...Ndc6 keeps the game going, but is a bit too risky. } 18. Nxd4
Qxd4
{ Now, the bishop on d3- and the f2-pawna are both under attack, which forces White
to continue with: }
19. Qxe7 { and allow for: } 19... Qxf2+ 20. Kd1 Qf3+
{ With a perpetual check. This was not necessary, but definitely fun to explore. If
you like this kind of positions, then go ahead for this line with ...g7-g5!, and if
not, then analyze the quieter continuations ...g7-g6 or ...Kf8. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 - N18"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3... Be7
4. e5 c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
8... Bd7
care of Bb5+. }
11. Nf3
pawn. }
11... Nge7 12. Qf6
get here. }
12... O-O-O
16. Kf1
{ I will keep making the only engine moves for White. The rook is getting
trapped. }
16... Rxg5 17. Qxg5 Nxd4
{ However, thankfully, the central pawn also falls. Now, the e7-knight is hanging,
but so is the one on f3, and if White trades on d4, we'll be attacking that d3-
bishop. }
18. Rc1+ { White gets a rook in the game with a tempo. } 18... Kb8 19. Nxd4
Qxd4
{ Of course, the d3-bishop is crucial, as all the light squares are terribly
weakened by the move g2-g4, so White cannot give it up. }
20. Rc3 Re8
{ The engine claims White is marginally better, by a third of a pawn. Please note
he needed two dozen only moves to get here after getting to a position that has
been seen only a handful of times as soon as after 5 moves! There is absolutely no
way anyone would play this precisely, not even top-GMs. So, I am very thrilled to
show to you how fighting and fun the positions after 3...Be7 can get, and how much
room for creativity there is! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "8) The Tarrasch Variation - Model Games"]
[Black "Myrheim, Hakon Abeland vs. Ostenstad, Berge"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Be7 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bd3 c5 7. c3 b6

{ Our favourite line, aiming to trade bishops with ... Ba6. } 8. Qe2
{ White prevents that idea. } 8... a5 { Black prepares ...Ba6 again. } 9. O-O
Ba6 10. Bxa6 Nxa6 11. c4
{ White is trying to undermine the center, preferring to not play the regular
French structure. }
11... Nc7
{ Black is ready to either recapture on d5 with the knight, or after cxd5 exd5,
install the knight on e6. }
12. b3
{ White is looking to develop the bishop to b2, as the c1-h6 diagonal is blocked. }
12... O-O 13. Bb2 a4
{ Black is creating one-sided tension on the a-file. The point is that White never
wants to play bxa4, as that would ruin his structure. Instead, though, we can
choose to capture at any moment, or play ..a4-a3. Capturing on b3 would be a lot
stronger if the a1-rook ever moves away, as ...Ra2 would be possible, grabbing
initiative on the a-file. }
14. Rfd1 Qb8
{ The queen is coming to b7 in order to enable Black to double the rooks on the a-
file, as well as to overprotect the d5-square. }
15. Rac1 Qb7 16. h4
{ White is trying to start some play on the kingside, but he doesn't have any
pieces there to support that ambition. }
16... Rfd8 17. cxd5 Nxd5 { Now, the knight enjoys a fantastic outpost. } 18. g3
axb3 19. axb3 Ra2 { Time to invade on the a-file. } 20. Nf1
{ The knight won't be doing much here. 20.Nc4! seems more appropriate,
overprotecting the b2-bishop, and possibly, looking to invade on d6. }
20... b5
{ Black is ready to play ... c5-c4!, opening the b-file and attacking the b2-bishop
with the queen as well, while also getting a powerful passed pawn. }
21. Ra1 { White blundered and Black didn't notice. } 21... Rda8
{ 21...Nc3! was extremely strong, as the c3-square is no longer controlled by the
rook. White might avoid losing the exchange, but for example, after 22.Qd3 Nxd1
23.Rxa2 Nxb2 24.Rxb2 cxd4-+ the queen cannot take as the f3-knight would hang,
while after Nxd4 the e5-pawn would be lost. }
22. Rxa2 Rxa2 23. Ra1 Rxa1 24. Bxa1 Qa6
{ Black is still much better, though. When the bishop moves, what move will he
make? }
25. Qd1 c4 { Of course! Time to create a passed pawn! } 26. bxc4 bxc4 27. Ne1
Qa2
{ Now, Black just needs more pieces on the queenside, which will happen
after ...Nb6-a4, ...Bb4, ...c4-c3, etc. White is completely lost. }
28. Nc2 N7b6 29. Nfe3 Qb3 30. Qd2 Qa2 { A bit of moving back and forth. } 31.
Qc1 h6 { Black makes an escape square, just in case. } 32. Nd1 Qb3 33. Qb2 Na4
{ Now, White is being forced to trade, or passively retreat, when Black's pieces
will finally become decisively active. }
34. Qxb3 { 34.Qc1 Bb4! Next, ...c4-c3 is coming inevitably. } 34... cxb3 35.
Nce3 Nxe3 36. Nxe3
{ 36.fxe3 Ba3 is no different, there is no way to stop ...b3-b2, winning a clean
piece. }
36... b2 37. Bxb2 Nxb2 { Black is a piece up, the game is over. } 38. d5 Bc5
39. dxe6 fxe6 40. Ng4 h5 { Time to restrict or trade that knight. } 41. Nh2 Nd3
{ The f2-pawn falls, too, and so will all the others. } 42. Nf3 Nxf2 43. Kg2
Kf7 44. Ng5+ Ke7 45. Kf3 Ng4 46. Ke4 Bf2 47. Kf3 Bd4 48. Ke4 Bxe5
{ White finally found the courage to resign. As we can see, creating tension in
the centre with c3-c4, as long as White cannot do something immediately and the d5-
square can be safely controlled by Black, is not particularly dangerous.
Additionally, that ...a5-a4! idea is something worth keeping in mind in such
positions, creating play on the a-file. Also, of course, White had no play on the
kingside without the light-squared bishops. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Andriasian, Zaven vs. Nepomniachtchi, Ian"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Be7 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bd3 c5 7. c3 b6

{ As usual, Black offers the bishop trade. } 8. O-O
{ This time, White doesn't mind. } 8... Ba6 9. Bxa6 Nxa6 10. Re1 b5
{ Black is now able to make progress on the queenside, and doesn't even need to
hurry with castling. }
11. Qe2 c4
{ 11...Qb6 aight be a better idea, keeping the tension and keeping the options
of ...cxd4 and ... b5-b4 open. }
12. a3
{ This move helps Black because it weakens the b3 and a4-squares. Now, all Black
needs to do is re-route the knight via b8 to c6 to either prepare ...b5-b4 by means
of ... a7-a5, or at some point go ...Na5-b3. }
12... Nc7 { Black uses his knight for a slightly different purpose. } 13. Nf1
Nb6 14. g3 h6
{ This move prevents Ng5 or Bg5, possibly prepares ...g7-g5, and...something
else. }
15. h4 Kd7
{ Truly a great decision. Black is looking to keep the king in the center or on the
queenside and is preparing an incredible queen manoeuvre. }
16. N3h2 Qg8 17. Nd2 Qh7
{ What a wonderful idea. The queen is now ready to start helping Black create a lot
of play of the kingside. }
18. b3
{ White is trying to generate activity on the queenside, instead, but it's not that
easy. }
18... cxb3
{ Black isn't afraid of capturing, because he controls the squares on a4 and c4
extremely well, and as a result, White isn't really able to open the position. }
19. Nxb3 Rhc8 { Black is in full control. } 20. Rd1 Ke8 21. Rd3 Rab8
{ White cannot open the queenside at all. } 22. Nf1 Nca8 23. Ne3 Na4
{ Now, the c3-pawn is under pressure. } 24. Nd1 N8b6 25. f3 Rc7 26. Kg2 Rbc8
{ Black doubles on the c-file, slowly improving the position and keeping White
passive defending the c3-pawn. }
27. Bd2 a6 28. Ra2 Qg8 { Black is playing a bit of a waiting game. } 29. Na1
Nc4 30. Bc1 Qh7 { The queen returns back to keep an eye on the d3-rook. } 31.
Nb3 Kf8
{ The king is moving over to h8, so that it becomes a lot safer to start opening
the queenside. }
32. Kh2 Kg8 33. Na1 Na5 34. Bd2 Kh8 { First, bring the king to safety. } 35.
Nc2 Nc4 36. Bc1 Qg8 37. Nb4 a5 { Then, start advancing the pawns. } 38. Nc2 Qe8
39. Kh3 Ncb6 40. Bd2 Qc6
{ The queen is back on the queenside, ready to support the pawn breaks. } 41.
Nce3 Nc4 42. f4
{ White decides to not wait passively, instead looking to generate counterplay on
the kingside, but this only accelerates the loss, which was likely otherwise
avoidable. 42.Bc1 White needed to keep waiting, and admittedly, it's not that
easy for Black to break through, even though he will certainly keep trying, for
instance. 42...Nxe3 43.Bxe3 Nb6 followed by ... Nc4 and finally ...b5-b4. }
42... Nxa3 43. g4 b4
{ There isn't enough counterplay on the kingside, while the pawn is queening. }
44. cxb4 axb4 45. f5 Qb5 { The rook is pinned and ...b4-b3 is inevitable. } 46.
f6
{ 46.Qf1 would have been the only move to unpin, but the pawn still runs. 46...b3
47.Ra1 b2-+ }
46... b3 { Black can safely ignore the bishop, as the a2-rook is hanging. } 47.
Rxa3 Bxa3 48. fxg7+ Kxg7 49. Nf5+
{ White tries the most desperate measures, but Black's king, of course, easily
escapes. }
49... Kf8 50. Qe3 exf5 51. Qxh6+ Ke8 52. Rf3
{ 52.Qh8+ Kd7 and the king easily runs away to b7 via c6 if needed. } 52...
Qe2 53. Rxf5 Qxd1 { There is no counterplay, for example: } 54. Qh8+ Bf8 55.
Bh6 Qd3+ 56. Kg2 Rc2+
{ And White gets his king mated. What are the conclusions to be made here? For
one, as we can see, when the queenside gets locked up, it is perfectly possible to
not just take things slow, but also, position the king on d7 and not experience any
problems. This ...Qg8-h7! idea is a great way of activating the queen, while also
potentially creating attacking ideas on the kingside, like ...g7-g5. Finally,
White had decent chances to hold a fortress but did not have the patience to wait,
chose the active play, and his position fell apart as Nepo created a passed pawn on
the queenside. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Arnold, Lothar vs. Short, Nigel D"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6
{ This time, Black starts with ...Nf6. As we know, the downside is that White still
had not committed to playing Ngf3, which means his f-pawn can advance more
easily. }
4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 b6 { Same plan. } 7. Ne2
{ This way, White isn't blocking his f-pawn and is ready to use it soon by means of
f2-f4-f5, trying to point out that our idea of ...Ba6, while good strategically,
has the downside of wasting a lot of time. }
7... Ba6 8. Nf3
{ White allows the capture on d3, which I think is inferior to taking on a6, as
doing that would misplace the Black knight. 8.Bc2 It is crucial to understand
why trying to keep the bishop this way is not a great idea. To begin with, now that
a6-bishop is no longer a passive piece, is it? 8...Nc6 9.O-O ?? Now, White is in
trouble! 9...cxd4 The knight cannot take as the f1-rook is hanging, while after
10.cxd4 Bxe2 11.Qxe2 Nxd4-+ Black just wins two pawns and gets a winning
position. It's two because he takes on c2 and then on e5 as well. }
8... Bxd3 9. Qxd3 Nc6
{ Now, Black is very comfortable, as without the light-squared bishops, there is no
kingside attack, plus the f2-pawn is blocked, which means we don't need to fear a
quick f2-f4-f5 assault. }
10. O-O Be7 11. Bd2 a6
{ Black is preparing ...b6-b5, followed by active play on the queenside. } 12.
Nf4 b5 13. Rfe1 c4
{ It is also possible to keep the tension instead of closing the position. ...b5-b4
would have also been a good plan after castling, goes ...Qb6, ...Rfc8, ...Rab8,
etc. }
14. Qe3 Nb6
{ This move might look like a way to get the knight to the queenside, but it
actually does a lot more than that. Remember that Nepo game? }
15. Re2 Kd7
{ No need to fear a kingside attack cause there's no king on the kingside! }
16. b3 h6 { What is this move for? Preparing ...g7-g5, of course. } 17. Ne1 Qg8
{ Remember that ...Qg8-h7 idea? Here we come. } 18. Qf3 g5
{ Time to grab the initiative on the kingside. } 19. Nh5 Qg6 20. g4 Rhf8
{ Black is ready to play ...f7-f6 whenever he chooses to, but he is by no means
obliged to do so. }
21. Qe3 a5
{ Instead, Short chooses to play on the queenside, having paralyzed White on the
other part of the board. Now, the positional threat is 22.-- ...cxb3 23.axb3
a4! , creating an outside passed pawn and winning the c4-square. }
22. Bc1 cxb3 23. axb3 a4 { Black is getting everything he needed to go. } 24.
b4 Nc4
{ Now, the queenside is locked up, and the protected passed a4-pawn is giving Black
a winning or nearly winning endgame. However, now he is able to play ...f7-f6, as
there is no need to worry about the queenside blowing up. }
25. Qg3 f6 { Open the f-file up! } 26. exf6 Bxf6
{ Now, Black is able to re-route the bishop back to the h2-b8 diagonal with ...
Be7-d6, double on the f-file with ...Rf7, ...Raf8, or maybe even sacrifice a piece
on d4 to get a bunch of passed pawns in the center and increase pressure on the f2-
pawn. }
27. Nxf6+ Rxf6 28. Nd3 Raf8
{ The f2-pawn is under pressure, and the threat of ...Rf3 isn't particularly
appealing, either. }
29. f4
{ 29.Nc5+ Kc8 is not a problem for Black, as this play has no follow-up. Also,
now that the knight is not controlling the e5-square, Black can easily push ... e6-
e5! }
29... Kc8 30. Raa2 R6f7
{ This is a slower and less convincing path than taking, but White still cannot do
much. 30...gxf4! 31.Nxf4 Qb1! would have ended the game even quicker, because
now the c1-bishop is pinned, so ...Rxf4 cannot be prevented. }
31. Rf2 Nd6 { The knight is coming over to the hole on e4. } 32. Rf3
{ 32.Nc5 is not possible due to 32...gxf4 33.Bxf4?? Rxf4 34.Rxf4 Qb1+ and
the a2-rook is lost with check. }
32... gxf4 33. Bxf4 Ne4 34. Qg2 Ng5
{ White resigned, as it is not possible to keep both the d3-knight and the f4-
bishop protected. As we can see, when the queenside is locked up, Black can
easily create a lot of play on the kingside, and this idea of ... c5-c4 followed by
...Kd7 is a very safe and logical way of handling the king safety matter. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Pichot, Alan vs. Kaidanov, Gregory S"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Be7 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. Bd3 c5 6. dxc5 dxe4 7. Nxe4 Nxe4 8.

Bxe4 Qxd1+ 9. Kxd1 Bxc5
{ And this endgame arises. As I had explained, I am rather optimistic about Black's
prospects here, both in terms of getting a safe position and in terms of playing
for a win. Now, the goal is to free up the c8-bishop, which is typically done
by ...Nd7-f6. }
10. Ke2 Nd7 11. Be3
{ White is immediately trading the bishops to improve his king and neutralize
pressure on f2. }
11... Bxe3 12. Kxe3 Nc5
{ This move is more precise than ...Nf6, as it makes sure Black gets the bishop. }
13. Rad1 Ke7 14. Rd2 Nxe4 15. Kxe4 Bd7
{ Black's goal, as we know from the theoretical chapter, is to play ... f7-f6,
trade the rooks and have a better endgame with the bishop versus knight. 15...f6
covering the e5-square is also good. }
16. Ne5 Be8
{ Black keeps the bishop, intending to go ...f7-f6, kick the knight out,
play ...Bc6 and trade the rooks. }
17. f4 f6 18. Nf3 Bc6+ 19. Ke3 Rhd8 20. c3
{ White wastes time and allows the opponent to spoil the structure. 20.Rhd1
would have been reasonable and good. 20...Rxd2 21.Rxd2 Rd8 22.Rxd8 Kxd8 and
Black would keep pressing in this endgame. }
20... Rxd2
{ 20...Bxf3! would have been a lot stronger, as White cannot take with the king.
21.Rxd8 Rxd8 22.Kxf3 22.gxf3 and White will keep suffering in this endgame.
22...Rd2 and Black is dominating with the rook on the 2nd rank and should be
already winning. }
21. Kxd2 Rd8+ 22. Ke2 Be4
{ In my opinion, Black missed an opportunity by not taking on f3. But, he is still
somewhat better. 22...Bxf3+ would have been really strong, apparently, Black
thought it wasn't worth going for this clearly superior rook endgame. }
23. Nd2 Bc6
{ 23...Bxg2? is not a good idea, as it loses the g-pawn and gets Black's structure
destroyed. 24.Rg1 24...Bc6 25.Rxg7+ }
24. Rd1 h6
{ Black looks to play ...g7-g5 and either provoke g2-g3, when he can take on f4 and
create a weakness on f4, or ask for fxg5 hxg5 when he gets a passed pawn on the e-
file and opens the h-file for the rook to attack the h2-pawn. }
25. g3 g5 26. Rf1
{ White is stopping ... gxf4, because now he can take with the rook, not spoiling
the structure. }
26... Be8 27. Ke3 Bg6
{ The bishop is coming over to this diagonal to prepare ...Rd3. } 28. Nf3 Rd3+
29. Ke2 Rd5
{ There is a threat of ...Bd3, as well as of ...gxf4, spoiling the structure. The
rook can also be really active on the 5th rank. }
30. Nd4 gxf4 31. gxf4
{ 31.Rxf4?? would be strategically nice, but is no longer possible, as after
31...e5! Black forks the pieces and 32.Rg4?? Bh5 White loses to the skewer,
too. }
31... Rh5 { Now, the h-pawn is weak, too. } 32. Rf2 Rh3
{ The white king is also getting cut off. } 33. Kd2 e5
{ Black finally creates a passed pawn in the center. } 34. fxe5 fxe5 35. Ne2
Rd3+ 36. Ke1 Ke6 { Time for the black king to come in. } 37. Ng3 h5
{ The pawn is going to h4 to restrict the white pieces even more. } 38. Rd2 h4
39. Rxd3 Bxd3
{ Now, Black has the much more active king, a significantly superior minor piece
and a passed pawn on the e-file. The game is coming to an end. }
40. Ne2 Kf5 41. Ng1 Kf4 { The knight is further restricted. } 42. Kf2 Bf5 43.
Nf3 h3
{ Now, the goal is to advance the pawn to e3, pushing the white king back. }
44. Nd2 Bd3 45. Nf3 e4 46. Nd4 e3+ 47. Ke1 Bg6
{ The bishop will come over to h5 to control the e2 and d1-squares from there, and
now the d3-square is no longer occupied, so Black's king can sneak in via e4 to d3
and later to the queenside. }
48. Ne6+ Ke5 49. Nd8 b6
{ 49...Ke4! 50.Nxb7 Kf3 was an even quicker win, followed by ...Bd3 to prevent
Ke2, and ...Kg2, scooping up the h-pawn and easily winning with two passed pawns. }
50. Nc6+ Ke4 51. Nxa7
{ White, understandably so, at least tries to win a pawn, but his position cannot
be saved, of course. }
51... Kf3 52. Nc8 Kg2 53. Nxb6 Kxh2 54. Nd5 Kg1
{ And White resigned, as the pawn cannot be stopped. A wonderful endgame
technique displayed by Black! The move f2-f4 seems to have hurt White, as it
enabled Black to operate on the light squares a lot more easily, while also
facilitating his ability to create a passed pawn with ...e6-e5. After that, the
position was very difficult to defend, and while White wasn't much worse
objectively, soon things went downhill. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Abdusattorov, Nodirbek vs. Bluebaum, Matthias"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Be7 4. e5
{ White immediately locks up the center, preventing ...Nf6. } 4... c5 5. c3
cxd4
{ As we know, capturing on d4 early is usually premature, because it enables White
to place his knight on c3. However, here it's not the case, so Black captures to
avoid the possibilities of dxc5. }
6. cxd4 Qb6
{ The pawn is under attack. As you know from the theoretical chapter, my favorite
plan is ...Bd7-b5, but just putting pressure on the d4-pawn and taking advantage of
the opportunity of giving an annoying check on b4. }
7. Ndf3
{ White moves this knight here in order to unblock the queenside, and because
otherwise it's not possible to protect the d4-pawn with both knights (one stays on
f3, the other on e2). }
7... Bb4+ 8. Bd2 Nc6
{ Black doesn't mind the trade on b4, and the potential queen trade after that. }
9. Bxb4 Qxb4+ 10. Qd2 Nge7
{ Black keeps developing. Now, the ...f7-f6 break is on the agenda. } 11. Bd3
O-O 12. Ne2 f6 { The center is getting blown up. } 13. Qxb4
{ 13.exf6 Qxd2+! would be really strong, the point is to take on f6 with the pawn
and build a big center with ...e6-e5 without keeping the queens on the board,
as ...gxf6 weakens the king, but that factor becomes irrelevant in the endgame.
14.Kxd2 gxf6 With ...e6-e5 coming next, Black is already definitely taking
over. }
13... Nxb4 14. Bb1 Bd7
{ The bishop is coming over to b5, and together with ...Rc8 followed by ...Nc2,
Black seems to be taking a lot of initiative on the queenside. }
15. a3 Nbc6 16. O-O fxe5 { The f-file is opening up. } 17. Nxe5 Nxe5 18. dxe5
Bb5
{ Now, the light-squared bishop is also getting active. The e5-pawn is a weakness,
ours on d5 is a protected passed pawn, and we have the two semi-open files, namely
c and f. Black is already comfortably better. }
19. Re1 Bxe2
{ A very impressive positional decision. Now that there's no more pin on the f1-a6
diagonal, White was ready to go Nd4 and enjoy the outpost, so Bluebaum eliminates
this knight just on time, preventing that from happening. }
20. Rxe2 Rac8
{ Black gets a rook in the game while also creating a threat of ...Rc1, checkmating
White. }
21. Bd3 g5
{ Another excellent decision, putting a pawn on the dark square, grabbing space and
preventing f2-f4 once and forever. }
22. g3 Kg7 23. Kg2 Nc6
{ Black is about to bring his knight on d4 and maybe go ... g5-g4, restricting
White's kingside even more. }
24. Rf1 Nd4 25. Re3 g4 { The kingside is stuck now. } 26. h3 Rf3
{ 26...gxh3+ 27.Kxh3 Rf3! would have been even stronger, because if White
captures, the e5-pawn cannot be saved. }
27. hxg4 Rxe3 28. fxe3
{ Now, White's structure is ruined, which is also great for us. } 28... Nc6 29.
Rc1 Rf8 { The e5-pawn is now getting lost. } 30. Be2 Nxe5 31. Rc7+ Rf7
{ Of course, Black would love to trade the rooks, as then the kingside pawns are
likely to fall. For example, we'll bring the king to g5, when the g4-pawn becomes
hard to defend. }
32. Rc8
{ 32.Rxf7+ Kxf7 With the king coming to g6 and g5, White seems lost. 33.Kh3?
would help save the g4-pawn, but loses due to 33...Nc4! 34.Bxc4 dxc4 and
with ...b7-b5, ...a7-a5, ... b5-b4 and ...c4-c3 coming, Black, of course, has a
completely winning pawn endgame. }
32... Kf6 33. b3 Rg7 34. Kh3 Nf7 { The knight is coming over to g5 and e4. }
35. Bd3 Ng5+ 36. Kh4
{ 36.Kg2 Ke5! would be very strong, too, preparing ... Ne4. } 36... Nf3+ 37.
Kh3 Ke5 38. b4 Ng5+ 39. Kh4 Ne4
{ A bit later, this still happened. Most of White's pawns are very weak and his
king is in a really weird spot. }
40. Rf8 Rc7 { Time for the rook to get active. It is on the way to c3. } 41. g5
{ White tries to free himself up. } 41... Rg7 { Now, the g5-pawn drops. } 42.
Rf4 Nxg5 43. g4 d4 { This little trick wins the game immediately. } 44. Kh5
{ 44.exd4+?? Kxf4-+ 44.Rxd4 Nf3+ wins a rook. } 44... dxe3
{ The pawn queens. } 45. Rc4 Rd7 46. Bf1
{ And here, White finally resigned, as ...Rd2 and ...e3-e2 is unstoppable. This
is a rather interesting example because it might seem as though this endgame is
alright for White, or even better. That is due to his space advantage and because
we seem to have a bad light-squared bishop, but such an evaluation couldn't be
further from the truth. As we can see, Black has plenty of counterplay on the f
and c-files and against White's center. It's crucial to also keep such ideas
as ...Bd7-b5 or ...Bd7-e8-g6 in mind. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "9) The 3.Nc3! French without 4.e5"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Bd3 Nf6 { Does not work out very well here because of: } 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Qg4
{ You don't want to be playing this pawn structure if White's knight is not on f3,
as he can go Qg4, when our knight is on d7. Instead, if the knight stays on g8,
it's a significant improvement, because from there, it can go to h6, or support ...
f7-f6 in a more effective way, without wasting a bunch of tempi beforehand, which
is exactly what we do in the line 4.e5. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Bd3 c5
{ Undermining the center is the way to go. We are again asking for an IQP, and if
White accepts, we just transpose into another line that we consider harmless.
However, he can also make a different choice. }
5. dxc5
{ This way, White still keeps the e4-pawn alive, as well as the tension in the
center. }
5... Nf6 { We keep putting pressure on his e4-pawn. } 6. Qe2
{ This independent move was tried in three games. Not very surprisingly, Demidov
played them all on the Black side! }
6... d4 { The c3-knight gets kicked out. } 7. Nd1
{ White is hoping to play f2-f4 and Nf2, transfering the knight to the kingside,
but this idea looks really weird. }
7... e5
{ I think it makes sense to immediately claim space in the center, which is exactly
what Demidov did. }
8. f4 exf4
{ I like this move, as keeping the tension potentially allows for f4-f5, and I
don't think there is much of a reason to allow White to grab space on the kingside.
}
9. Bxf4 Nbd7
{ We are about to capture the c5-pawn and achieve a very comfortable position,
where the e6 and e5-squares are outposts, the d4-pawn is really strong, and the d1-
knight is rather misplaced. }
10. Nf3 Nxc5 11. O-O O-O
{ With ...Bg4, ...Qb6, ...Rac8, ...Rfe8, etc coming next, I think our play is
simple and comfortable. Black has no bad pieces, enjoys outposts on the e-file and
can try to put pressure on the e4-pawn. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Bd3 - N2 "]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bd3 c5

5. dxc5 Nf6 6. exd5 exd5
{ Is another move order that gets us to the same position, of course. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Bd3 c5
However, he can also make a differetn choice. }
5. exd5 exd5 6. dxc5 Nf6 7. Nf3 O-O
{ And we transposed back to the line
@@StartFEN@@rnbqk1nr/ppp1bppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 2
4@@EndFEN@@ 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 c5 6.exd5 exd5 7.dxc5 O-O . For example, here
is a variation we transpose to. It is worth focusing on the IQP, not on this
theoretical position, as the game will be all about ideas and setups. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bd3 c5

5. exd5 exd5 6. dxc5 Nf6
{ We are in no hurry to capture on c5 with the bishop. We might have to do that,
but unless we have to, we would like to play ...Nbd7 and take on c5 with the
knight, where it would be placed very actively. }
7. Be3
{ This move has been tried twice only, by players rated below 1900 FIDE, but the
engine is somewhat tempted by it at first, as White seems to be trying to hold on
to that c5-pawn. }
7... d4 { Of course, you shouldn't fall for this trap, as old as the world. }
8. Bxd4 Qxd4 9. Bb5+ { And White wins our queen. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bd3 c5

7. Be3
{ This move has been tried twice only, by players rated below 1900 FIDE, but the
engine is somewhat tempted by it at first, as White seems to be trying to hold on
to that c5-pawn. }
7... Nbd7
{ However, of course, this doesn't prevent us from getting the pawn back in a very
standard way. For some reason, this natural move hasn't been chosen before. }
8. Qd2
{ Now White's idea is starting to become rather clear: he wants to castle long! }
8... O-O
{ We are in no hurry to take the pawn back. It's nice to castle first in order to
not allow for Bb5+ at any point, which might be a bit annoying since we have an IQP
and don't want to facilitate trading pieces. }
9. Nge2
{ White is developing his knight in this flexible way in order to be able to bring
it to f5 via g3, or to f4, as well as to make the pin ...Bg4 unattractive. }
9... Nxc5
{ Of course, we follow the plan and take the pawn back with the knight. } 10.
O-O-O Be6
{ The bishop has no use on g4, so it goes here to overprotect the d5-pawn. Next,
we'll try to build up some initiative on the queenside with ...Rc8, maybe ...Qa5,
possibly will move the c5-knight to e4 or will take on d3, and then follow up
with ...Bb4. Of course, pawn play with ... a6 and ...b5 is not unreasonable,
either. }
11. f3
{ This is a very precise move for White, because it takes the e4-square under
control and prepares g2-g4. }
11... a6
{ We are ready to play ...b7-b5. White can try a lot of moves here, but a
reasonable sequence would be: }
12. Bd4
{ White improves the bishop, while also preparing to move the e2-knight without
running into ...d5-d4. }
12... b5 13. Nf4
{ This move comes just on time: otherwise, after ...b5-b4, the poor c3-knight would
have to retreat to b1. }
13... b4 14. Nce2 a5
{ I believe we can stop here. With ...a5-a4 and ...b4-b3 coming next, Black has
just enough counterplay on the queenside. We have a very complicated and rich
position on the board, where the typical opposite side castling ideas apply. Just
bring all the toys to the party on the queenside and mate him! Another
interesting idea for Black here, besides the ones described above, would be to use
the otherwise restricted knight on f6 by playing ...Ne8-d6-c4! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bd3 c5

7. Nge2
{ White develops the knight here for a few reasons. On f3, it could get pinned with
...Bg4, so developing it to e2 prevents that on account of f2-f3 becoming possible.
Also, it can go to g3 and f5, or to f4 to attack the d5-pawn. And, it defends the
c3-knight, which might sound irrelevant, but it actually enables a very important
tactical trick. }
7... Nbd7
{ As we know, normally we want to play exactly this way, in order to capture on c5
with the knight, not with the bishop. However, here it's a really bad idea. }
8. b4 { White can hold on to his extra pawn due to a cute tactical reason. }
8... b6 { Breaking up White's structure does not work. } 9. c6
{ In a lot of positions, ...Bxb4 would be possible, but not here, because of two
reasons. For one, the c3-knight is defended by the one on e2! And, secondly, cxd7+
will capture our knight with a check. So, we are not going to play this way. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bd3 c5

7. Nge2
tactical trick. }
7... Bxc5
{ This time, we capture with the bishop. It's a move I prefer to avoid, as the
knight is placed very actively on c5 after ...Nbd7-c5, but here we don't have much
of a choice. The good news is that the absence of the knight on f3 enables some
additional tactical ideas, like ...Ng4 and ...Qh4. }
8. O-O { For now, White just finishes his development. } 8... Be6
{ Since the bishop won't have anything to do on g4 due to f2-f3, it makes sense to
quickly develop it to e6 in order to overprotect the d5-pawn. }
9. Bg5
{ In the few games that reached this position, White mostly played this move,
pinning the knight. }
9... h6
{ I think it's useful to immediately clarify the situation with our bishop, prior
to castling. This move is a pawn sacrifice, actually! }
10. Bb5+ Nc6 { Is the same thing as 10.Bxf6 followed by the check. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bd3 c5

7. Nge2
tactical trick. }
7... Bxc5
9. Bg5
9... h6
10. Bh4 { Is not a great idea, but Black needs to be a bit brave here. } 10...
g5 11. Bg3 Nc6
{ While it might seem as though we had weakened our kingside a lot, that's not
exactly a correct observation. White does not have any pieces that can bother us
there. Generally, isolated queen's pawn enables us to play actively, and we do so.
Importantly, Black's daring pawn play on the kingside not only broke the pin, but
it also heavily restricted White's knight on e2 and bishop on g3. Next, we can
consider playing reasonable chess, which would involve castling short,
playing ...Rfe8, ...Rac8, etc, or instead go all-in with ...h6-h5-h4, etc! For
instance, a sample line can be: }
12. Nb5 { White wants to fork us with Nc7. } 12... O-O 13. Nc7 Rc8 14. Nxe6
fxe6
{ And Black is very comfortable, as the 'weakened' king is more of an optical
illusion than a real problem, while the central control and space are real
advantages. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Bd3 - N7 - a temporarily pawn sac"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bd3 c5

7. Nge2
tactical trick. }
7... Bxc5
9. Bg5
9... h6
10. Bxf6
{ Retreating didn't make much sense. Plus, this move distracts the queen from
protecting the d5-pawn and temporarily wins a pawn. }
10... Qxf6 11. Bb5+
{ Now, unfortunately, the d5-pawn will fall. But that's okay. } 11... Nc6 12.
Nxd5 Qe5
{ We are preventing the fork on c7, of course, while also keeping the queen in an
active position and attacking the d5-knight. }
13. c4
{ It might seem logical to try to keep the knight on a powerful position in the
center, but it doesn't accomplish much. }
13... O-O
{ Black is ready to either capture on b2, not fearing the fork on c7 anymore, or
play ...Rad8 and put more pressure down the d-file on that pinned knight. }
14. Nec3 Rad8
{ We are about to play ...Nb4, attacking the knight one more time. Black is
currently a pawn down, but our bishop pair and piece activity make up for that. }
15. Ba4
{ This is a brand-new position; while many moves are possible, the engine likes the
idea of improving this idle piece, which kind of makes sense, and suggests the
following sequence: }
15... Nb4 16. Qe1
{ White tries to get out of the annoying pin on the d-file while also looking to
trade queens. }
16... Qxe1 17. Rfxe1 Bxd5 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. cxd5 Rxd5
{ Now it's clear we just arrived at a completely equal - rather a very drawish! -
rook endgame. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Bd3 - N8 - a temporarily pawn sac"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bd3 c5

7. Nge2
tactical trick. }
7... Bxc5
9. Bg5
9... h6
10. Bxf6
{ Retreating didn't make much sense. Plus, this move distracts the queen from
protecting the d5-pawn and temporarily wins a pawn. }
10... Qxf6 11. Bb5+
{ Now, unfortunately, the d5-pawn will fall. But that's okay. } 11... Nc6 12.
Nxd5 Qe5
{ We are preventing the fork on c7, of course, while also keeping the queen in an
active position and attacking the d5-knight. }
13. Ndf4 { In the only game that got here, White chose this logical move. }
13... Qxb2
{ Black is able to immediately get his pawn back. I do agree this looks a bit
scary, but it works. }
14. Nxe6 fxe6 15. Rb1 Qf6
{ Our pawn structure on the kingside is a bit loose and White has an outpost on e4,
but besides that, there are no real problems. The dark-squared bishop is very
powerful, the knight can jump to d4 or e5, we have a semi-open f-file that we can
use to generate pressure on f2. The engine claims a tiny edge for White, but I
think we should be doing rather well here. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. e5 Nfd7
3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd7 5.Nf3 . }
6. Ne2
{ Was also tried in several games, in order to meet ... c7-c5 with c2-c3. }
6... c5 7. c3 Qa5
{ A very interesting idea. The point is that Black wants to capture on d4 and make
White take with the piece instead of a pawn, when the e5-pawn would be a bit weaker
and the c3-pawn looks a little weird. There are no games that reached this
position, but let's look at a sample line. }
8. Ng3 cxd4
{ Now, taking with the pawn is illegal, taking with the knight is bad as it
blunders the e5-pawn, while: }
9. Qxd4 { Just costs more tempi. } 9... Nc6
{ And White ends up wasting a lot of time. His e5-pawn is still weak and ...Qc7
or ...f7-f6 can remind him of that any time. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. e5 Nfd7
3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd7 5.Nf3 . }
6. Ne2
6... c5 7. c3 Qa5
8. a3
{ White needs to prepare b2-b4 to make Black release the tension in the center, but
it's not easy. }
8... cxd4 { We'll take anyway, though. } 9. b4
{ Enables White to avoid having to take back with the piece, even though Black's
position is still good after: }
9... Qc7 10. cxd4 Nb6
{ As the knight is coming to c4, and following with ...Bd7-b5, maybe ...a7-a5,
Black will enjoy himself on the queenside. Another valuable idea worth mentioning
would be ...Bd7-a4!, blocking White's queenside and preventing his a-pawn from
advancing. One idea could be to meet some move like
@@StartFEN@@rnb1k2r/ppq1bppp/1n2p3/3pP3/1P1P4/P4N2/4NPPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 1
11@@EndFEN@@ 11.Be3 with 11...a5 12.b5 a4! , preventing White from connecting
the queenside pawns and creating a powerful bind on the queenside. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. e5 Nfd7
3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd7 5.Nf3 . }
6. Ne2
6... c5 7. c3 Qa5
8. a3
{ White needs to prepare b2-b4 to make Black release the tension in the center, but
it's not easy. }
8... cxd4 { We'll take anyway, though. } 9. Nexd4 Nc6
{ Now, the e5-pawn is very vulnerable, and having the c5-square available is really
enjoyable. }
10. Bf4 Nxd4 { Black, who has less space, is happy to trade even more pieces. }
11. Nxd4 Qb6
{ The point is not as much to attack the b2-pawn, which White can easily defend, as
to prepare ...Nc5 without blundering a fork with b2-b4. }
12. Qc2 f6 13. exf6 Bxf6
{ Again, Black is doing fantastic thanks to his center, and as ... O-O followed
by ... e6-e5 is coming next, I wouldn't be too excited to be White, even though he
is by no means worse yet. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. e5 Nfd7
3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd7 5.Nf3 . }
6. Bd3 c5 7. O-O cxd4
{ Is not a great position for White. Now, Nxd4 simply loses a pawn on e5. } 8.
Nb5
{ Perhaps it's possible to avoid a disaster by continuing with this move, but
after: }
8... Nc6 9. Re1 Bc5
{ White is nowhere close to getting the pawn back, and it's not entirely obvious
why it was sacrificed, especially because Black is about to go ...a7-a6 and kick
the b5-knight out. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. e5 Nfd7
3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd7 5.Nf3 . }
6. Bd3 c5 7. dxc5
7... Nc6
8. Qe2
{ White can also defend the pawn this way, but now, the d3-bishop's mobility is a
bit restricted and the c3-knight can no longer move over to the kingside, to g3 or
f4, via e2. }
8... Nxc5 9. O-O
{ Here, Black has multiple moves, but to me, the French Defense is all about one
thing: the light-squared bishops! I cannot resist the desire to eliminate it right
away. }
9... Nxd3
{ Now, White normally takes with the pawn. If the queen takes, Black will just
go ...O-O and follow up with ...f7-f6 whenever ready, which would not just open the
f-file, but also enable ...Bd7-e8-g6. }
10. cxd3 O-O 11. Bf4
{ In the games that reached this position, White chose to develop the bishop here,
looking to reinforce the e5-pawn. However, now it would be very strong to blow up
the center. }
11... f6
{ ...f7-f5 would also be very strong, but White will just take back, which would
transpose. }
12. exf6 Bxf6
{ Black gets a fantastic center and is about to play ...Qb6, ...Bd7, ...Rae8 and
start advancing the center. At the same time, it's not entirely obvious what is
White doing. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. e5 Nfd7
3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd7 5.Nf3 . }
6. Bd3 c5 7. dxc5
7... Nc6
8. Bf4 g5
{ Oops! Now the pawn cannot be saved. Alternatively, Black could just take on c5
with the knight, keeping the position solid. }
9. Bg3 g4 10. Nd2 Ndxe5
{ It is not entirely obvious why White gave up the pawn. Black can even easily
afford to castle short, maybe after going ...Ng6. Alternatively, he can
play ...Nxd3 or try to build the center with ...e6-e5 next, which also looks great.
}
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. exd5 exd5
{ Is analyzed via @@StartFEN@@rnbqk1nr/ppp1bppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKBNR w
KQkq - 2 4@@EndFEN@@ 4.exd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nf6 . }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 - transposing to 3.Nd2 chapter"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. Bd3
5... c5 6. dxc5 { Is also often played, but after: } 6... dxe4 7. Nxe4 Nxe4 8.
Bxe4 Qxd1+ 9. Kxd1 Bxc5
{ We are back in the chapter on 3.Nd2. This position arises via
@@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 1
3@@EndFEN@@ 3...Be7 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 c5 6.exd5 dxe4 7.Nxe4 Nxe4 8.Bxe4
Qxd1 9.Kxd1 Bxc5 . }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. Bd3
5... c5 6. e5 Nfd7
{ Transposes to @@StartFEN@@rnbqk2r/ppp1bppp/4pn2/3p4/3PP3/2N2N2/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w
KQkq - 4 5@@EndFEN@@ 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Bd3 c5 . }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. Bd3
5... c5 6. exd5 exd5
7. O-O c4
{ Is fantastic for Black. Why? Well, because in these positions, White normally
tries to undermine the c4-pawn with b2-b3 and then build the center with c2-c4, but
the knight is already misplaced on c3, which makes the idea of c2-c4 impossible.
Plus, it can be attacked by ...b5-b4 very easily. }
8. Be2 O-O 9. b3 cxb3 10. axb3 Nc6
{ Is a very comfortable position for Black. Next, we'll go ... Bf5, developing the
bishop to an active square, followed by ...Rc8, and maybe later ...Nb4 to put
pressure on the c3-knight and the c2-pawn. There is no telling why that knight is
on c3. }
11. Ne5
{ Normally, White would immediately try to change the structure, in which case we
can just keep developing. }
11... Bf5 12. Nxc6 bxc6
{ Now, the c6-pawn seems a bit backward, but we can always consider preparing ...
c6-c5. Besides, now that the f3-knight is gone, White's kingside seems a bit
vulnerable, so we can consider ideas like ...Bd6, ...Re8, maybe ...h7-h5-
h4, .. .Ng4, ...Qh4, etc, showing the White king it is not enjoying a lot of safety
there. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. Bd3
5... c5 6. exd5 exd5
7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Qe2+
{ Is rather uncomfortable. With an isolated queen's pawn, we want to get active
play and keep the pieces on the board, but this check forces us to go back or
trade, so we obviously want to make sure this doesn't happen. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 - N10"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. Bd3
5... c5 6. exd5 exd5
7. dxc5 O-O
Qe2+. }
8. b4
{ Is an attempt to hold on to the pawn, but it's not a good idea, since after: }
8... a5
{ We are blowing up the queenside and it's not possible to defend with: } 9. a3
axb4 { White cannot take back, since the a1-rook is unprotected. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 - N11"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. Bd3
5... c5 6. exd5 exd5
7. dxc5 O-O
Qe2+. }
8. Be3
{ Is another attempt to hold on to the pawn, but Black can easily handle this one,
too. }
8... Nbd7 9. b4 b6
{ Crucially, if White could go c5-c6, make the knight move and then play b4-b5,
he'd have a protected passed pawn and would be completely winning. Luckily, this is
not going to happen. }
10. c6 Bxb4
{ And the c3-knight is hanging, so White just ruined the pawn structure and lost a
pawn. Otherwise, though, Black would just take the c5-pawn and do great. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 - N12"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. Bd3
5... c5 6. exd5 exd5
7. dxc5 O-O
Qe2+. }
8. Bg5
{ Was also tried a couple times. Here, it's possible to take on c5 with the bishop
right away, but it's even nicer to do it differently. }
8... Nbd7 9. b4 b6
{ Since c5-c6 runs into ...Bxb4. White just loses a pawn under inferior
circumstances. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 - N13"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. Bd3
5... c5 6. exd5 exd5
7. dxc5 O-O
Qe2+. }
8. Bg5
{ Was also tried a couple times. Here, it's possible to take on c5 with the bishop
right away, but it's even nicer to do it differently. }
8... Nbd7 9. O-O Nxc5
{ Black is very active. Next, we can play ...Bg4 to pin the knight, bring one of
our knights (likely the one on c5) to e4, and just keep improving the position with
...Re8, ...Qb6, etc. Of course, if the bishop goes to g4, then h2-h3 will be
answered by ...Bh5, keeping the pin. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.Nf3 - N14"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. Nf3
Nf6
the game in. }
5. Bd3
5... c5 6. exd5 exd5
7. dxc5 O-O
Qe2+. }
8. O-O Nbd7
{ This will be a typical theme. Since we are not afraid of White trying to hold on
to the pawn, as we had seen in many variations above, we have all the time in the
world to recapture the pawn. We would prefer to do so with the knight, because the
knight is very active on c5, from where it can come to e4 if needed. Also, ideas
like ...Bg4, ...Re8, ...Bc5 look great. And, once the knight moves from d7 to c5
and e4, the e7-bishop can move over to c5 as well, putting pressure on the f2-pawn.
I believe it is better to investigate these positions on the level of ideas, so
we'll be looking at them in more detail in the chapter on model games. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.exd5 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. exd5
{ Even though our bishop is on e7, which is a bit of an inactive square compared to
d6, we are not experiencing any problems whatsoever in the Exchange Variation.
First of all, it's just not the most challenging system, so it's no wonder there
are multiple ways to equalize. But even more importantly, White's knight is
misplaced on c3, because typically, the right setup is c2-c3, Bf4 and Nbd2, as from
there, the knight controls the f3, e4- and c4-squares, while the c3-pawn protects
the one on d4. }
4... exd5 5. Bd3
{ White can also keep the knight on g1 in order to play Nge2. From there, the
knight can later go to g3 and f5, for instance. }
5... Nc6
{ The reason why we make this move is because when the white knight comes to e2,
the d3-bishop is trapped and cannot retreat back to e2, so we will snatch it
with ...Nb4. }
6. Nge2 Nb4 { Right away. } 7. Bb5+
{ Rescues the bishop, but is not a good idea. } 7... c6 8. Ba4 a5
{ White is about to get his bishop trapped, as ...b7-b5 and ... a5-a4 is coming. }
9. a3 { White needs to prevent that. } 9... Na6 10. O-O b5 11. Bb3 a4 12. Ba2
Nc7
{ The a2-bishop is dead. Next, we'll go ...Bd6, ...Ne7-g6, the other knight will
come over to e6 and Black will start a kingside attack, effectively playing a piece
up, as the a2-bishop is dead. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. exd5
the one on d4. }
4... exd5 5. Bd3
5... Nc6
with ...Nb4. }
6. Nge2 Nb4 { Right away. } 7. Bf4
{ The two games that reached this position saw White play this developing move,
which is keeping the king in the center and the option of castling either way open.
}
7... Nxd3+ 8. Qxd3 c6
{ We make sure to overprotect the d5-pawn and to prevent Nb5. } 9. O-O-O
{ No one ever decided to castle long here, but we want to understand how to handle
that. }
9... Nf6
{ We just keep developing the regular way. Naturally, the only logical path for
White that makes a difference, as opposed to castling short, is trying to attack
our king with the pawn storm. }
10. h3 O-O 11. g4 b5
{ We don't care, though, because we have no weaknesses on the kingside. } 12.
g5 Nh5
{ And the kingside is blocked forever. Plus, on the next turn, White loses his g5-
pawn and is just lost. }
13. Be3 Bxg5 14. Rhg1 Bxe3+ 15. fxe3 g6
{ Black's king is perfectly safe, but our own attack will develop smoothly thanks
to the moves ...a5-a4, ...Qa5, ...b5-b4, etc. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. exd5
the one on d4. }
4... exd5 5. Bd3
5... Nc6
with ...Nb4. }
}
7... Nxd3+ 8. Qxd3 c6
that. }
9... Nf6
10. h3 O-O 11. g4 b5
Ng3
{ White needs to make sure Black's knight can never advance to h5 as a response to
g4-g5. }
12... a5
{ However, we don't care about White's kingside play. If he waits, our plan
is ...a5-a4, ... Qa5 and ...b5-b4. Please note going ... b5-b4 earlier is
imprecise, as White will be able to block the queenside with Na4. }
13. g5 Ne8
{ Now, the knight is coming over to d6. From there, it will not only control the
f5-square, but also potentially be able to come to c4 and help the queenside
attack. White is already pretty much lost. }
14. h4 a4
{ White has no play. Not only that, but also, ours is coming very quickly. For
example, after: }
15. h5 Bxg5 { White just hangs a pawn. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. exd5
the one on d4. }
4... exd5 5. Bd3
5... Nc6
with ...Nb4. }
}
7... Nxd3+ 8. Qxd3 c6
that. }
9... Nf6
10. h3 O-O 11. g4 b5
Ng3
{ White needs to make sure Black's knight can never retreat to h5 as a response to
g4-g5. }
12... a5
{ However, we don't care about White's kingside play. If he waits, our plan
is ...a5-a4, ... Qa5 and ...b5-b4. Please note going ... b5-b4 earlier is
imprecise, as White will be able to block the queenside with Na4. }
13. g5 Ne8
{ Now, the knight is coming over to d6. From there, it will not only control the
f5-square, but also potentially be able to come to c4 and help the queenside
attack. White is already pretty much lost. }
14. h4 a4
{ White has no play. Not only that, but also, ours is coming very quick. For
example, after }
15. Qd2 b4 16. Nce2 Nd6
{ With ...Nc4 and ...b4-b3 coming next, I have no idea what is White supposed to be
doing. The game is coming to an end. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. exd5
the one on d4. }
4... exd5 5. Bd3
5... Nc6
with ...Nb4. }
}
7... Nxd3+ 8. Qxd3 c6
{ We make sure to overprotect the d5-pawn and to prevent Nb5. } 9. O-O Nf6
{ This is definitely a safe and easy position. All Black needs to do next is
castle, then a very strong plan is to bring the knight over to d6, for example ...
Ne8-d6, which would enable us to control the f5-square better, and likely develop
the bishop there. Also, of course, we'll be interested in fighting for the e-file
by means of ...Bd6, ...Qd7, ... Re8 (any), etc. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. exd5
the one on d4. }
4... exd5 5. Nf3
{ This is a more quiet and reasonable way to develop than an idea of long castling.
}
5... Nf6 6. h3 { Any other move than 6.Bd3 runs into: } 6... Bf5
{ And once the bishop is controlling this diagonal, Black cannot even think of
having any problems. }
7. Bd3 Bxd3 8. Qxd3 c6
{ Having prevented Qb5 or Nb5, we are ready to castle, play ...Nbd7, then
likely ...Re8 and re-route the knight to g6 via f8, then fight for the e-file and
the e4-square and strive to get an endgame with a bishop or a knight versus White's
dark-squared bishop. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. exd5
the one on d4. }
4... exd5 5. Nf3
}
5... Nf6 6. Bd3 { White has to grab the b1-h7 diagonal. } 6... Bg4
{ Since it's no longer possible for White to flexibly develop with c2-c3 and Nbd2,
easily dealing with the pin, it makes sense to create one. For example, after: }
7. h3 Bh5 8. O-O O-O 9. Re1 c6
{ Is a regular and perfectly safe position for Black. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. exd5
the one on d4. }
4... exd5 5. Nf3
}
5... Nf6 6. Bd3 { White has to grab the b1-h7 diagonal. } 6... Bg4
{ Since it's no longer possible for White to flexibly develop with c2-c3 and Nbd2,
easily dealing with the pin, it makes sense to create one. For example, after: }
7. h3 Bh5 8. g4
{ Is an interesting and principled way of playing, challenging the bishop. }
8... Bg6 9. Ne5
{ White is trying to grab space and potentially even play f2-f4-f5. However, there
is nothing for us to worry about. In particular, I now like the following idea: }
9... Nc6
{ The idea is to trade that e5-knight and put pressure on the d4-pawn. Keep in
mind, White has considerably weakened the kingside, and now it won't be entirely
obvious where he should castle. }
10. Nxg6
{ Instead, taking on c6 would give Black a semi-open b-file, while f2-f4 weakens
the e4-square, which Black can take advantage of by trading the bishops,
going ...Bb4 to eliminate the knight on c3 and then installing his knight on e4. }
10... hxg6
{ Now, White can no longer easily castle short. However, we are ready to continue
with ...Qd7 and long castling. The pressure on the d4-pawn is rather considerable,
too. }
11. Be3 Qd7 12. Qf3
{ This is the most logical way of playing, trying to castle long. However, here we
have the following attractive idea, which takes advantage of the momentum and the
hanging c2-pawn. }
12... Nb4
{ The bishop cannot retreat, as the c2-pawn would hang, while after: } 13.
O-O-O Nxd3+ 14. Rxd3 O-O-O
{ I cannot imagine Black having the slightest bit of worries, as ... c7-
c6, ...Rhe8, etc are coming next. The goal here would be to fight for the e4-
square, possibly by trading the bishop for White's knight with ...Bb4-c3. Keep in
mind, the h3-pawn is rather weak, too, and it will stay this way for a long time. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "10) The 3.Nc3! French with 4.e5"]
[Black "4.e5 with 5.Nf3 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
overprotecting the d4 and e5-pawns. One of them will have to end up vulnerable! }
5. Nf3
position. }
5... Nc6 6. dxc5 Bxc5
{ Is a much better position for Black than the one after 5.dxc5 , as the White
queen can no longer come out to g4. In fact, it looks very similar to what we
discussed after @@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR w
KQkq - 0 3@@EndFEN@@ 3.e5 c5 4.dxc5 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bxc5 , when Black lost a tempo
by playing Be7 and Bxc5, but White misplaced his knight on c3. Now, the goal is to
play ...Nge7 and ...eventually prepare ... f7-f6, or even do that right away. }
7. Bd3 f6 { Black could wait, but there is no need to. } 8. Qe2
{ White can also try to hold on to the center this way, which seems reasonable. }
8... fxe5 { No need to wait. We just eiliminate that e5-pawn. } 9. Nxe5 Nxe5
10. Qxe5 Nf6
{ With ...O-O and ... Bd6 coming next, Black will be ready to play ...e6-e5-e4 and
build a powerful center. The c8-bishop will easily get active after ...e6-e5, or
maybe Black could go ...Bd7-e8-g6/h5 if for some reason ...e6-e5 cannot be
prepared. In either case, the h8-rook would come to e8, helping Black advance in
the center, too. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Nf3
position. }
5... Nc6 6. dxc5 Bxc5
{ Is a much better position for Black than the one after 5.dxc5 , as the White
queen can no longer come out to g4. In fact, it looks very similar to what we
discussed after @@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR w
KQkq - 0 3@@EndFEN@@ 3.e5 c5 4.dxc5 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bxc5 , when Black lost a tempo
by playing Be7 and Bxc5, but White misplaced his knight on c3. Now, the goal is to
play ...Nge7 and ...eventually prepare ... f7-f6, or even do that right away. }
7. Bd3 f6 { Black could wait, but there is no need to. } 8. exf6 Nxf6
{ Gives Black a considerable amount of strategic initiative, as ...e6-e5-e4 is now
on the way. We just got the center for nothing, and White cannot even ever
undermine it with c2-c4, as the knight is misplaced on c3. We are simply better and
can stop here, as we discuss similar positions in the aforementioned 3.e5 line. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Nf3
position. }
5... Nc6 6. Bb5
{ White usually chooses to play this way, looking to pin the c6-knight. However,
that's hardly a good idea, since he'll need to give up his most precious minor
piece, the light-squared bishop. }
6... Bd7
{ Black had unpinned and is ready to take on d4. For instance, after: } 7. O-O
cxd4
{ The knight cannot take on d4 as the e5-pawn would hang, so the only alternative
is: }
8. Bxc6 dxc3 { We, of course, happily spoil White's pawn structure. } 9. Bxd7+
Qxd7 10. bxc3 Rc8
{ The queenside pawns are weak, next Black will just get the kingside out by
playing ...Bc5 and ...Ne7 and will start doubling on the c-file to win those c-
pawns. White is strategically lost. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 with 5.dxc5 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. dxc5
{ Is also possible, trying to resolve the threat of ...cxd4. However, now the e5-
pawn is becoming weaker. But, there is one important detail you want to be aware
of: taking on c5 encourages Qg4, so it's beneficial to try to provoke Nf3, which
shuts that opportunity down. }
5... Nc6 6. Nf3 { Most people took the bait and made Black's life easier. }
6... Bxc5
{ And we are back to the line
@@StartFEN@@rnbqk1nr/pp2bppp/4p3/2ppP3/3P4/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 0
5@@EndFEN@@ 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.dxc5 . }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 with 5.dxc5 - what NOT to do"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. dxc5
5... Nc6 6. f4
{ White is trying to hold on to the e5-pawn and develop in a standard Classical
French way, grabbing space in the center. }
6... Bxc5 7. Nf3 Nge7
{ Has been played in most games, but it's significantly worse than 7...Nh6 ,
because the knight cannot go to g4 from here, and, most importantly, the c5-bishop
can no longer escape, which leads to a problem. }
8. Na4
{ White eliminates this very powerful bishop and will now even fight for an
advantage. Avoid this! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. dxc5
5... Nc6 6. f4
6... Bxc5 7. Nf3 Nh6
{ The knight is coming to f5 or g4. White has several weak squares, such as e3 and
f2, so it makes sense to harass him there. Plus, we can always blow up the center
with ...f7-f6, which would be particularly effective if he does not manage to
castle. }
8. Na4
{ In the few games that reached this position, most players attempted to solve the
problem with short castling, which is currently impossible due to our strong
bishop, by kicking it away. }
8... Be7
{ No worries, the bishop has ways to retreat safely. Now, we'll focus on the ...f7-
f6 break and will enjoy the fact that a4-knight is very misplaced. }
9. Bd3 { Another natural, yet terrible move. } 9... Qa5+ 10. c3 b5
{ The knight is trapped and the game ends. White has such a hard time playing this
position! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. dxc5
5... Nc6 6. f4
6... Bxc5 7. Nf3 Nh6
castle. }
8. Na4
{ In the few games that reached this position, most players attempted to solve the
problem with short castling, which is currently impossible due to our strong
bishop, by kicking it away. }
8... Be7
9. Be3 { Natural development leads to issues. } 9... Nf5 10. Bf2 Qa5+
{ That knight is nearly trapped! } 11. Nc3 Ba3
{ Is a very cute tactic, which wins something on the spot. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. dxc5
5... Nc6 6. f4
6... Bxc5 7. Nf3 Nh6
castle. }
8. Na4
{ In the few games that have reached this position, most players have played this
move to kick away our strong bishop enabling them to short castle. }
8... Be7
9. Be3 { Natural development leads to issues. } 9... Nf5 10. Bf2 Qa5+
{ That knight is nearly trapped! } 11. c3 Bd7
{ White is facing threats like ...Nxe5, exposing the a4-knight, and it's not
possible to stop them with: }
12. b3 { Perhaps 12.Bd3 would have been best, but White is still worse. }
12... b5 13. Nb2 Qxc3+
{ Relentlessly picking all the material and winning on the spot. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. dxc5
5... Nc6 6. Qg4
{ This ambitious move hasn't yet been played, but I think this is the best way for
White to handle the position. He immediately attacks the g7-pawn and is ready to
play Nf3, protecting e5 with the queen in a proper attacking position. }
6... Nxe5 { We accept the bait and go for a forcing continuation. } 7. Qxg7 Ng6
{ With Bf6 coming next, White's position seems suspicious: the queen is misplaced
and the center has been given up. Then, Black continues his development with Bd7,
in order to prevent Nb5-d6, N8e7-f5, etc. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 with 6.h4 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
{ This is, by far, the most ambitious and principled move. Here, I will be
5...Kf8 , which was also tried by several GMs like Chernyshov. }
5... g5
6. h4
{ This is a very principled move, which is aimed at grabbing space and making sure
when Black goes ...h7-h5, it won't ever be possible to follow up with ...h5-h4,
which would often endanger White's queen on g3. That's exactly how White would
often easily get in trouble! This move has been played once only, back in 2011,
by a 2295-rated player, but I think it is a very dangerous, if not the most
dangerous challenge of the 3... Be7 system, so we need to analyze it in depth. }
6... h5
{ We immediately kick out the white queen and prepare to grab space on the kingside
with ...g5-g4. }
7. Qd1 cxd4
{ This results in White's center collapsing and does not make sense. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. h4
when Black goes ...h7-h5, it won't be ever possible to follow up with ...h5-h4,
by a 2295-rated player, but I think it is very a dangerous, if not the most
6... h5
with ...g5-g4. }
7. Qg3
{ It makes sense for the queen to stay here in order to not only put pressure on
the g5-pawn, but also potentially threaten ideas like Qg7 if the g-pawn disappears.
}
7... g4
{ Now, having grabbed space and restricted the wite queen, we are ready to
play ...Nc6 and ruin White's center. Please note it's by no means easy to develop
his kingside, as the knight doesn't have any access to the f3-square. That's why
the only logical path seems to be capturing on c5 followed by developing with Bd3
and Nge2. }
8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. Bd3
{ White is looking to play Nge2 and then develop the dark-squared bishop and castle
long. Instead, castling short might seem reasonably logical, but it's very
suspicious, as that h4-pawn is likely to lack defenders and fall - this is a very
important nuance! }
9... a6
{ This move is by no means necessary, but I find the idea of covering the b5-square
useful: first, we never have to worry about Nb5-d6, and secondly, if we ever want
to attack the e5-pawn with ...Qc7, Nb5 would also come with a tempo. }
10. Nge2 Nc6 11. O-O Be7 { And the h4-pawn falls. White is in trouble. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. h4
when Black goes ...h7-h5, it won't be ever possible to follow up with ...h5-h4,
by a 2295-rated player, but I think it is very a dangerous, if not the most
6... h5
with ...g5-g4. }
7. Qg3
{ It makes sense for the queen to stay here in order to not only put pressure on
the g5-pawn, but also potentially threaten ideas like Qg7 if the g-pawn disappears.
}
7... g4
{ Now, having grabbed space and restricted the wite queen, we are ready to
play ...Nc6 and ruin White's center. Please note it's by no means easy to develop
his kingside, as the knight doesn't have any access to the f3-square. That's why
the only logical path seems to be capturing on c5 followed by developing with Bd3
and Nge2. }
8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. Bd3
{ White is looking to play Nge2 and then develop the dark-squared bishop and castle
long. Instead, castling short might seem reasonably logical, but it's very
suspicious, as that h4-pawn is likely to lack defenders and fall - this is a very
important nuance! }
9... a6
{ This move is by no means necessary, but I find the idea of covering the b5-square
useful: first, we never have to worry about Nb5-d6, and secondly, if we ever want
to attack the e5-pawn with ...Qc7, Nb5 would also come with a tempo. }
10. Nge2 Nc6 11. Bf4
{ I think it's logical to develop the bishop here in order to overprotect the e5-
pawn. }
11... Bd7
{ The queenside is coming out. Black is getting ready to play ...Nge7, ...Qc7
or ... Qa5, ...Rc8 and ...Nb4. }
12. O-O-O { White just keeps developing. } 12... Nge7
{ And so do we. With ... Qc7 and ...O-O-O coming next, I think we are doing
fantastic. Black can play on the c-file later on with ...Kb8 and ...Rc8, and I find
the g3-queen very misplaced. It's also possible to play ... Rc8 instead and keep
the king in the center, but that seems a bit more dangerous because if the center
ever gets blown up, our king will find that rather uncomfortable. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 with 6.Qh5 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5
{ This is the alternative variation given by Harikhrishna. The idea is to
prevent ...h7-h5 and take advantage of the weak h5-square. This move was played
once only, back in 2008. }
6... cxd4 { Of course, we immediately capture the central pawn. } 7. Nce2
{ The knight has no business blocking the kingside pieces and we can immediately
penalize White with the following powerful idea: }
7... Qc7 { Suddenly, there is a double attack on the e5- and c2-pawns. } 8. Nf3
{ Protecting that e5-pawn doesn't help, either. } 8... Qxc2
{ Now, ...Bb4+ is a big nuisance that White has to deal with. } 9. a3 Qg6
{ Another nice move. Black is pretty much forcing a queen trade, since retreating
runs into ...h7-h5 or ... g5-g4, when White will just lose a piece. }
10. Qg4 Nc6 11. Nexd4 h5
{ Retreating to h3 drops a knight to ...g5-g4, while after: } 12. Qg3 h4 13.
Qg4 Nh6
{ White's queen still has to retreat to h3, but after ...g5-g4 there is bad news.
Here is the power of space and the problem with lack of mobility! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5
6... cxd4 { Of course, we immediately capture the central pawn. } 7. Nce2
{ The knight has no business blocking the kingside piece and we can immediately
penalize White with the following powerful idea }
7... Qc7 { Suddenly, there is a double attack on the e5- and c2-pawns. } 8.
Nxd4 Qxe5+ 9. Be3 Nc6
{ Black is just a pawn up. With ...Nf6, . ..Bd7 and normal developing coming next,
it's not obvious what White haS achieved in return for losing a pawn. Importantly,
after: }
10. Ngf3 Qg7
{ The queen is placed great, as it's both securing the kingside and supporting
the ...g5-g4 push. The g5-pawn is not hanging, since taking it would deprive that
d4-knight of one of its defenders, while if White first trades on c6, our queen
gets access to that hanging b2-pawn. Black is about to continue with ... g5-g4
and ...Nf6 and is nearly winning, as not only is White a pawn down, but also, his
pieces are about to get pushed back a lot. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5
6... cxd4 { Of course, we immediately capture the central pawn. } 7. Nb5
{ The knight is not only about to get the d4-pawn back, but it's also potentially
able to invade on d6, while also preventing ...Qc7. }
7... Nc6 { We overprotect the pawn. } 8. Nf3
{ White is attacking two of our pawns: d4 and g5. Unfortunately, at this point, we
have to let one go. }
8... a6 9. Nbxd4 { This is a natural move, but it's hardly problematic. } 9...
Nxd4 10. Nxd4 Qc7
{ Gives Black a lot of counterplay, as that e5-pawn is really difficult to protect.
}
11. Qe2
{ The only game that arrived here via a slightly different move order saw this
move, but now Black has a very promising pawn sacrifice. }
11... f6
{ It is also possible to just play 11...Bd7 , followed by regular development,
but I feel the move ...g7-g5 is asking for an equally ambitious follow-up. The e5-
pawn is under some heavy pressure. }
12. exf6 Nxf6
{ Black is happy to offer White a choice: a free g5-pawn or a free e6-pawn! What
could go wrong for White, you'd think? Well, our idea is to go ...e6-e5!, grabbing
the entire center to ourselves, while also winning even more time and pushing White
back. Please note the e2-queen is very misplaced, as it's blocking the bishop
while also preventing short castling. }
13. Nxe6 { This seemingly natural move gets White in a ton of trouble. } 13...
Qb6 { The knight is also trapped. } 14. Ng7+ Kf7
{ Black is about to just move the bishop away, for example to c5, and win that
knight, while: }
15. Nh5 Bg4 { Doesn't help White, either. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5
Nxd4 10. Nxd4 Qc7
}
11. Qe2
11... f6
12. exf6 Nxf6
Qb6 { The knight is also trapped. } 14. Nxg5
{ The only move. But at this point, White is a lot of pawns up, so we'd better
prove our point loud and clear. }
14... Bg4
{ Black is about to castle - either way is fine! - move the e7-bishop, play ...
Rae8 and win the game, as the pressure on that f2-pawn and pins on the e-file would
be absolutely decisive. So, White has to somehow urgently defend against that. }
15. Nf3
{ Here is an example of how White can end up completely lost in no time. }
15... O-O-O { The threat is ...Rhe8 followed by moving the e7-bishop away. }
16. c3
{ For example, White tries to go Be3 and castle long, while also not dropping the
b2-pawn. }
16... Rhe8 { ...Bc5 in on the way. } 17. Be3
{ White seems to have survived, as he is about to castle, right? ... wrong. }
17... d4 { The knight cannot take as it's pinned. } 18. Bxd4 Rxd4 19. cxd4 Bb4+
{ Black wins the queen. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5
Nxd4 10. Nxd4 Qc7
}
11. Qe2
11... f6
12. exf6 Nxf6
14... Bg4
15. Nf3
{ Here is an example of how White can end up completely lost in no time. }
15... O-O-O { The threat is ...Rhe8 followed by moving the e7-bishop away. }
16. c3
{ For example, White tries to go Be3 and castle long, while also not dropping the
b2-pawn. }
16... Rhe8 { ...Bc5 in on the way. } 17. Be3
{ White seems to have survived, as he is about to castle, right? ... wrong. }
17... d4 { The knight cannot take as it's pinned. } 18. cxd4 Bb4+ 19. Kd1 Kb8
{ Black improves his king a bit more, preventing ideas like Qc4 and Rc1. Now, he is
about to win with ...Nd5, or maybe ...Bxf3 followed by ...Rxd4. It is obvious that
the initiative is absolutely decisive here, while being three pawns down is
completely irrelevant. By the way, this doesn't look like a French Defense
anymore, does it? Instead, it reminds of some 200-year-old ancient 1.e4 e5
gambits... }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5
Nxd4 10. Nxd4 Qc7
}
11. Qe2
11... f6
12. exf6 Nxf6
14... Bg4
15. f3 { White needs to counterattack. However, what do we care? } 15... O-O-O
{ Short castling is also fine, but I thought let's be consistent and try to castle
long all the time. Again, ... Rhe8 and ...Bc5/b4 is on the way. }
16. fxg4 { Black is even happy to ignore that hanging bishop. } 16... Bb4+ 17.
c3 Rhe8
{ Now, White is able to get a rook and two minor pieces for the queen, but that's
not particularly helpful, mostly because his coordination is awful. }
18. cxb4 Nxg4
{ We can even make fun of the opponent. Why take on e2 and help him develop? Now,
the threats include not only ...Qxb4, but also ...Qf2+! Now, White cannot even get
out. For instance, after: }
19. Bf4 Rxe2+ 20. Bxe2 Qf2+ { He drops the bishop. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5
Nxd4 10. Nxd4 Qc7
}
11. Qe2
11... f6
12. exf6 Nxf6
14... Bg4
15. f3 { White needs to counterattack. However, what do we care? } 15... O-O-O
{ Short castling is also fine, but I thought let's be consistent and try to castle
long all the time. Again, ... Rhe8 and ...Bc5/b4 is on the way. }
16. fxg4 { Black is even happy to ignore that hanging bishop. } 16... Bb4+ 17.
c3 Rhe8
{ Now, White is able to get a rook and two minor pieces for the queen, but that's
not particularly helpful, mostly because his coordination is awful. }
18. cxb4 Nxg4
{ We can even make fun of the opponent. Why take on e2 and help him develop? Now,
the threats include not only ...Qxb4, but also ...Qf2+! Now, White cannot even get
out. For instance, after: }
19. Bd2 Qf2+ 20. Kd1 Rxe2 21. Bxe2 Qd4
{ White is pinned all over the place. With threats like ...Qxb2, ...Ne3, etc, Black
is enjoying a strong initiative, while the opponent's coordination is just awful. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5
Nxd4 10. Nxd4 Qc7
}
11. Qe2
11... f6
12. exf6 Nxf6
13. Bxg5
{ This is a more reasonable way to win a pawn. However, now we get to build the
center. }
13... e5 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. Qh5+
{ Allows White to simplify the position, but after: } 15... Qf7 16. Qxf7+ Kxf7
17. Nb3
{ The knight didn't have much choice: if 17.Nf3 , it would have run into 17...e4
, when the b2-pawn is lost , while if 17.Ne2 it would have blocked the kingside
pieces. }
17... Bf5
{ Black has fantastic compensation for the missing pawn due to his bishop pair and
a strong center. Besides, that b3-knight is also somewhat misplaced. }
18. O-O-O Rhd8
{ With ...Rac8 coming next, Black is ready to start pushing the central pawns even
further: ...d5-d4, ...e5-e4, ... d4-d3, etc. White is not really worse yet, but I
feel it's harder to play for him, for example: }
19. Bd3 e4 20. Be2 d4
{ Does this look like a pleasant position? What's the benefit of being a pawn up
here, really? }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5
Nxd4 10. Nxd4 Qc7
}
11. Qe2
11... f6
12. exf6 Nxf6
13. Bxg5
center. }
13... e5 14. Nf3 h6
{ We want to provoke the bishop to either take our knight, which gives us the
bishop pair, or retreat. Unfortunately, retreating either way is problematic: from
h4, it can no longer support the queenside and help White deal with moves like ...
Bb4+, while on d2, for instance, it runs into ...Ne4. }
15. Bh4 e4
{ The knight seems to have a good square to retreat to, doesn't it? } 16. Nd4
Bb4+
{ Well, hold on now. How to deal with the check? Remember, the move ...h7-h6 was
very important: the h4-bishop can no longer help. }
17. c3 Bxc3+ 18. bxc3 Qxc3+
{ And Black wins on the spot, as the king, the a1-rook and the d4-knight are all
under attack. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5
Nxd4 10. Nxd4 Qc7
}
11. Qe2
11... f6
12. exf6 Nxf6
13. Bxg5
center. }
13... e5 14. Nf3 h6
15. Bh4 e4
{ The knight seems to have a good square to retreat to, doesn't it? } 16. Nd4
Bb4+
{ Well, hold on now. How to deal with the check? Remember, the move ...h7-h6 was
very important: the h4-bishop can no longer help. }
17. Kd1 O-O
{ Here, we have some very promising compensation for the missing pawn as well:
White has very little space for the pieces due to our powerful e4-pawn, and his
king on d1 is not exactly a pleasure for him, either. Next, Black can proceed
with ...Bd7, looking to meet any attempts to unravel with c2-c3 by ... Ba4+,
forcing White to weaken his position even more, or maybe go ...Bg4 and try to
provoke f2-f3. At this point, I am somewhat uncertain about how exactly White
should proceed, and it seems to me it would be certainly easier to play with the
Black pieces due to the better coordination, safer king, and no need to deal with a
lot of threats on each turn. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5
Nxd4 10. Nxd4 Qc7
}
11. Qe2
11... f6
12. exf6 Nxf6
13. Bxg5
center. }
13... e5 14. Nf3 h6
15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. O-O-O
{ This is the best way for White to proceed: he focuses on quick development. }
16... Be6
{ We are ready to play ...O-O-O and enjoy our center. Please note Black can easily
afford to not only push his central pawns, but also try to play against the white
king by moving his own king away to b8 and then using the c-file for the
rooks: ...Rc8, ...Qb6/a5, and then double on the c-file. Just like many other
positions in this chapter, this one could be explored in more detail, but we've
been in brand-new territory for the last ten moves, so it feels like a good place
to stop. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5
8... a6 9. Nxg5
{ Hari gives this move and comments 'Black was asking for trouble and he surely is
getting into some. White threatens to capture on f7'. Sure enough, White
threatens to capture on f7, and this variation is indeed rather challenging, but
luckily, with precise play, we get out of this safe. However, this is definitely a
variation you want to know by heart, so please don't treat this too lightly! }
9... Nxe5 { Now, the knight on b5 is hanging and we protected the f7-pawn. }
10. Nxd4 Nf6
{ White is being forced away, now after ...Ng6 and ...O-O Black is nearly winning,
as he owns the entire center. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5
8... a6 9. Nxg5
getting int osome. White threatens to capture on f7'. Sure enough, White threatens
to capture on f7, and this variation is indeed rather challenging, but luckily,
with precise play, we get out of this safe. However, this is definitely a variation
you want to know by heart, so please don't treat this too lightly! }
10. Nxe6
{ White is able to create tactics here, because the e5-knight is hanging. }
10... Bxe6 11. Qxe5
{ Unfortunately, now the h8-rook is hanging and Nc7 also seems to be a large
threat. }
11... Bf6 { We counterattack the queen, threatening to take the knight next. }
12. Nc7+ Kd7
{ Now, the knight is hanging, but luckily, White has a counterattack. } 13.
Nxe6
{ Now, our queen is hanging. Here, Hari claims 13...fxe6 will be a bad
middlegame, while the other line is a bad endgame for Black. }
13... Qa5+ { Let's see what that bad endgame looks like. } 14. Bd2
{ White is counterattacking our queen. A lot of things are hanging here! }
14... Qxd2+ 15. Kxd2 Bxe5 { Now, White's knight is almost trapped. } 16. Nc5+
Kc6 17. Nd3
{ Here, Hari stops and claims the following: 'Even though there are opposite-
coloured bishops, Black's defensive task is far from being easy. The d5-pawn is on
a white square, it's impossible for the Black bishop to help defend it. White will
put a sniper on g2 and start besieging the weaknesses very soon'. I do agree this
endgame is slightly more pleasant for White, as indeed the d3-square is an outpost
and we have the doubled pawns. However, the position is not clear at all, since
White doesn't enjoy particularly good coordination, and we'll be able to either
install the knight on e4, cutting off that light-squared bishop permanently or
provoke f2-f3, when the light-squared bishop becomes a lot worse and the e3-square
becomes a fantastic outpost. I think the plan with 17.Nb3 and 18.Bd3 might be
better here, but it's unlikely anyone would reach this position anyway, and we can
continue the same way as in the text. }
17... Bd6
{ How to develop the f1-bishop? Hari alluded to the idea of installing it on g2.
Okay, let's see! }
18. g3 Nf6 19. Bg2 Ne4+
{ The knight is very strong here. Obviously, White doesn't want to be taking it,
does he? Well, if the king goes on the first rank, the rooks will be disconnected
and it's not obvious how to proceed from there, while after: }
20. Ke2 Rae8
{ Black is threatening nasty discoveries like ...Nxg3+. Okay, White seems able to
stop that. }
21. Kf1
{ His plan should be to continue with Bf3 and Kg2, coordinating the rooks and
making sure the king is safe and comfortable. Hold on, it won't be that easy! }
21... f5
{ Black is reinforcing the e4-knight, while also pointing out he could be
interested in grabbing more space with ...f5-f4 or ...h7-h5-h4 soon, }
22. Bf3
{ Let's suppose White continues with his plan. It's actually a rather poor idea! }
22... h5 23. h4 f4
{ White's structure is being broken apart. With ...Ref8 coming next, White is
facing a lot of threats on f2 and g3 and is already much worse. }
24. gxf4 Nd2+ 25. Kg2 Rhg8+ { White loses a bishop. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5
8... a6 9. Nxg5
10. Nxe6
10... Bxe6 11. Qxe5
threat. }
12. Nc7+ Kd7
Nxe6
Kc6 17. Nd3
a white square, it's impossible for the Black bishop to help defending it. White
will put a sniper on g2 and start besieging the weaknesses very soon'. I do agree
this endgame is slightly more pleasant for White, as indeed the d3-square is an
outpost and we have the doubled pawns. However, the position is not clear at all,
since White doesn't enjoy a particularly good coordination, and we'll be able to
either install the knight on e4, cutting off that light-squared bishop permanently,
or provoke f2-f3, when the light-squared bishop becomes a lot worse and the e3-
square becomes a fantastic outpost. }
17... Bd6
Okay, let's see! }
18. g3 Nf6 19. Bg2 Ne4+
20. Ke2 Rae8
stop that. }
21. Kf1
21... f5
22. Bf3
22... h5 23. h4 f4
{ White's structure is being broken apart. With ...Ref8 coming next, White is
facing a lot of threats on f2 and g3 and is already much worse. }
24. Kg2 fxg3 25. fxg3 Nxg3 { Ibviously, this isn't good. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. Qh5
8... a6 9. Nxg5
10. Nxe6
10... Bxe6 11. Qxe5
threat. }
12. Nc7+ Kd7
Nxe6
Kc6 17. Nd3
a white square, it's impossible for the Black bishop to help defending it. White
will put a sniper on g2 and start besieging the weaknesses very soon'. I do agree
this endgame is slightly more pleasant for White, as indeed the d3-square is an
outpost and we have the doubled pawns. However, the position is not clear at all,
since White doesn't enjoy a particularly good coordination, and we'll be able to
either install the knight on e4, cutting off that light-squared bishop permanently,
or provoke f2-f3, when the light-squared bishop becomes a lot worse and the e3-
square becomes a fantastic outpost. }
17... Bd6
Okay, let's see! }
18. g3 Nf6 19. Bg2 Ne4+
20. Ke2 Rae8
stop that. }
21. Kf1
21... f5
22. Bf3
22... h5 23. Kg2
{ White should keep his h-pawn on h2 to overprotect the g3-pawn. } 23... h4
{ With ...h4-h3! potentially coming next, White will either have his h1-rook locked
up, or the h-pawn will be very powerful, while that h2-pawn will always be a bit of
a risk: imagine it falls, then the h3-pawn will likely just queen! For example,
after: }
24. Rhe1 { White gets the rook out, but now: } 24... h3+ 25. Kg1 a5
{ Black can keep grabbing more space anywhere he likes on the board, for
example ... a5-a4 and ...b7-b5 is on the way. That h3-pawn is very dangerous, White
is being squeezed, so it's by no means easy to play his position, actually. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 with 6.dxc5 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qg3
{ Was played in a game between Christiansen and Short, the only high-profile game
that reached this position. }
7... h4
{ Grabbing even more space while gaining time is a rather attractive idea. At this
point, White's queen has multiple places to go to. }
8. Qg4 Nc6
{ Black can attack that queen with ...Nh6 whenever needed, of course, and in the
meantime, the e5-pawn is hanging. }
9. Nf3 Nh6
{ The queen is under attack. Unfortunately, we are now facing a small issue. }
10. Qh5
{ The only good move, but it's a rather critical one: now, the g5-pawn is hanging,
and the h6-knight is pinned. What to do? Thankfully, we once again have our pawn
sacrifice idea available. }
10... g4 { First, we kick his knight away. } 11. Ng5
{ Isn't a great idea, as the f7-pawn is defended, so what is the knight doing
there? }
11... Qa5
{ Black can just keep developing. The idea is to threaten ...d5-d4 and make White
respond passively with Bd2, then take on c5 with the queen, not bishop, in order to
keep the g5-knight under pressure, then go ...Bd7 and castle long. White's queen
and knight are rather stuck, aren't they? }
12. Bd2 { White needs to stop ... d5-d4. } 12... Qxc5 13. O-O-O Bd7
{ With long castling coming next, the h8-rook gets defended, which enables Black to
move his h6-knight. This position looks rather suspicious for White, whose e5-pawn
is rather vulnerable and whose knight and queen are stuck on the kingside. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qg3
7... h4
8. Qg4 Nc6
9. Nf3 Nh6
10. Qh5
10... g4 { First, we kick his knight away. } 11. Bxh6
{ Is a very bad idea, as now the pin on the h-file is very problematic. } 11...
gxf3 { Black's huge threat is ...Bf8, winning the pinned h6-bishop. } 12. g4
{ White's only non-losing move, but after: } 12... Bd7
{ The pieces on the h-file are stuck and we're ready to proceed with ...Qc7
or ...Qe5, try to win the e5-pawn, castle long and wonder what are White's pieces
doing over there? }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 with 6.dxc5 - what NOT to do"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qg3
7... h4
8. Qg4 Nc6
9. Nf3 Nh6
10. Qh5
10... g4 { First, we kick his knight away. } 11. Nd2
{ The knight is coming over to b3, which as we know after analyzing the 6.Qe2 lines
is a rather typical idea. Not a well-known one, though, as there are no games that
ever reached these positions, so it's not obvious why your opponents should find
it. }
11... Bxc5 { Not particularly appealing, as after: } 12. Nb3
{ Not only is the bishop hanging, but also the h6-knight and we have to go all the
way back to f8, which is rather passive. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qg3
7... h4
8. Qg4 Nc6
9. Nf3 Nh6
10. Qh5
it. }
11... b6
{ In order to boost our development, we are happy to sacrifice a pawn. } 12.
cxb6 Qxb6
{ Now, we have a couple of ideas. For example, it won't be bad to proceed
with ...Ba6, trade the bishop and prevent White from castling. Of course, the
fact that his queen is stuck on h5 isn't very appealing, either.
Additionally, ...Nb4 could be rather annoying. }
13. Nb3
{ White is looking to develop with Be3 without hanging the b2-pawn. His f1-bishop
can go to d3 or b5. }
13... Bd7
{ We want to go ...Nb4 and attack the c2-pawn, but without allowing for the rather
irritating check Bb5, which allows White to consolidate with tempo. To do that, we
are even happy to temporarily sacrifice that h6-knight! }
14. a3
{ An attempt to cover up the b4-square, which also makes sense, but now Black gets
a ton of counterplay with: }
14... a5
{ The threat of ....a5-a4 is very annoying, because not only can White no longer
develop his queenside without hanging the b2-pawn, but also, even if he doesn't
hang it, getting the knight pushed back again is very unappealing. For example,
after: }
15. Be2 a4 16. Nd2 Nd4 17. Bd3 O-O-O
{ White literally doesn't have any moves, while we are suddenly threatening
with ...Be8 and ...f7-f6 or ...f7-f5, trapping the white queen, and I don't believe
the is a defense against that. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "4.e5 5.Qg4 with 6.dxc5 - a decent, but inferior alternative"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qg3
7... h4
8. Qg4 Nc6
9. Nf3 Nh6
10. Qh5
it. }
11... b6
cxb6 Qxb6
{ Now, we have a couple idea. For example, it won't be bad to proceed with ...Ba6,
trade the bishop and prevent White from castling. Of course, the fact that his
queen is stuck on h5 isn't very appealing, either. Additionally, ...Nb4 could be
rather annoying. }
13. Nb3
13... Bd7
14. Bxh6 { Of course, White takes the hanging knight. } 14... Bf8
{ We are about to get the bishop back, but unfortunately, now the pawns on g4 and
h4 are no longer protected. }
15. Qxh4 Rxh6 16. Qxg4
{ White collected both pawns, however, this is not a big issue, as we win his
central pawn. }
16... Nxe5 { This is possible, but I don't want to allow for: } 17. Qg5
{ When the knight has to move again, and there isn't a great square yet. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qg3
7... h4
8. Qg4 Nc6
9. Nf3 Nh6
10. Qh5
it. }
11... b6
cxb6 Qxb6
rather annoying. }
13. Nb3
13... Bd7
central pawn. }
16... Rg6
{ First, we attack the queen, looking to put pressure on the g2-pawn and develop
the bishop to h6 to prevent long castling, or maybe to go ...Bg7 and capture on e5
with the bishop in order to create pressure on the long diagonal. White should give
up the e5-pawn, but it might seem tempting enough to try to hold on to it. }
17. Qd1 Nxe5
{ Black is about to follow up with ...Bh6 or ...Bg7, then ... Rc8 and ...Nc4. It's
not at all obvious how is White supposed to finish his development, as all of our
pieces are so incredibly active. For example, the f1-bishop cannot move as the g2-
pawn would hang, the b3-knight cannot move without the b2-pawn falling, potentially
...Nc4 Bxc4 dxc4! is a threat, forcing that knight to move away, when the b2-pawn
falls, the bishop on h6 or g7 would be incredibly powerful, etc. Despite being
two pawns down, Black is not only by no means worse, but he is even pushing for an
advantage, the opponent has to be incredibly careful. Interestingly, the engine
first greedily prefers White, who has a lot of extra pawns, but then starts
dropping the evaluation considerably, understanding Black's initiative is very
powerful. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qg3
7... h4
8. Qg4 Nc6
9. Nf3 Nh6
10. Qh5
it. }
11... b6
cxb6 Qxb6
rather annoying. }
13. Nb3
13... Bd7
central pawn. }
16... Rg6
with the bishop in order to create pressure on thel ong diagonal. White should give
17. Qe2
{ This is the ultimate greed. White hopes to keep all of his three(!) extra
pawns. }
17... a5
{ The threat of ...a5-a4 followed by winning the b2-pawn is not new to us. }
18. a4 { Let's suppose White tries to stop that. } 18... Nd4
{ We attack the knight and the queen, looking to take advantage of a cute tactic. }
19. Nxd4 Qxb2
{ And Black suddenly wins due to this double attack on the c3-knight and the a1-
rook. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qg3
7... h4
8. Qg4 Nc6
9. Nf3 Nh6
10. Qh5
it. }
11... b6
cxb6 Qxb6
rather annoying. }
13. Nb3
13... Bd7
central pawn. }
16... Rg6
with the bishop in order to create pressure on thel ong diagonal. White should give
17. Qe2
{ This is the ultimate greed. White hopes to keep all of his three(!) extra
pawns. }
17... a5
{ The threat of ...a5-a4 followed by winning the b2-pawn is not new to us. }
18. a4 { Let's suppose White tries to stop that. } 18... Nd4
{ We attack the knight and the queen, looking to take advantage of a cute tactic. }
19. Qd1 { This is a better way for White to go, but after: } 19... Nxb3 20.
cxb3 Bc5
{ Black has a tremendous amount of initiative. The f2-pawn is under attack, the b3-
pawn is under pressure, the g-file gives us a lot of ideas, White cannot finish his
development. This is by no means an attractive position for White! Among other
ideas, we are somewhat threatening ...Rg5!, adding even more pressure, now on that
e5-pawn. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Bb5+
{ Was also played in one game. This move doesn't make sense on its own, if White
just wants to trade the bishops, as it deprives Black of his worst piece and helps
him develop, but might make sense in connection with his next move. }
7... Bd7 8. Qe2
{ The point is that White's f1-bishop would have been blocked, had he not included
the check, but now it's not. But, we're able to trade this bishop now and achieve a
comfortable development. }
8... a6 { Black tries to impose a trade. } 9. Bd3
{ White keeps the bishop, but now it's not particularly well placed. } 9... Nc6
{ Black is increasing his pressure on the e5-pawn. } 10. h3
{ White needs this move in order to play Nf3 without running into ...g5-g4. }
10... Bxc5
{ Now that we provoked h2-h3 and made White waste time, it's a good idea to just
take the pawn. Now, Black is ready to play ...Nd4 whenever he needs. }
11. Nf3 { The g5-pawn is under pressure, but luckily, that's not a problem. }
11... Nd4 12. Nxd4 Bxd4
{ White is facing some problems, because castling short is very scary due to ...g5-
g4 coming and the files on the kingside opening up, while after: }
13. Bd2 Qc7
{ The e5-pawn falls, so that's also an issue for White to keep in mind. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Bb5+
{ Was also played in one game. This move doesn't make sense on its own, if White
just wants to trade the bishops, as it deprives Black of his worst piece and helps
him develop, but might make sense in connection with his next move. }
7... Bd7 8. Qe2
{ The point is that White's f1-bishop would have been blocked, had he not included
the check, but now it's not. But, we're able to trade this bishop now and achieve a
comfortable development. }
8... a6 { Black tries to impose a trade. } 9. Bxd7+ Nxd7
{ Now, Black is ready to grab the c5-pawn or put more pressure on the one on e5
with ...Qc7. }
10. b4 { White can try to hold on to the pawn, but this won't end very well. }
10... a5
{ Now, a2-a3 isn't possible due to the pin on the a-file, while after b4-b5 the c5-
pawn falls and the c-file is weakened: the c3-knight will be loose after ... Rc8,
and the c4-square is also an outpost. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qe2
downside. }
7... Bxc5
{ This is possible, but I would prefer to hold off a bit, looking to provoke a move
like Nf3 first. }
8. Nf3 g4 9. Nd2
{ is a bit annoying here, because the knight can come over to b3 and harass the
bishop. Now, the g4-pawn doesn't give White that much trouble. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qe2
downside. }
10. cxb6 axb6
11... Ba6 12. Nb5 Nd4
{ And White loses a piece. This tactic will be a backbone of our play in this
variation! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qe2
downside. }
10. cxb6 axb6
11... Ba6 12. Qd1 Bxf1 13. Nxf1 Nxe5
{ Of course, having won the central pawn back, Black is clearly better, as he owns
the entire center. Next, we'll just go ...Ng6 and ...Bf6!, installing the bishop
on the long diagonal. The king is perfectly safe in the center, but if needed, we
can easily castle short. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qe2
downside. }
10. cxb6 axb6
11. Nb3
11... Bb4
also ...d5-d4. }
12. Bd2 { White needs to unpin. } 12... Ba6 13. Qd1 Bxf1 14. Rxf1 Qc7
{ Taking the pawn with the knight was possible, but this Is even stronger, looking
to take the e5-pawn with the queen with check, causing White even more
inconvenience. Black gets the pawn back and is better due to superior coordination
- just look at that king on e1. What is this? }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qe2
downside. }
10. cxb6 axb6
11. Nb3
11... Bb4
also ...d5-d4. }
12. Bd2 { White needs to unpin. } 12... Ba6 13. Nb5 Bxb5
{ Now, White's pieces will end up very misplaced. } 14. Qxb5 Bxd2+ 15. Nxd2 Qc7
{ The e5-pawn will fall with check on the next turn. The c6-knight can be easily
protected with ...Nge7. Please note White cannot castle long here, as that hangs
the a2-pawn. Unfortunately, his position starts falling apart. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qe2
downside. }
7... Nc6 { First, we are waiting to provoke the move Nf3. } 8. h3
{ White needs to make sure to prevent ...g5-g4. This is the more Hari suggests for
White. }
8... Bxc5 9. Nf3
{ This results in trouble, since we can no longer go ...g5-g4, while after: }
9... Be7 10. Be3
{ Black is having a hard time finding good spots for his pieces. This is clearly
not good! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qe2
downside. }
White. }
8... b6
{ However, he only analyzes 8...Bxc5 , which gives White the time to develop and
restrict us. But, we'll instead sacrifice a pawn! }
9. cxb6 Qxb6
{ Now, White is facing issues with development. The c1-bishop cannot move without
White losing the b2-pawn, while we want to follow up with ...Nh6, ... Bd7
and ...Rb8, putting more pressure down the b-file and asking White how he is
planning on getting his pieces out. At this point, I believe, White should look to
trade queens. }
10. Nf3 Nh6
{ More or less forces White to play Qb5 anyway and transpose to 10.Qb5, since the
g5-pawn is untouchable, and otherwise, there isn't much of a way to get his pieces
out. }
11. Nxg5 Bxg5 12. Bxg5 Qxb2
{ This is a double attack on the a1-rook and the c3-knight, I am afraid things look
grim for White here. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qe2
downside. }
White. }
8... b6
9. cxb6 Qxb6
and . ..Rb8, putting more prssure down the b-file and asking White how he is
trade queens. }
10. Qb5 Rb8 { We want to make sure we get the rook to work on the b-file. } 11.
Qxb6 Rxb6 { Now, of course, we threaten to win the e5-pawn. } 12. Nf3 Nh6
{ Here, Black is ready to play ... g5-g4, either pushing the knight away, or
meeting hxg4 with ...Nxg4, when the h6-knight helps attacking the e5-pawn.
Remember, that c1-bishop cannot come out as the b2-pawn will be lost! }
13. Bxg5 { Technically speaking, this move is possible, but after: } 13... Nxe5
14. Nxe5 Bxg5
{ Black is dominating the board: the center is his, ...f7-f6 and ...e6-e5 can come
at any time, plus the b2-pawn is hanging, and on top of that, White cannot castle
long. Things went wrong for White! }
15. b3 Bf6 16. f4 Nf5
{ This makes it even worse, as now the e5-knight is pinned, the a1-h8 diagonal is
very weak and the g3 and e3-squares are available for the Black knight. The h8-rook
is also happy to enjoy the g-file. White is on a brink of collapsing. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qe2
downside. }
White. }
8... b6
9. cxb6 Qxb6
trade queens. }
13. Bxg5 { Technically speaking, this move is possible, but after: } 13... Nxe5
14. Bxe7 Nxf3+ 15. gxf3 Kxe7
{ This leaves White with an extra pawn, but since we have the much better pawn
structure, the center, outposts on f5 and f4 and White's f-pawns are rather weak, I
am happy to claim Black has full compensation. }
16. O-O-O Nf5
{ With ... Nh4 coming, it's hardly possible to imagine White would enjoy his extra
pawn. Our king is much better, too. If the rooks were to disappear right now, it
would go to f6 and then run to h4 or f4, scooping up White's pawns. Black is doing
perfectly fine. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
3... Be7
4. e5
4... c5
5. Qg4
5... g5
6. dxc5
6... h5
out. }
7. Qe2
downside. }
White. }
8... b6
9. cxb6 Qxb6
trade queens. }
13. b3 { White needs to alleviate some of the pressure down the b-file. } 13...
Bb4
{ Another piece comes out with a tempo. Please note White is forced to go Bd2, as
developing it to b2 runs into ... d5-d4, which would cost him a piece. }
14. Bd2 g4
{ The idea I had mentioned before comes in play: if the white knight leaves, the
e5-pawn falls, while after: }
15. hxg4 Nxg4 { The e5-pawn will fall anyway. } 16. Na4
{ With the idea to trade the bishops and install the knight on c5. } 16...
Bxd2+ 17. Nxd2 Rb8
{ White can claim a small edge, at least according to the computer, but I think
this endgame is perfectly playable: the e5-pawn is very weak, while trying to
defend it with f2-f4 runs into ideas like ...Nb4 or ...Ne3. Black's only problem
is his somewhat weak h-pawn, but piece activity and pressure on the e5-pawn, down
the c-file and potentially g-file seem to be perfectly making up for it, I would
happily play this with Black. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "11) 3.Nc3 - Model Games"]
[Black "Pikula, Dejan vs. Stojanovic, Mihajlo"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bb5+

{ This move is aimed at provoking ...Nbd7 or ...Bd7, which are rather passive
moves: the knight might want to go to c6, while the bishop on d7 is blocking the
square and prevents the queen from attacking d4. No worries. 5.Bd3 c5 is how
the position in the game normally arises. }
5... c6 6. Bd3 c5 { Now, the game transposes to the normal line 5.Bd3 c5. } 7.
exd5 exd5 8. dxc5 O-O
{ As we discussed in the theoretical chapter, Black is interested in taking on c5
with the knight rather than the bishop. So, first he castles, and then captures it
with ...Nbd7-c5. The knight on c5 is very active: not only does it attack the d3-
bishop, but also, both knights control the e4-square. Black is ready to
play ...Bg4, ...Rc8, ...Re8 and enjoy the standard IQP activity. Except for, as it
is known, it's better for the side that has an IQP when the opponent has a c-pawn
rather than an e-pawn, because the f2-pawn can be put under a lot more pressure. }
9. O-O Nbd7 10. Bf5
{ White plays this move in order to meet ...Nxc5 by trading the bishops, as it's
known the side fighting the IQP wants to be trading the minor pieces. }
10... Nxc5 11. Bxc8 Rxc8 12. Be3 Re8
{ Meanwhile, Black remains calm and keeps improving the position, activating both
rooks. }
13. Bd4 a6
{ This move is aimed at taking the b5-square under control. Next, Black would maybe
like to put the f-knight on e4 and the other one on e6 to control the f4 and d4-
squares. }
14. Re1 Nfe4 15. Ne2
{ White is trying to reinforce his ability to control the d4-square, while also
preparing c2-c3. }
15... Ne6 16. Be3 Nd6
{ An ambitious pawn sacrifice. The knight is looking to come to c4, regardless of
the fact this idea gives up the d5-pawn. }
17. c3
{ White refuses to accept the sacrifice. 17.Qxd5 Nc4! counterattacks the e3-
bishop and the b2-pawn, while also forcing a queen trade that activates the e8-
rook. 18.Qxd8 Rexd8 19.Bc1 Bf6 clearly looks like a terrific amount of
compensation for Black, even though a pawn is still a pawn. 20.c3 Nc5! the
knight is coming to d3. This does look very decent for Black. }
17... Nc4 18. Bc1 Bf6
{ Now, Black gets an amazing amount of control over the d4-square, and the White
queenside is really hard to develop. }
19. b3
{ White kicks the knight out, but that comes at a cost of weakening the c3-pawn. }
19... Nd6
{ I appreciate Black's determination to sacrifice a pawn, but it's definitely not
something he absolutely needed to do to retain his initiative. 19...Ne5! seems
like an easier and stronger continuation. For instance, after 20.Nxe5 Bxe5
21.Bb2 b5 With ...b5-b4, ...Qf6, etc on cards, the c3-pawn is at least as weak as
the one on d5. Plus, of course, all Black's minor pieces are a lot more active.
Look at that b2-bishop! }
20. Qxd5 Nb5 { Now, the c3-pawn is hanging. } 21. Qxd8 Rexd8 22. Bb2 Nc5
{ The knight is coming to d3 and is about to put pressure on the b2-bishop. Of
course, if that bishop is traded or disappears, the c3-pawn is guaranteed to become
a lot weaker, too. }
23. a4 Nd6
{ The c5-knight is about to land on d3, while the one on d6 can jump on e4. Plus,
of course, the poor b3-pawn is also hanging. }
24. Nfd4
{ 24.b4? Nd3 attacks both the e1-rook and the b2-bishop and leads to a nearly
decisive initiative. 25.Reb1 Ne4-+ I have no idea how to unravel White's
queenside here. 24.Nc1□ was the only move, but after 24...Nce4 Black is
putting even more pressure on the c3-pawn, which became weaker after the e2-knight
disappeared. Okay, perhaps White could ask for a repetition like 25.Ne2 when
Black can either play ... Nc5 and repeat, or take the pawn back. 25...Nxc3
26.Nxc3 Bxc3 27.Bxc3 Rxc3 with a roughly equal endgame. }
24... Nd3 { Now, things are starting to fall apart. } 25. Reb1 Ne4
{ The threat of ...Nxb2 and ... Nxc3 cannot be stopped, so Black is guaranteed a
nearly winning endgame with the much more active pieces. }
26. f3
{ This allows for a cute tactic and puts a decisive nail into White's coffin. }
26... Nxc3 27. Bxc3 Rxc3 28. Nxc3 Bxd4+ 29. Kf1 Bxc3
{ Black got two pieces for a rook, and is, of course, completely winning. } 30.
Ra2 Nb4 31. Re2 Kf8
{ The king is starting to get into the game, preventing the rook from invading on
e7. }
32. Rc1 Rd3 33. Re4 a5
{ Black overprotects the b4-knight and is ready to make an escape square, move the
c3-bishop and start looking to win the b3-pawn. }
34. g3 Rxf3+ { Black's rook ends up a bit harassed now, but a pawn is a pawn. }
35. Ke2 Rd3 36. Rc4 Rd2+ 37. Kf3 Be5
{ There isn't a way for White to create any counterplay, of course. } 38. Rc8+
Ke7 39. Re1 Kf6 40. Re8 Nc6
{ And here White finally resigned, which was quite well-timed, as he is about to
start dropping the pawns: h2 is about to fall, the b3-pawn is weak, etc. What are
our conclusions? 1) A reminder: it's much better to play the IQP position when
the opponent has a c-pawn rather than an e-pawn, as f2 is easier to put pressure
on. 2) We want to keep a knight on c5, as opposed to capturing on c5 with the
bishop. 3) In such positions, White's queenside can easily wind up under a lot of
pressure, especially when the knight comes to c4. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Shubin, Kirill vs. Demidov, Mikhail"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. e5
{ White locks up the center, but given the knight is already on f3, the Qg4 ideas
are non-existent, so it'll be mostly a positional fight. }
5... Nfd7 { Black is ready to blow up the center with ...c7-c5. } 6. Ne2
{ White makes this move for a few reasons: for one, he is getting ready to
meet ...c7-c5 with c2-c3. Secondly, the knight is looking to move over to f4 or g3
in order to help White build a kingside attack. }
6... c5 7. c3 b5
{ Black makes this ambitious move, looking to grab a lot of space on the queenside,
and getting ready to either play ...b5-b4, or lock the flank up with ...c5-c4
first. 7...Qa5 is the new opening idea I recommend in the theoretical part,
threatening to take on d4 and preventing White from recapturing with his c-pawn, as
it's pinned now. }
8. Nf4 b4
{ The black bishop is ready to come to a6, which is one of the most typical ideas
in our French repertoire. }
9. Bd3 Ba6
{ White's bishop is his key attacking piece, so we trade it. And, of course, our
c8-bishop was our worst piece, so it's a huge strategic accomplishment. }
10. Bxa6 Nxa6
{ Now, the black knight might seem somewhat misplaced, but the huge long-term
achievement was well worth it. Plus, the knight can easily get re-routed, for
example by means of ...Nb8-c6, especially if the position gets locked up
after ...c5-c4. }
11. O-O bxc3 12. bxc3 Nb6
{ Having traded on c3, Black opened the b-file and got himself an impressive
outpost on c4. However, he cannot go there yet, as that move would allows Qa4+,
which would win the a6-knight. }
13. Nd2
{ White's desire to cover up the c4-square is understandable. He also gets to bring
the queen on g4 or h5, but I don't like this knight move: there aren't enough
pieces on the kingside for a meaningful attack to happen, and the c1-bishop is now
one very unexcited piece. }
13... g6
{ I don't think there was much need for this move, but Black's desire to cover the
h5-square to prevent both Qh5 and Nh5 is understandable. }
14. a4 cxd4 15. cxd4 Nb4
{ I don't like this, as Black allows the opponent to play a4-a5 and grab space,
following with Qa4. 15...Rc8! 16.a5 Nc4 would have been a lot stronger,
because Black would have been able to recapture on c4 with the rook and retain the
robust pawn structure. }
16. a5 Nc4 17. Nf3
{ White does not take advantage of the opportunity to spoil Black's pawn structure
- likely, he was afraid he wouldn't win the c-pawn, in which case it could become a
passed pawn. However, now he has no play on the kingside, and the Black pieces
start dominating on the other flank. Plus, of course, White just drops the a5-pawn.
It's not entirely obvious to me why he decided to go down this route. 17.Nxc4!
dxc4 18.Qa4+ would have been very unpleasant, as the c-pawn becomes rather weak.
18...Qd7 19.Bd2 Black does not seem ready to defend the c4-pawn, so this
queenside play was premature. }
17... Nxa5 18. Bd2 Nac6
{ Now, Black is just a pawn up. Of course, ...a7-a5 is a natural follow up. Then,
it's not easy to advance the pawn further, but once more pieces get traded, it just
queens. }
19. Qa4 O-O 20. Nh3
{ It seems weird to me that the knight wants to go here. I guess Bh6 is now
possible, but so what? White's queen is on a4, anyway! }
20... Qb6 21. Be3 a6
{ Black puts the pawn here, instead of the more natural square on a5, in order to
control b5 and prepare ...Qb5. }
22. Rfc1 Rfc8 23. Qd1 Qb5
{ The queen is ready to jump to d3 to impose the queen trade. } 24. Nfg5
{ White is desperately trying to create chances on the kingside, but there aren't
enough pieces there for that to happen. }
24... Qd3 25. Qg4
{ White, naturally, tries to avoid a trade, but there is no attack on the kingside,
period. }
25... h5 26. Qg3 Qf5
{ Black refuses to take the d4-pawn, which is a decent decision in terms of keeping
him in control, but he could have chosen an even more forcing route. 26...Nxd4!
was very strong, too. The threat, of course, is ...Ne2, while after 27.Bxd4 Rxc1+
of course, trading even more makes a lot of sense. 28.Rxc1 Qxd4 the only forcing
move is 29.Nxe6 but Black doesn't need to accept this one, allowing White to
capture on g6 with the queen. 29...Qg4! The knight on e6 is still hanging, so
White has to move it, but after the forced 30.Neg5 Qxg3 31.hxg3 a5 the pawn
will easily queen. ...a5-a4-a3-a2 is just unstoppable. Also, look at those awful
knights! }
27. f3 Nc2
{ White finally resigned, as this is a fork on that a1-rook and the e3-bishop. It
really is a weird game, as White just instantly collapsed, having given up his a-
pawn for no reason. But, while it does look this way, I still wanted to show it to
you. Why so? Well, this was a 2375 FM with the white pieces, and as you can see,
White could not find a meaningful plan! Naturally, it's not unreasonable to have an
expectation your opponents might find themselves in a similarly awkward situation.
Of course, also, keep in mind the key idea of ...Ba6, trading our worst piece for
his best. And, as you can see, advancing our queenside pawns gifted us an outpost
on c4, which was great, too. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Cubas, Jose Fernando vs. Dias, Paulo Jorge Guimara"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bd3

{ Again, White keeps tension in the center, and an IQP position is aobut to
arise. }
5... c5 6. exd5 exd5 7. dxc5 O-O
{ Reminder: of course, we will capture on c5 with the knight, not bishop. } 8.
Bg5 Nbd7 9. O-O Nxc5
{ The f-knight typically wants to go to e4 here, while the one on c5 finds a very
comfortable spot on e6. But only after the light-squared bishop comes out to g4. Of
course, the rooks come to the semi-open c and e-files. }
10. Re1 Be6
{ 10...Bg4 seems to be a more active move. However, with the pieces placed as they
are, it would have allowed for a very interesting sacrifice, which Black - rightly
so, in my opinion - decided to avoid. 11.Rxe7! Qxe7 12.Nxd5 For the sacrificed
exchange, White not only wins a pawn, but also, he gets to spoil our pawn structure
on the kingside. 12...Qd8 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.c4 with the knight being so stable
and gorgeous on d5, I'd rather not be Black here, even though his position should
be objectively okay, as there aren't enough pieces to build an attack, we can trade
a lot here. 14...Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Nxd3 16.Qxd3 Re8 however, since the extra
exchange isn't meaningful or useful at the moment, White's position is a lot more
comfortable to play. }
11. Nd4 h6
{ While trading pieces is not supposed to be beneficial to us, we'd definitely take
that dark-squared bishop, as in the event of Bxf6 Bxf6, our bishop will be very
powerful on the a1-h8 diagonal. }
12. Bh4
{ Of course, White is not interested in trading the bishop on f6. However, Black
just got a free escape square. 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Nce2 Qb6 and Black enjoys a
lot of pressure on the d4-square, down the a1-h8 diagonal, on the b2-pawn, and so
on, while the IQP is not weak at all. }
12... Qb6
{ Black develops the queen on an active square, putting pressure on the d4-knight
and the b2-pawn. }
13. Nf5 Bd8
{ Of course, there is no need to be scared of that move. Now, Black is ready to
jump with the f6-knight to e4 and threaten the f5-knight. The b2-pawn is still
under pressure. }
14. Rb1
{ White, naturally, tries to protect the pawn, but this idea lands him in hot
waters. }
14... Nxd3 15. Qxd3 Ne4
{ Now, the f5-knight is in trouble. Of course, it cannot move as then the h4-bishop
would be hanging. }
16. Nxd5
{ 16.Nxe4? dxe4 17.Qxe4?? Bxf5 18.Qxf5 18...Bxh4 ends up winning Black a
piece. }
16... Bxd5 17. Qxd5 Bxh4
{ Now, having eliminated the h4-bishop, which was protecting the f2-pawn, Black is
directly threatening it with his queen and knight. }
18. Rxe4 Rad8
{ Black could take on f2 right away, but he reasonably states there is no reason
not to include the rook in the game first. }
19. Qe5 Qxf2+ 20. Kh1 Bf6
{ Black is clearly better here, as his king is safer than its White counterpart,
plus the bishop is considerably stronger than the knight, because the board is very
open. }
21. Qf4
{ 21.Re2! was necessary, protecting the c2-pawn. 21...Bxe5 22.Rxf2 Black is
better here, but White can definitely resist. }
21... Rd2
{ 21...Qxc2! would have been possible, too. Importantly, some tricks like Nxh6+
aren't possible at all, as White's b1-rook is hanging, and ideas like ...Rd1 are
also always around the corner. }
22. Ne7+
{ White manages to get to trade the minor pieces, but as a result, Black ends up
dominating the rook endgame. }
22... Bxe7 23. Qxf2 Rxf2 24. Rxe7 Rd8
{ Now, Black doubles on the second rank. } 25. Rxb7 Rdd2 26. Rg1 Rxc2 27. Rxa7
Rxb2
{ Of course, this position should still be drawish, because even though Black is
about to win the a-pawn, the resulting 3 vs 2 rook endgame with one pair of rooks
should be an easy draw. But, that's not how the game ended. }
28. a4 Ra2 29. h3 Kh7 30. Kh2 Kg6
{ Black is in no rush. Before trying to win the a-pawn, which is not going
anywhere, he activates the king. }
31. a5 Kh5 32. Kg3
{ There was no need to move the king out, as activating it does not help White
actually, and in fact, helps Black gain time and build kingside initiative, as
now ...f5-f4 comes with a tempo. }
32... g5 33. Ra6 f5 { Now, ...f5-f4 cannot be prevented. } 34. Kh2 f4
{ Now, ...f4-f3 is coming, which is about to be a huge problem, as the g2-pawn is
pinned. }
35. Kh1 Rfb2
{ 35...f3?? might seem like a tempting move, as it's not possible to capture due
to ...Rh2 checkmate, but it turns out a HUGE blunder: 36.g4+! Kh4 37.Rxh6 oops!
Checkmate! }
36. Rc6 Rxa5
{ Okay, now the a5-pawn has fallen, but Black managed to keep both rooks on the
board, which is a large achievement since White's king is rather weak. With one
pair of rooks, the endgame is an easy draw, but with both rooks alive, the White
monarch is always in danger. }
37. Rd1 Ra3 38. h4
{ White tries to reduce the number of pawns, claiming that taking on h4 with the
king loses the h6-pawn, while taking with the pawn spoils the structure. But it's a
huge blunder! }
38... Raa2
{ Black misses an opportunity to win on the spot. 38...Rg3! would have won on
the spot, the key idea being 39.Rg1 Rg4-+ and ...Rh4 checkmate is unstoppable. }
39. hxg5 hxg5 40. Rg1 g4 { Now, ...f4-f3 is again a very annoying threat. } 41.
Re1
{ White tries to escape that threat by looking to go all-in, activating the rook
and dropping the g2-pawn, but this leads to a disaster. }
41... Kh4 { The king easily hides on g3, of course. } 42. Rh6+
{ 42.Rg1 Kg3! 43.Rc3+ Kf2! and now White cannot stop the transfer of one of the
rooks to the h-file, when White's king inevitably gets mated! }
42... Kg3 43. Rg1 Ra5
{ 43...Rxg2?? seems like an easy forced win, but it's a huge mistake. 44.Rxg2+
Rxg2 45.Rh3+! And White manages to stalemate himself. }
44. Rc1 Rba2
{ Black patiently improves the position, avoiding the stalemate. Now, ...Ra1 is
always one of the threats, as White's king is in a mating net. }
45. Rh7 Ra1 46. Rc7 R5a2
{ Now, the threat is to trade the rooks and take on g2, or to simply trade and play
...f4-f3, getting a basic winning rook endgame. }
47. Rc2 f3 48. gxf3 gxf3 49. Kg1 Rxc2 50. Rxa1 Rg2+ 51. Kh1 Rh2+
{ Of course, the rest is obvious: ...f2+ and ...Rh1+ is a standard win. As we can
see, again, Black was able to get very active piece placement in the middlegame,
and once White lost the initiative by going Rb1?, the loose pieces on h4 and f5
resulted in White quickly getting a very difficult endgame. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Christiansen, Johan Sebastian vs. Short, Nigel D"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. e5
{ For sure, this is the most principled move. White is looking to play Qg4 and
harass our kingside, playing in the sharpest way possible, potentially allowing his
center to get ruined. }
4... c5
{ We are immediately counterattacking the center. It's crucial to realize White is
not able to play both Nf3 and f2-f4, so he cannot easily defend both the d4- and
e5-squares and pawns. }
5. Qg4 g5
{ 5...Kf8 is a perfectly decent move, but as you know, in this repertoire, we
analyze this cheeky space-grabbing move, aimed at playing ...h7-h5 and ... Nh6,
occupying the entire kingside. }
6. dxc5 h5 { Black grabs even more space, pushing White's queen back. } 7. Qg3
Nc6
{ Prior to taking the c5-pawn, Black is looking to also attack the e5-pawn.
Possibly, he can follow up with ...Nh6-f5 next. Please note White cannot easily
play Nf3, as that knight would always get kicked around with ...g5-g4, so if he
really wants to get the knight there, he needs to first play h2-h3. }
8. Bb5
{ The bishop does not belong here, as taking on c6 only improves Black's pawn
structure and provides him with an amazing unmatched light-squared bishop that can
go to the f1-a6 diagonal. }
8... Nh6
{ The knight is coming to f5. This is one of the reasons the bishop maybe should
have gone to d3 so that the knight could be captured. }
9. Nge2 Nf5 { Now, the queen gets really uncomfortable. } 10. Qd3 Bxc5
{ Black has more space both on the kingside and in the center, the white pieces
lack room, the queen already moved multiple times. Black is clearly better! }
11. Ng3 a6
{ I think it was possible to keep even more tension on the kingside, but the path
Short chooses also makes a lot of sense, as he gets the unmatched light-squared
bishop. 11...Nh4!? would have been even stronger, keeping the knights and
putting some very uncomfortable pressure on that g2-pawn. 12.O-O Ng6 Now, Black
is ready to not only pressure the e5-pawn even more, but also advance the kingside
pawns. He can easily play ...Bd7, move the queen out and castle long, following
with a direct attack on the White king. }
12. Bxc6+ bxc6 13. Nxf5 exf5
{ Black's pawn majority on the kingside looks rather promising, too. } 14. h4
{ White is looking to break up the pawns. } 14... gxh4
{ Now, Black has two pairs of doubled pawns. However, while it does look ugly, he
also is a pawn up, and enjoys the g-file for the rook, which can put a lot of
pressure on the g2-pawn. 14...g4? 15.Bg5 would be a positional dream for White,
as now he gets a fantastic control of all the dark squares. }
15. Be3 Bxe3 16. fxe3
{ White managed to deprive the opponent of the bishop pair and get better control
of the dark squares, especially f4, which is now an outpost, but as a result, he
also had to spoil his pawn structure. 16.Qxe3?? 16...d4 is a big problem. }
16... Rg8
{ Of course, counterattacking the g2-pawn makes a lot of sense. The rook can come
to g4 if needed in order to support the h4-pawn. }
17. O-O-O Rxg2
{ White chooses to sacrifice one more pawn. I'll take them all, says the British
GM. }
18. Kb1
{ 18.Ne2! Sooner or later, the knight needed to come to the gorgeous outpost on
f4, in which case the game would have remained rather unclear. }
18... a5
{ Now, the black bishop gets enough time to come to a6. As a result, Ne2-f4 is no
longer possible. }
19. Qd4
{ 19.Ne2?? Ba6 and Black wins a piece, as the e2-knight is attacked twice. }
19... Rg4 20. Qc5 Bd7
{ The c6-pawn is not hard to defend. Black is about to trade queens with ...Qe7 and
get a winning endgame with a bunch of extra pawns. Sure enough, those aren't the
prettiest pawns I've ever seen, but they are free and extra! }
21. Qd6 Qe7
{ The aforementioned queen trade comes about. Now, White either accepts a grim
endgame, or also drops the e5-pawn. }
22. Qh6 Qxe5 23. Qxh5 Rb8
{ The centralized queen on e5 is absolutely gorgeous. Of course, now ...Qxc3 is a
threat. Not only are there direct threats, but the white king shouldn't be feeling
great overall, since White's queen is so far away and cannot return, so
essentially, there are no defenders. }
24. Rd4
{ White drops even more pawns to stop the direct assault on his king, but there is
no escape. 24.Ka1?? stops Qc3, but also loses on the spot due to the pretty
tactic 24...Rxb2! 25.Kxb2 Rb4+ 26.Kc1 Qxc3 and Black's attack is decisive, as
ideas like ...Rb2 or ...Qa1 are around the corner. Please note how useless White's
queen is! }
24... Rxd4
{ 24...Ke7! would have been even stronger, threatening ... Rh8! to trap the White
queen. However, Black had to calculate a rather difficult and unnatural variation
25.Rxg4 Qxc3! 26.Qxh4+ 26...Ke6 27.Qh6+ f6 28.b3 fxg4 and the game is over.
It's understandable that not only can such a tricky idea be missed, but also, there
is no need to complicate matters in a technically winning position where
simplifications are around the corner. }
25. exd4 Qxd4 26. Rxh4 Qg1+ 27. Nd1 Be6
{ Black's king is perfectly safe, while White is experiencing issues on the first
rank. And, of course, he is three pawns down :) }
28. Rh1 Qb6 29. b3 a4
{ And, of course, the assault on his king is not stopping. } 30. Nb2 axb3 31.
axb3 Kd7 32. Nd3 Ra8
{ Now, the queen is also coming to the a-file. White king's days are numbered. }
33. Rh4 Qa7 34. Kc1 Qg1+ 35. Kd2 Rg8
{ Having dragged the king away from the queenside into the center, Black re-routes
the rook to finish it off. }
36. Ra4 d4
{ With the queen coming to e3 and the king not able to escape via c3, it is over. }
37. Ne5+ Kd6 38. Nf3 Qe3+
{ 38...Rg2+ 39.Kd3 Qe3 would have been a faster checkmate, but it doesn't
matter. }
39. Kd1 Bd5 40. Rxd4 Rg1+ { And White resigned, as after: } 41. Nxg1 Qxd4+ 42.
Ke2 Qxg1
{ The resistance is pointless. This was definitely a fascinating and creative game.
As you can see, our setup with ... g7-g5 can easily confuse strong GMs - the White
player became a 2600 GM in a year and eliminated superGM Wojtaczek from the World
Cup with a score of 2-0. To summarize, White ended up being pushed back on the
kingside, did not find a way to hold his center together and got a considerably
inferior position. He was able to sacrifice a pawn and make the game a bit more
unclear, but Black could have prevented that by not allowing Bxc6 and Nxf5, which
created that pawn structure. The white players do not know how to handle this
system, of course, because there is less than a dozen games that ever featured
it! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "Mishra, Abhimanyu vs. Matsenko, Sergei"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7
{ Facing a very talented kid, who two years later went on to become the youngest GM
in history, the experienced Russian GM Matsenko chooses a variation where his 10-
year-old opponent is not likely to be booked up. }
4. e5 c5 5. Qg4
{ Typical of the French with the pawn on e5, White's queen is looking to attack the
g7-pawn, which got weakened due to absence of the f8-bishop }
5... g5
{ Of course, as we know, ...h7-h5 and ...Nh6-f5 are on the way, pushing the
ambitious white queen back. 5...Kf8 is a quiet positional variation, which you
are very welcome to analyze on your own. }
6. Be3
{ White makes a rather natural move, which protects his d4-pawn, and immediately
ends up in a lot of trouble. }
6... h5 7. Qf3 Nc6
{ While this move also gives Black a very beneficial position, I think it would
have made more sense to take on d4 first for reasons explained below. 7...cxd4!
8.Bxd4 Nc6 would have been even stronger, luring the bishop on a very unfavorable
d4-square. The problem is that it cannot retreat, as the e5-pawn would be lost,
while after 9.O-O-O Nxd4 10.Rxd4 Bd7∓ Black has a fantastic position. The
bishop pair, more space on the kingside, White's kingside pieces cannot come out
easily, and we get the choices like castling long and playing it safe, or
going ...Rc8 and ...Qa5 to attack White's queenside, or even ...f7-f6, undermining
the e5-pawn and trying to take over the center. }
8. Bb5
{ However, White does not use the presented opportunity to capture on c5 and ends
up not only with a bishop on d4, which is very misplaced there but also with a
bishop on b5, where it does not belong at all, either. }
8... cxd4 9. Bxd4 a6
{ Of course, the bishop cannot retreat, as the one on d4 will be lost. } 10.
Bxc6+ bxc6
{ Now, Black gets the bishop pair, a mobile pawn majority in the center: ...c6-
c5, ...Bb7, ...d5-d4, etc are about to give Black even more space and push the
White pieces back. Of course, the b-file does not hurt either, especially if White
castles long. }
11. Qe3
{ The queen goes here to prevent ...c6-c5, while also potentially allowing the g1-
knight to come out to e2. Does not help, sorry! }
11... Nh6
{ Now, the knight is coming to the desirable f5-square with a tempo. } 12. Bb6
Qd7 { Of course, there was no need to hang the queen. } 13. Nce2 Qb7
{ Now, ... Rb8 and ...Nf5 are real threats, since once the b6-bishop is forced to
leave, the b2-pawn would hang. White is already completely lost. }
14. Qb3 c5
{ Black chooses to slowly improve the position, advancing the central pawns, but
there was a more direct path. 14...Rb8 15.Be3 Qc7! would have won instantly,
as now the b2 and e5-pawns are both under attack, while 16.Qc3?? Bb4! loses
White a queen. }
15. Ba5 Nf5 16. Qxb7 Bxb7
{ Now, White managed to avoid a direct execution... just to get to a lost
endgame :) }
17. Nf3 d4
{ The b7-bishop is absolutely gorgeous. Also, ... g5-g4 is a threat, kicking out
the f3-knight and winning the g2-pawn. }
18. O-O-O g4 19. Ne1 Nh4
{ The pawn might not be getting lost right away, but the White pieces are forced to
occupy some very unfavorable and passive positions. }
20. Rg1 Rc8
{ Black improves the position of his rook. Now, the next target might be the e5-
pawn, which can be attacked with ...Ng6, or even with ... Bf8-g7. }
21. Kb1 Be4
{ The bishop comes to a more active square as well, which makes perfect sense. }
22. Ka1 Ng6 { The e5-pawn is in a lot of trouble. } 23. c3
{ White counterattacks the d4-pawn, but the problem is that the game opens up even
more, which is good for Black for two reasons: not only are his pieces better
mobilized and are able to do even more as the pawn obstacles disappear, but also,
he has the bishop pair, which really enjoys open diagonals. 23.f4 would have
held the pawn, but after 23...f6! 24.exf6 Bxf6∓ the white pieces literally can
hardly move. Next, Black can try to restrict the opponent's mobility even more with
...h5-h4, maybe play ...Ne7-d5 and ...Rf8 to attack the f4-pawn. }
23... Nxe5 24. cxd4 cxd4 25. Nxd4 Nc6
{ Black trades a pair of knights, which makes sense, given the White one seems to
be his only centralized and decent piece, but there was an even better path.
25...O-O ! seems even stronger, preparing ...Nc4, activating the knight and
kicking the a5-bishop out, and following up with ... Rfd8 and ...e6-e5, starting to
run that extra central pawn. Look at the e1-knight and the g1-rook! This is
awful. }
26. Nxc6 Rxc6 27. f3 Bd5 28. Bc3 Rg8
{ Of course, Black's rook would greatly enjoy the g-file. } 29. Nd3 Rc4
{ Black keeps increasing the pressure. Now, the rook might come over to h4
after ...gxf3, threatening that poor h2-pawn. 29...gxf3 seems tempting and would
have been strong, but wouldn't have won a pawn, as 30.gxf3 Rxg1 31.Rxg1 Bxf3??
blunders a tactic 32.Rg8+ Kd7 33.Ne5+ with a triple fork on the king, the c6-
rook and the f3-bishop. Be careful! }
30. f4 g3
{ The g2-pawn is fixed as a target for the bishop and the g8-rook, which forces
White's g1-rook to stay on a leash defending it. }
31. hxg3 Rxg3 32. f5 Rxg2
{ Finally, the positional pressure gets converted into material gains. } 33.
Rxg2 Bxg2 34. fxe6 fxe6 35. Ne5 Re4
{ And soon enough, Black went on to convert his advantage. Supposedly, the h-pawn
should queen without much trouble, as Black's bishops control the entire board, and
in such circumstances, the further the pawn is away from the center, the easier it
is to queen it. }
36. Rg1 Re2 37. Nd3 Bd6 38. Bf6 Bg3 39. Nc1 Re1 40. Rxe1 Bxe1
{ The rook trade kills the very last hopes for counterplay. } 41. Nd3 Bg3 42.
Nc5 Kf7 43. Bd4 h4 44. Nxa6 h3 45. Bg1 h2 46. Bxh2 Bxh2
{ And shortly after, White resigned. What went wrong for him in this game? Well,
pretty much everything: after 6.Be3, the center just collapsed and White was lost
right away! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "12) The 3.Bd3 French"]
[Black "3...c5 - an interesting alternative to explore on your own"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bd3
{ This is a rather interesting sideline, which I actually used myself as White many
times and taught to a lot of students. The problem with this variation for Black is
that it's not particularly possible to get a good pawn chain type of position, so
we'll need to settle for a more open game, which is psychologically uncomfortable
for a lot of French players. White's goal is to recapture on e4 with the bishop
and keep it on the h1-a8 diagonal in order to put pressure on the b7-pawn and
prevent Black from easily developing his light-squared bishop. }
3... c5 4. exd5 exd5
{ Is a very decent variation for Black, and this position could also arise after
3.exd5 exd5 4.Bd3 c5 . However, while we do get some IQP positions in this
repertoire, in particular after
3.Nc3 Be7 4.Nf3 , we mostly tend not to go for them, so I decided not to
recommend this approach. But, perhaps it's the easiest one, so if you don't mind
more IQP positions, by all means, explore it! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "3...Nf6 - what NOT to do"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bd3
3... Nf6 { Is not a good continuation here, because after_ } 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Ne2
c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. a3 Qb6 8. b4 cxd4 9. cxd4
{ White manages to stabilize the center, which is obviously not great news for
Black: as we know, in this pawn structure, White holds the long-term advantage, but
lacks time, which normally allows us to either ruin his structure or trade the
light-squared bishop. However, if Black fails to achieve those things, he just
tends to be worse, and here, White is ready to play Bb2 or Be3, and the d4-pawn is
not hanging. }
9... Nxd4 10. Be3 { And White wins a piece. Don't play this way! } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Nc3 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bd3
3... dxe4 { The main line, and the safest move, I believe. } 4. Bxe4 Nf6
{ Black wins time by attacking the bishop. } 5. Bf3
{ Of course, the bishop wants to stay on the h1-a8 diagonal. } 5... Bd6
{ I think this is the simplest way to solve Black's problems. The goal is to
eventually prepare ...e6-e5 and free up the c8-bishop, while also liquidating the
d4-pawn. Now, most people kept developing with Ne2, but we also need to consider
other moves. }
6. Nc3
{ Can also be played, this move has been tried by the Ukrainian GM Onischuk, who is
a large expert on the 3. Bd3 variation, with the idea of following up with Nb5 to
get the bishop pair. }
6... O-O 7. Nb5
{ However, Black has more than one good continuation here. I'd like to suggest a
novelty aimed at proving that lead in development matters. }
7... e5
{ Black doesn't mind giving up the bishop pair, as long as the board opens up, as
White is nowhere close to castling. }
8. Nxd6 Qxd6
{ Now, ...Rd8 and ... Nc6 are about to put more pressure on White's center. }
9. dxe5 Qxe5+
{ White cannot block with the c1-bishop as the b2-pawn would hang. } 10. Ne2
Nc6
{ Black keeps developing, now he wants to continue with ...Bg4 and ...Rad8.
Additionally, even ...Rd8 now can prove very annoying, as the white queen is nearly
trapped! }
11. O-O Rd8 12. Qe1 Bg4
{ With this much activity, it's hard to believe Black has any problems - likely,
quite the opposite. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Ne2 - N1 - winning the bishop"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bd3
other moves. }
6. Ne2 { This is White's most popular and natural continuation. } 6... O-O 7.
O-O Nbd7 { ...e6-e5 is around the corner. } 8. c4
{ This can also be played to grab space, but after: } 8... e5 9. d5 e4
{ Suddenly traps White's bishop! } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Ne2 - N3 - getting a better endgame"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bd3
other moves. }
O-O Nbd7 { ...e6-e5 is around the corner. } 8. c4
{ This can also be played to grab space, but after: } 8... e5 9. Nbc3 Re8
{ Black is very comfortable. If White captures on e5, he'll be even somewhat worse,
as the move c2-c4 weakened the queenside, in particular, the squares on d4 and d3,
while Black hadn't weakened his position at all and can go ...c7-c6 whenever needed
to cover the d5-square. For example, one GM-level game saw misplay this right away.
}
10. Bg5 h6 11. Bxf6 Nxf6 12. dxe5 Bxe5 13. Qxd8 Rxd8
{ And Black got a large positional advantage in the endgame due to the bishop pair.
Next, he needs to go ...c7-c6 to restrict the f3-bishop and the c3-knight, so that
he can easily develop the c8-bishop without hanging the b7-pawn and look to outplay
White later on with the bishop pair. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Ne2 - N4 "]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bd3
other moves. }
O-O Nbd7 { ...e6-e5 is around the corner. } 8. Nbc3 { White keeps developing. }
8... e5
{ We immediately challenge that d4-pawn. Now, most players continued Bg5, looking
to pin the f6-knight and create some pressure this way, but it's not an issue;
neither are other moves. }
9. dxe5 Nxe5 { Traps the f3-bishop and gives Black an advantage. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Ne2 - N5"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bd3
other moves. }
8... e5
9. Bg5 h6 { Of course, the bishop immediately gets challenged. } 10. Bh4
{ White keeps the tension. Here, Black has a lot of moves, but the easiest path is
to just continue the development. }
10... Re8 11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. Bd5
{ This was tried by the Armenian GM Gabuzyan, but I find this idea strategically
suspicious, as after: }
12... Ng6 { Black unpins at gets one of the bishops. } 13. Bg3 Bxg3 14. Nxg3
Nxd5
{ For some reason, Black didn't take the bishop, but that would have made a lot of
sense. }
15. Qxd5 Qe7
{ With ...c7-c6 coming next, Black is fighting for the long-term advantage, as his
bishop will be stronger than the white knight in the endgame due to the open nature
of the position, especially if he manages to go ... b7-b6 and ...c7-c5 later on,
installing it on the long h1-a8 diagonal. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Ne2 - what NOT to do "]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bd3
other moves. }
8... e5
9. Bg5 h6 { Of course, the bishop immediately gets challenged. } 10. Bh4
{ White keeps the tension. Here, Black has a lot of moves, but the easiest path is
to just continue the development. }
10... Re8 11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. Bd5
{ This was tried by the Armenian GM Gabuzyan, but I find this idea strategically
suspicious, as after: }
12... Ng6 { Black unpins at gets one of the bishops. } 13. Bg3 Bxg3 14. Nxg3
Nxd5
{ For some reason, Black didn't take the bishop, but that would have made a lot of
sense. }
15. Qxd5 Qxd5 16. Nxd5
{ This is something to avoid, as now the c7-pawn cannot be protected. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Ne2 - N6 - addressing Chessforlife's repertoire"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bd3
other moves. }
Nd2
{ This move, which has been seen in practice once only in a game of two 2000-rated
players, has been recommended by a Chessable author Chessforlife in his course on
the 3.Bd3 French. I think he's done a fantastic job writing this course, and made
a case for 3.Bd3 as an interesting practical line, but the truth is there is no
advantage here, so you cannot blame someone for finding what does not exist. The
idea is to bring the knight to c4 to control the e5-square and try to grab that d6-
bishop. }
7... e5
{ The author claims 'If Black wants to break with ... e6-e5, he has to do it now,
or else the knight would come to c4 and prevent that' and I agree. }
8. dxe5
{ Please note White cannot go 8.Nc4 here, as after 8...e4 the f3-bishop gets
trapped. }
8... Bxe5 9. O-O
{ In this position, he considers a few moves, and I think Black has several decent
continuations. 9...c6 10.Nc4 Bc7 will land you in an equal endgame, maybe with
a tiny initiative for White, which is fine, but I think a more direct and
convincing path is: }
9... Ng4 { The point is to get the bishop pair: } 10. h3 Nh2 11. Re1 Nxf3+ 12.
Nxf3
{ Importantly, however, White gets a slight lead in development, which makes
Chessforlife feel rather optimistic about this position. However, I strongly
disagree with this sentiment. }
12... Qxd1 { Black trades queens. } 13. Rxd1 Bf6
{ Our goal here is to peacefully finish the development, in which case the bishop
pair will give us a tangible advantage long-term. For example, we can try to do so
by playing ...Na6, so that the knight can come both to b4 and c5, then following up
with ...Bd7 and ...Rad8. }
14. Nf4
{ Here, Chessforlife stops his analysis, claiming that with Nd5 and Bf4 coming,
Black would not find this position easy to play in a practical game. However, I
would not only not see any problems here, but in fact, I'd love to play this with
Black for a win! Why? Well, we have the bishop pair and there are no direct
threats, so I think we won't have much trouble unraveling. }
14... Bf5 15. Nd5 Bd8
{ With ...c7-c6 coming next, the knight is about to get kicked away. Plus, the c2-
pawn is hanging. }
16. Bf4
{ is an attempt to swap the c-pawns and make Black give up the bishop pair. Taking
on c2 will likely lead to simplficiations and draw, but I want more! }
16... Na6 17. Rd2 Re8
{ With ...Be4, ...c7-c6, etc coming next, the ideas look identical to the other
line where White plays 16. c3 instead. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "6.Ne2 - N7 - addressing Chessforlife's repertoire"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bd3
other moves. }
Nd2
{ This move, which has been seen in practice once only in a game of two 2000-rated
players, has been recommended by a Chessable author Chessforlife in his course on
the 3.Bd3 French. I think he's done a fantastic job writing this course, and made
a case for 3.Bd3 as an interesting practical line, but the truth is there is no
advantage here, so you cannot blame someone for finding what does not exist. The
idea is to bring the knight to c4 to control the e5-square and try to grab that d6-
bishop. }
7... e5
{ The author claims 'If Black wants to break with ... e6-e5, he has to do it now,
or else the knight would come to c4 and prevent that' and I agree. }
8. dxe5
{ Please note White cannot go 8.Nc4 here, as after 8...e4 the f3-bishop gets
trapped. }
8... Bxe5 9. O-O
{ In this position, he considers a few moves, and I think Black has several decent
continuations. 9...c6 10.Nc4 Bc7 will land you in an equal endgame, maybe with a
tiny initiative for White, which is fine, but I think a more direct and convincing
path is }
9... Ng4 { The point is to get the bishop pair: } 10. h3 Nh2 11. Re1 Nxf3+ 12.
Nxf3
{ Importantly, however, White gets a slight lead in development, which makes
Chessforlife feel rather optimistic about this position. However, I strongly
disagree with this sentiment. }
12... Qxd1 { Black trades queens. } 13. Rxd1 Bf6
{ Our goal here is to peacefully finish the development, in which case the bishop
pair will give us a tangible advantage long-term. For example, we can try to do so
by playing ...Na6, so that the knight can come both to b4 and c5, then following up
with ...Bd7 and ...Rad8. }
14. Nf4
{ Here, Chessforlife stops his analysis, claiming that with Nd5 and Bf4 coming,
Black would not find this position easy to play in a practical game. However, I
would not only not see any problems here, but in fact, I'd love to play this with
Black for a win! Why? Well, we have the bishop pair and there are no direct
threats, so I thnk we won't have much trouble unraveling. }
14... Bf5 15. Nd5 Bd8
{ With ...c7-c6 coming next, the knight is about to get kicked away. Plus, the c2-
pawn is hanging. }
16. c3 Na6 17. Bf4 Be4
{ Black threatens to take on f3 and spoil White's pawn structure. Furthermore, he
is ready to just follow up with ...Re8, ...c7-c6, ...Bf6 and ...Rad8. If we manage
to trade all the rooks, we are much better, as the bishop pair manifests itself
best without major pieces, because it allows our king to be much more active than
the white one can. I think we are already pushing for a full point! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "13) 3.Bd3 - Model Games"]
[Black "Yoo, Christopher Woojin vs. Abdusattorov, Nodirbek"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bd3
{ White defends the pawn with the bishop, hoping to relocate it to the h1-a8
diagonal and put pressure on our b7-pawn, while also making it harder for the c8-
bishop to come out. }
3... dxe4 4. Bxe4 Nf6
{ Of course, we develop while also gaining time by attacking White's bishop. }
5. Bf3
{ It's interesting that the bishop had already moved thrice (!) during the first 5
moves. }
5... Bd6 6. Ne2 O-O 7. O-O Nbd7
{ Black is ready to push ...e6-e5 and free up his c8-bishop, while also challenging
White's superiority in the center. Everything is according to the plan so far. }
8. c4
{ As we discuss in the theoretical chapter, I think 8. Nc3 is better, as this move,
while grabbing space on the queenside, also weakens the a1-h8 diagonal. }
8... e5 { Of course, Black is ready to strike in the center. } 9. Nbc3 Re8
{ Black is creating a threat of ...e5-e4, trapping that f3-bishop! } 10. Bg5
{ I think the idea of pinning the knight this way does not make much sense, as now
White has to give up the bishop pair due to a nice tactical nuance. 10.c5 is a
better path, but after 10...Bf8 Black is perfectly safe, too. }
10... h6 11. Bxf6 { 11.Bh4? g5! 12.Bg3 e4 and the f3-bishop is trapped! }
11... Nxf6 { Now, Black enjoys the bishop pair. } 12. dxe5 Bxe5 13. Qxd8 Rxd8
{ At this point, it's safe to claim Black is already considerably better, because
in a position with the nearly symmetrical pawn structure, he has the bishop pair.
The unique dark-squared bishop is particularly strong, as the move c2-c4 weakened
the a1-h8 diagonal. Also, we can play ...c7-c6 and significantly restrict the f3-
bishop. With moves like ...c7-c6, ...Be6, ...Kf8 and doubling on the d-file coming
next, Black is doing fantastic. }
14. Rad1 Bf5
{ 14...Be6 seems very good too, leaving the b7-pawn undefended, but
counterattacking the one on c4. 15.Bxb7 Rxd1 16.Rxd1 Rb8 and Black wins a pawn
back, as he is counterattacking the pawns on c4 and b2. }
15. Rfe1
{ 15.Bxb7 Black is not losing a pawn, as he can still get the one on b2 back.
15...Rxd1 16.Rxd1 Rb8 and the b2-pawn falls. Generally, positions with 'broken'
pawn structures, like this one, where the a and c-pawns are weak for both sides,
are beneficial for the party with the more active pieces, as it can attack the
opponent's pawns very easily. In this case, of course, it's Black. }
15... c6
{ Now, the f3-bishop is very restrained, Black just enjoys the bishop pair. Time to
trade the rooks, which is always beneficial for the side with the bishop pair, and
get the king in the game. }
16. b3 g5 { Black grabs even more space! Why not? He can easily afford that. }
17. g3 Bc2 { With this move, Black is trying to take over the d-file. } 18. Rc1
Rd2 19. Nb1
{ White is trying to kick the rook out and succeeds, but at a high positional cost.
}
19... Bxb1
{ This was forced, but giving up the bishop pair is okay, because in return, Black
gets a tremendous amount of activity and sole ownership of the d-file. }
20. Rxb1 Rad8
{ Black increases his presence on the only open file and is ready to start
converting his positional domination into material gains by taking on a2.
20...Rxa2 would have won a pawn, but Black is trying to improve his position even
more before doing that. }
21. b4
{ 21.a4 would have saved the a2-pawn from perishing, but after 21...R8d3 22.Bg2
Bb2! the b3-pawn seems to be falling, too. }
21... Rxa2 22. Nc1
{ This move is suddenly attacking not just the rook on a2, but also, the e1-rook is
threatening the bishop on e5! But, Black has everything under control. }
22... Ra3 23. Rb3
{ 23.Rxe5 Rxf3 would not have helped White, as Black is interested in trading
pieces, being a pawn up. Plus, threats like ...Rd2, ... Ng4, etc are all around the
corner. }
23... Rxb3 24. Nxb3 Rd3
{ Black shows he does not mind the trade of his e5-bishop for either of White's
minor pieces. In fact, he insists on that! 24...Bc3 would have saved the bishop,
not allowing for any counterplay. In fact, since the b4-pawn is attacked, White
would need to go 25.Re7 Rd7 26.Rxd7 Nxd7∓ and play a difficult endgame a pawn
down. }
25. Nc5 Rxf3 26. Rxe5 b6
{ The knight is getting kicked out. The pawns on c4 and b4 are advanced a bit too
far, which means Black can reasonably expect to bother and maybe even win them. }
27. Na6 Rc3 28. c5
{ White has to play this move, but now the c5-pawn seems terminally weak. }
28... Rc1+ 29. Kg2 Rc2
{ Black is trying to play against the king, not only threatening direct things like
...Rxf2 followed by Ng4 but also potentially looking to squeeze White's kingside
with moves like ...g5-g4. 29...bxc5! would have been very strong. For instance,
after 30.Rxc5 Rxc5 31.bxc5 Nd5 The a7-pawn is blocked for the time being, but
the black king is about to walk into the centre via g7-f6-e5, and the c5-pawn will
likely fall, too. Of course, White can activate his king as well, but given that
his knight is immobilized and the kingside pawns can be easily attacked as well, he
should not be able to hold this endgame. }
30. h3 Nd5 31. b5
{ White is trying to trade the queenside pawns, which makes sense, but the
remaining extra pawn should still be enough to win the game. }
31... f6 32. Re8+ Kf7 33. Ra8 cxb5 34. Rxa7+ Kg6 35. cxb6 Nxb6
{ The b-pawn is about to start running. Plus, White needs to be on the lookout for
his king's safety. The engine claims the position can be held with some extremely
precise moves, which is probably true, but in a practical game, White should of
course be losing. }
36. Rb7 Rc6
{ Unfortunately, the rook will be very misplaced here. 36...Nc4 would have
likely been stronger, winning White's f-pawn in exchange for the one on the b-file.
White can keep his f-pawn for a move or two longer, but soon it falls no matter
what. 37.Rxb5 Ne3+ 38.Kg1 Nd1∓ Given that White's king is cut off and his
knight is completely out of play, this still looks extremely difficult. }
37. Nb4 Rd6
{ Now, White managed to generate some sort of fortress, as Black's rook is on a
rather passive position. }
38. g4
{ But, instead of just waiting, White moves the kingside pawns, which creates new
targets. }
38... h5
{ White does not want to capture on h5, as that creates targets on h3 and f4, but
otherwise, the pawn comes to h4, fixing the h3-pawn as a target. Once the Black
knight lands on f4 and the rook comes to the third rank, it will be over. }
39. Kg3 h4+ 40. Kg2 Nd5 41. Nxd5
{ White has to trade, or else the knight gets to f4 with a devastating effect. }
41... Rxd5
{ This rook endgame is also very difficult, primarily because of the weak h3-pawn.
In an ideal world, Black's perfect setup involves placing the rook on f4 and pawn
on b4 and then marching the king to the queenside to help queen the b-pawn, when
the kingside pawns are perfectly safe. }
42. Kh2 f5
{ Since the aforementioned setup was hardly achievable, Black tries to execute that
idea in a slightly different way. He hopes White takes on f5, then the rook on f5
will do a great job of protecting both the b5 and g5-pawns and the king would be
ready to march to the queenside. }
43. Rb6+ Kf7 44. Kg2 f4
{ Mission achieved. The g5 and b5-pawns can be both easily protected by the rook.
Now the king is going to the queenside, the game is over. }
45. Kf3 Re5 { Precision till the end. Don't let that king into the game! } 46.
Rb8 Ke7 47. Rb7+ Kd6 48. Rb8 Kc5 49. Rc8+ Kd4 50. Rd8+ Kc4 51. Rc8+ Rc5 52. Re8
b4 { And soon enough, the pawn promoted. } 53. Ke4 b3 54. Rb8 Kc3 55. Rb7 b2
56. Rb8 Rc4+ 57. Kf5 Rb4 58. Rc8+ Kb3
{ Conclusions: White quickly got an inferior endgame, which is not an uncommon
outcome at all in this variation. As we can see, the f3-bishop can have a rather
limited mobility. In this case, White gave up the other one instead, but Black's
dark-squared bishop has a truly amazing ability to control the entire board, and
soon enough, the material gains followed. While it was not necessary for White to
lose the endgame a pawn down, he was struggling throughout the whole game. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "13) 3.Bd3 - Model Games"]
[Black "Colon Garcia, Enrique vs. Diaz Camallonga, Carles"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bd3 dxe4 4. Bxe4 Nf6 5. Bf3 Bd6 6. Ne2 Nbd7 7. c4

{ White tries to grab space on the queenside, instead of keeping the pawn on c2 and
developing the knight on c3. As we know, this continuation risks weakening the a1-
h8 diagonal. }
7... e5
{ Of course, we are ready to immediately strike in the center, freeing up the c8-
bishop, and simultaneously threatening to trap the f3-bishop with ...e5-e4. }
8. Nbc3 exd4 9. Nxd4
{ Now, the white knight is rather active on d4, we need to be careful about ideas
like Nf5 and Nb5. However, in the long run, if Black manages to install the pawn on
c6, the d5-square is under control, but the a1-h8 diagonal and the d4-square would
be weakened. }
9... Ne5 10. Ndb5
{ Very good timing - otherwise, ...c7-c6 would have left that knight out of
business. }
10... Be7 { Of course, Black wants to preserve his bishop pair. } 11. O-O
{ 11.Qxd8+ Bxd8 leaves the f3-bishop and the c4-pawn hanging. 12.Be2 here, the
ideal move would be ...c7-c6, kicking out the b5-knight and taking the d5-square
under control. Unfortunately, we don't want to play that move as it allows for
Nd6+, so instead, we'll settle for 12...a6 13.Nd4 O-O when Black also has a
perfectly comfortable position. Later, he can continue with ...c7-c5 to kick the
d4-knight out, and activate the light-squared bishop with ...b7-b6 and ... Bb7, at
which point that bishop would become the best minor piece on the board by far. }
11... c6
{ Now, however, Black is able to make his dream come true: the pawn comes to c6
without allowing for Nd6+! }
12. Qxd8+ Kxd8 13. Rd1+ Bd7
{ Okay, the knight is able to come to d6, but under very bad circumstances: the f3-
bishop and the c4-pawn are under severe duress. }
14. Nd6 Bxd6 15. Rxd6 Nxc4
{ 15...Ke7 16.Rd1 Nxf3+ 17.gxf3 Be6 also seems very strong, leaving White with
a crippled pawn structure. However, it is understandable Black was more interested
in winning a pawn. }
16. Rd4 Ne5
{ Now, Black is a bit behind in development, but he thought the extra pawn would be
worth it. }
17. Bg5
{ There is no explanation, why someone would give up the bishop pair and all the
initiative this way. 17.Be2! was necessary, keeping the bishop pair. Had White
played that way, he would have kept sufficient compensation, which is why I
personally would prefer to avoid capturing the c4-pawn and instead spoil his
structure. For instance, after 17...Kc8 18.Bf4 Ng6 19.Bg3 it's not entirely
obvious, how to get the rest of the pieces out, and Black's position is rather
difficult to handle in practice. }
17... Nxf3+ 18. gxf3 Kc8
{ Now, ...Be6 and ...Rd8 is about to exchange all the pieces and get Black closer
to converting a pawn. }
19. h4 Be6 20. Bxf6 gxf6
{ Okay, White gets to double our pawns, but now we get another advantage, namely a
superior minor pieces. And, of course, we are still a pawn up! }
21. Ne4 f5 { No need to give up that pawn! } 22. Nf6 Kc7
{ Black is ready to trade the rooks with ...Rad8. But first, he needs to make sure
to save the h-pawn. }
23. h5 h6 24. Kg2 Rad8 25. Rad1
{ 25.Rxd8 Kxd8! and the king comes over to e7 to kick out the annoying knight,
which could potentially hope to jump to g8 at some point and win our h-pawn. In
fact, the knight is trapped and cannot be rescued! }
25... Rxd4 26. Rxd4 Rd8
{ Black calculates he is able to afford losing the h-pawn to Ng8 after the rook
trade. }
27. Rxd8 Kxd8 28. a3
{ 28.Ng8 Ke8 29.Nxh6 Kf8-+ must have been his idea, trapping the knight and
winning it on the next turn with ...Kg7. }
28... Ke7 29. Ng8+ Kf8 30. Nf6 f4
{ Another cute move: now, the white king is cut off. } 31. Kf1 Ke7 32. Ng8+ Kd6
33. Ke2
{ White was lost anyway, but now, the knight finally gets trapped. 33.Nxh6 f5!
would also trap the knight. Black does not even need to bother winning it! Of
course, he would, but it's funny that this piece has such limited mobility, isn't
it? }
33... f5 34. Nxh6 Ke5 35. Kd3 c5
{ The final touch. Now, the white king cannot ever access d4 and Black is ready to
scoop up the knight with Kf6-g7, so the opponent figured it was a good time to
resign. Again, we saw an early transition to an endgame, where Black made a
debatable decision to accept the pawn sacrifice, when instead it would have been
both safer and objectively better to simply spoil the opponent's pawn structure.
However, White allowed the opponent to trade down, after which Black went on to
show some very impressive technique and convincingly convert his extra pawn. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "14) The King's Indian Attack"]
[Black "2.Qe2 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. Qe2
{ Is another move order, aimed at preventing or discouraging Black from playing
2...d5 , as after 3.exd5 , White's queen will be pinning the e6-pawn, forcing
Black to take with the queen. Okay, we'll postpone ...d7-d5 for a bit. }
2... Nc6 3. Nf3 { White might be ready to play d2-d4 and build the center. }
3... e5
{ We immediately grab more of the center ourselves. Black's objective will be to
finish his development with ...Nf6, ...Bc5 and ... O-O and then quickly follow up
with ...d7-d5. Of course, that queen is very misplaced on e2, so now White is
forced to fianchetto his bishop, which will take quite a bit of time. }
4. g3 Nf6 5. Bg2 Bc5 { Development according to the plan. } 6. O-O O-O 7. d3
{ White could also start with 7.c3 and then play d2-d3, or even play one of those
moves a bit earlier, it wouldn't change much. }
7... Re8
{ Before playing ...d7-d5, we make sure to overprotect that e5-pawn, as after exd5
it could be attacked by the white queen and knight. }
8. c3
{ White is interested in pushing b2-b4. That plan, however, can be easily
discouraged. }
8... a5 9. Be3
{ Is also reasonable, but we don't mind trading these bishops at all. } 9...
Bxe3 10. Qxe3 d5
{ Of course, breaking through in the center still makes perfect sense. } 11.
Nbd2
{ Here, many decisions are possible, but the most strategically ambitious one would
be: }
11... a4
{ We grab even more space on the queenside. Funnily, if needed, the rook could even
consider coming out via a6 or a5 to attack the b2-pawn or even help the one on
d5! }
12. a3 Ra5
{ Now, ...Rb5 is available at any moment, I love this position for Black. Next, we
can just go ...h7-h6 to make an escape square and cover up the g5-square, so that
if we ever want to go ... Be6, there is no Ng5. As White has no play whatsoever, we
already seem to be enjoying a strategic initiative. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. Qe2
3... e5
7... Re8
8. c3
discouraged. }
8... a5 9. Be3
{ Is also reasonable, but we don't mind trading these bishops at all. } 9...
Bxe3 10. Qxe3 d5
{ Of course, breaking through in the center still makes perfect sense. } 11.
exd5 Nxd5
{ This only helps Black, as now he is able to access that weak d3-pawn with his
bishop from f5, among other things. }
12. Qe2 Bf5 13. Nbd2 Qd7
{ With ...Rad8 coming next, Black has a slight pull due to his pressure on the d3-
pawn. Instead, the one on e5 is very safe and can be easily overprotected
with ...f7-f6 if needed. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. Qe2
3... e5
7... Re8
8. c3
discouraged. }
8... a5 9. Nbd2 { White just keeps developing. } 9... d5
{ At this point, as we had seen in another line, capturing on d5 is something Black
is hoping for, as it enables him to activate the knight and prepare ...Bf5,
followed by ...Qd7 and ...Rad8, which would put a lot of pressure on the d3-pawn.
So I would say it makes sense for White to prevent us from grabbing even more space
with a2-a4. }
10. a4 Ba7
{ The bishop retreats in advance, so nothing like d3-d4, b2-b4 or Nb3 can ever hurt
it. Next, the plan is really simple: ... h7-h6 to cover the g5-square,
then ...Be6, ...Qd7 and ...Rad8. It's not really obvious to me what is White doing.
}
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "3.Qe2 - transposition to main lines"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3
{ This modest move indicates that White has no desire of claiming the center right
away. Instead, he would like to keep the pawn on e4 protected, and then follow up
the way the King's Indian Defense is played, but a tempo up, namely with Nf3, g2-
g3, Bg2, O-O, Nbd2, etc. Often, he would also play Qe2 in order to make sure Black
cannot quickly trade queens. That why this variation is called the King's Indian
Attack. Here, I would like to immediately deviate from the main and most known
path, and that is for a few reasons, which people who studied my previous
repertoires would likely guess rather easily. For one, I like competing on my
territory, not on the one of the opponent, and not going for the positions they
want seems to be the way to do so. Secondly, in the lines I offer, it is possible
to deviate from the well-known theory quickly, instead of following the lines
everything expects for 10-15 moves. }
2... d5
{ First, we grab our share of space in the center and show White we might want to
capture on e4. }
3. Qe2
{ Is another perfectly possible move order. In fact, the queen is so misplaced on
e2 that I don't even mind having us take on d5 with the queen if needed. }
3... e5 { Why not take the center right away? } 4. Nd2 Nc6
{ Transposes back to the 3. Nd2 chapter. } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "3.Qe2 with 4.exd5 N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3
2... d5
capture on e4. }
3. Qe2
3... e5 { Why not take the center right away? } 4. exd5
{ The only critical move White needs to consider is this one, as he is forcing us
to get the queen out early. }
4... Qxd5
{ We have a significantly improved Scandinavian: Black got in an extra move ...e7-
e5, while White blocked his kingside development by putting the queen on e2, and
also played d2-d3, which considerably limited his ability to develop the bishop to
c4 any time in the future. }
5. Nc3 Qa5 { The queen is very comfortable here. } 6. Nf3 Nc6
{ Black just protects the e5-pawn while continuing to place his pieces on good
squares. }
7. Bd2 Bg4
{ Pinning this knight not only allows us to develop the bishop to an active
position, but also prepares threats like ...Nd4, which would attack the queen, the
c2-pawn and allow us to spoil White's pawn structure by taking on f3. That needs to
be addressed right away. Please note White does not have a single useful way of
moving his knight on c3 to take advantage of a discovered attack on Black's queen,
as it can always retreat to, say, b6. }
8. h3 { This is a large positional mistake due to: } 8... Nd4
{ Now, the e5-pawn is untouchable not just due to the fork on c2, but due to a very
cute mate. }
9. Qxe5+ Qxe5+ 10. Nxe5 Nxc2# { Mate! What a beauty :) } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3
2... d5
capture on e4. }
3. Qe2
4... Qxd5
squares. }
7. Bd2 Bg4
8. h3 { This is a large positional mistake due to: } 8... Nd4
{ Now, the e5-pawn is untouchable not just due to the fork on c2, but due to a very
cute mate. }
9. Qd1 Bxf3 10. gxf3 O-O-O
{ It's clear something went really wrong for White from the strategic standpoint. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3
2... d5
capture on e4. }
3. Qe2
4... Qxd5
squares. }
7. Bd2 Bg4
8. Qd1 O-O-O
{ Black could also go 8...Nd4 and swap some pieces, but we can already get more
ambitious than that. }
9. Be2 f5
{ At this point, it's safe to say Black had at least equalized. Not only are we
ready to continue with ...Nf6 and comfortably finish the development, but also, we
grabbed a lot of space in the center and forced White to be on a constant lookout
for the break ...e5-e4, which can really expose him, for example by opening the d-
file, where the d8-rook is x-raying his queen. : 1-0 (36) Bologan,V (2574)-
Bluebaum,M (2647) Chess.com INT 2020 }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "3.Nd2 - what NOT to do "]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3
2... d5
capture on e4. }
3. Nd2
{ Normally, White makes this move in order to be able to meet ...dxe4 with dxe4 and
avoid a queen trade. }
3... Nc6
{ This move is rather rare: compared to the main moves 3...Nf6 and 3...c5 ,
which have been played 16 and 11 thousand(!) times, this one has been tried only
1000 times, which throws in a bit of a surprise effect. Black is looking to
play ...e6-e5! and free up the room for his light-squared bishop, looking to play
something like the reversed Philidor. Mind you, we will be down two(!) tempi,
because for one, we have the black pieces, and secondly, ...e6-e5 takes two moves.
However, since the Philidor is not an ambitious opening at all, it's perfectly
worth it. }
4. Ngf3
{ White just keeps developing. The goal of this move is to take control of the e5-
square, looking to meet 4...Nf6 with 5.e5 . However, that is not meant to
happen. }
4... e5
{ Now, White is facing a choice. Most players went for fianchettoing the bishop
with g2-g3, but some also played c2-c3, looking to either develop with Be2 later,
or immediately grab space on the queenside with b2-b4. }
5. c3
{ This plan is more reasonable than fianchettoing the bishop: instead, just like in
the regular Philidor, the bishop would go to e2, but first, White is looking to
grab space with b2-b4. }
5... a5
{ Unfortunately, this typical move does not work out that well specifically here,
as after: }
6. Qa4
{ Black is somewhat uncomfortable and has to play something ugly like ...Qd7
or ...Qd6 to avoid losing the e5-pawn. I don't think there is a need to analyze
this deeper, but you want to be aware of this idea. However, if we could play two
moves in a row, after ...Nf6 and ...Bd6 there would be no issues as the e5 and d5-
pawns would be both protected. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "3.Nd2 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3
2... d5
capture on e4. }
3. Nd2
3... Nc6
worth it. }
4. Ngf3
happen. }
4... e5
5. c3
5... Nf6
{ Unfortunately, on this very move, we need to abstain from playing ...a7-a5. But,
we're ready to do so on the next one! }
6. Be2 a5
{ This again enables us to easily prevent the opponent's queenside ambitions. }
7. O-O dxe4
{ This is, really, the easiest solution by far. We just simplify the position in
the center and eliminate any kind of tension and then follow up with the easy
developing moves like ...Bc5, ...Qe7, ...Be6 and ...Rad8. }
8. dxe4 Bc5 9. Qc2
{ White needs to play this regular move to overprotect the e4-pawn and prepare to
move his d2-knight, so that the queenside can come out. }
9... O-O 10. Nc4 Qe7
{ We easily overprotect the e5-pawn. It would be useful to follow up with ...h7-h6
so that there isn't Bg5 or Ng5 at any moment. }
11. Ne3
{ Is another popular continuation, aimed at installing the knight on d5. But, we
don't care much about that. }
11... h6 { Before going ...Be6 first, we make sure Ng5 cannot ever be played. }
12. Nd5 { White needs to get this move in now or never. } 12... Nxd5 13. exd5
Nb8
{ The e5-pawn can be easily reinforced, but now Black gets a pawn majority on the
kingside and is ready to eventually follow up with ...f7-f5, ..Nd7, ...Bd6, ...e5-
e4 and ...Qe5 or ...Qg5/h4 to build up a kingside attack. Removing the e4-pawn was
a strategic error for White that is likely to cost him dearly. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3
2... d5
capture on e4. }
3. Nd2
3... Nc6
worth it. }
4. Ngf3
happen. }
4... e5
5. c3
5... Nf6
6. Be2 a5
{ This again enables us to easily prevent the opponent's queenside ambitions. }
7. O-O dxe4
{ This is, really, the easiest solution by far. We just simplify the position in
the center and eliminate any kind of tension and then follow up with the easy
developing moves like ...Bc5, ...Qe7, ...Be6 and ...Rad8. }
8. dxe4 Bc5 9. Qc2
{ White needs to play this regular move to overprotect the e4-pawn and prepare to
move his d2-knight, so that the queenside can come out. }
9... O-O 10. Nc4 Qe7
{ We easily overprotect the e5-pawn. It would be useful to follow up with ...h7-h6
so that there isn't Bg5 or Ng5 at any moment. }
11. Bg5
{ This pin might seem annoying, but getting rid of it isn't too difficult. }
11... h6
{ Now, taking the knight makes no sense, neither does retreating to e3, as that
just gifts Black a free move ...h7-h6 compared to just developing the bishop there
right away. However, while those moves seem to be logical errors, the most
logical continuation is even worse from the objective standpoint. }
12. Bh4 g5 { Now, that bishop ends up dead on g3! } 13. Bg3 Nh5
{ Next, Black can take the bishop if he wants to, but there is no need. Instead, it
would be much easier and more ambitious to install the knight on f4 and then follow
up with ...Be6, ...Rad8, maybe even ...f7-f5 at some point. We are already clearly
fighting for the initiative on the kingside. Of course, the e5-pawn is not
hanging, as taking it with any knight hangs a piece to ...Nxg3, while taking it
with the bishop hangs a piece after ...b7-b5 or ...g5-g4. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3
2... d5
capture on e4. }
3. Nd2
3... Nc6
worth it. }
4. Ngf3
happen. }
4... e5
5. c3
5... Nf6
6. b4
{ This is White's only chance to take the game in a slightly different direction. }
6... Bd6
{ We just keep developing, looking to protect the e5-pawn and castle. In the event
of b4-b5, the knight is going to easily relocate to the kingside via e7. }
7. b5 Ne7
{ Black is ready to undermine the white b5-pawn with ... a7-a6, taking advantage of
the fact a2-a4 cannot be played as the a1-rook would hang. Instead, if White tries
to address that with: }
8. a4 { Then after... } 8... a6 9. Bb2 axb5 10. axb5 Rxa1 11. Bxa1 O-O
{ He just ends up with a weak pawn on b5, and if we ever choose to exchange on e4,
the c5-square would be extremely weak. Plus, that a1-bishop is very passive, so
this is definitely not something to worry about! }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3
2... d5
capture on e4. }
3. Nd2
3... Nc6
worth it. }
4. Ngf3
happen. }
4... e5
5. c3
5... Nf6
6. b4
{ This is White's only chance to take the game in a slightly different direction. }
6... Bd6
{ We just keep developing, looking to protect the e5-pawn and castle. In the event
of b4-b5, the knight is going to easily relocate to the kingside via e7. }
7. Be2
{ Continuing development is a more sensible way to go than keeping advancing those
queenside pawns. }
7... O-O 8. O-O Ne7
{ The knight is going to g6, where it would be placed really well, as it can
threaten the invasion on f4, while also supporting the e5-pawn. White has many
moves here, but it's reasonable to suspect he'll just try to keep the tension. }
9. Bb2 Ng6
{ Now, the ...Nf4 idea could be rather annoying. Of course, g2-g3 would weaken the
kingside a lot, so it makes sense to play Re1 in order to be able to meet ...Nf4
with Bf1. }
10. Re1 c6 { In the meantime, we just keep reinforcing our center. } 11. Bf1 a5
{ Black is ready to create a bit more tension on the queenside and grab some space
there, too. }
12. a3 Re8
{ Our next moves are really simple: ...Be6, ...Qd7, or maybe ... h7-h6 and ...Nh7-
g5 if you are in a more aggressive mood and want to attack on the kingside. Black
is just slightly better as he has more space and White has no compensation for
that, his position is rather passive. But, it is definitely rather solid, so you
have to play carefully: for example, don't move your g6-knight and d6-bishop too
far, leaving the e5-pawn hanging after exd5 at some moment. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3
2... d5
capture on e4. }
3. Nd2
3... Nc6
worth it. }
4. Ngf3
happen. }
4... e5
5. g3
{ The problem of this move is that if White plays Be2 now, the move g2-g3 is simply
something that considerably weakens the kingside with no benefit. Instead, if he
does go Bg2, we want to make sure it ends up a bad piece! }
5... dxe4
{ We immediately release the tension, taking advantage of the move g2-g3. Now, the
issue, as I had explained, is that playing Bg2 becomes pointless, while playing Be2
seems a bit weird and inconsistent with g2-g3. }
6. dxe4 Bc5
{ Of course, the bishop is happy to come out in this active way, immediately
putting pressure on that f2-square and down the a7-g1 diagonal overall. }
7. Be2
{ Is also possible, but doesn't make much sense. In fact, no one played this way,
and for a good reason. Here, we will just continue developing. }
7... Nf6 8. O-O
{ The decision to castle turns out, all of a sudden, a decisive mistake! } 8...
Bh3 9. Re1 Ng4 { Oops, game over! } *
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3
2... d5
capture on e4. }
3. Nd2
3... Nc6
worth it. }
4. Ngf3
happen. }
4... e5
5. g3
5... dxe4
6. dxe4 Bc5
7. Be2
{ Is also possible, but doesn't make much sense. In fact, no one played this way,
and for a good reason. Here, we will just continue developing. }
7... Nf6 8. c3
{ Since White cannot castle, it makes sense for him to just make some reasonable
moves. With this one, he is covering up the d4- and b4-squares and is looking to
play b2-b4. Let's prevent that idea! }
8... a5
{ Again, White still cannot castle. I guess he can be making waiting moves, but
Black can also improve the position easily with ... O-O, ...h7-h6, ...Qe7, ... Be6,
.. .Rad8, etc. So I feel we can stop here and agree g2-g3 and Be2 are not meant to
be combined. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3
2... d5
capture on e4. }
3. Nd2
3... Nc6
worth it. }
4. Ngf3
happen. }
4... e5
5. g3
5... dxe4
6. dxe4 Bc5
7. Bg2 Nf6
{ Black just continues getting the pieces out. Please keep in mind c2-c3 will be
always, pretty much, met with ...a7-a5, which is aimed at making sure b2-b4 cannot
be played, so White does not get to grab space on the queenside. }
8. O-O O-O 9. c3 a5
{ According to the plan, we stop b2-b4. Now, White typically plays Qc2, the point
being to prevent the queen trade after his d2-knight moves, and also, of course,
protect the e4-pawn. Later, he wants to move the knight to c4 and develop the c1-
bishop. }
10. Qc2 Qe7
{ This is a very natural move. We are preparing to connect the rooks, while also
looking to protect that e5-pawn one more time. }
11. Nc4
{ White can also try other moves, but the position has a very non-forcing nature,
so it makes sense to rather see some of our ideas. }
11... Rd8 12. Be3
{ It's possible to offer this trade, but what does it give White? } 12... Be6
{ We don't mind the trade, but it'd be even nicer to have White capture on c5 and
help us activate the queen even more. }
13. Ncxe5 { The pawn might seem hanging, but that's not true. } 13... Nxe5 14.
Nxe5 Bxe3 15. fxe3 Qc5
{ Not only does Black get his pawn back by double attacking the knight and the e3-
pawn, but also, White's structure ends up rather awful. }
16. Nf3 Qxe3+
{ I think we can stop here, as Black also wins the e4-pawn for no compensation. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3
2... d5
capture on e4. }
3. Nd2
3... Nc6
worth it. }
4. Ngf3
happen. }
4... e5
5. g3
5... dxe4
6. dxe4 Bc5
7. Bg2 Nf6
8. O-O O-O 9. c3 a5
bishop. }
10. Qc2 Qe7
11. Nc4
11... Rd8 12. Be3
{ It's possible to offer this trade, but what does it give White? } 12... Be6
{ We don't mind the trade, but it'd be even nicer to have White capture on c5 and
help us activate the queen even more. }
13. Bxc5 Qxc5 14. Ne3 Ng4
{ By trading this knight, we make sure Nd5 is not something we ever need to count
with and secure a stable positional advantage due to the superior bishop: the white
one on g2 is awful. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3
2... d5
capture on e4. }
3. Nd2
3... Nc6
worth it. }
4. Ngf3
happen. }
4... e5
5. g3
5... dxe4
6. dxe4 Bc5
7. Bg2 Nf6
8. O-O O-O 9. c3 a5
bishop. }
10. Qc2 Qe7
11. Nc4
11... Rd8 12. Bg5 { Does not make much sense, as after: } 12... h6
{ White has to either give up the bishop pair, which is positionally wrong or
retreat, which means he just gifted us a free move ...h7-h6. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "3.Nd2 - N10"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3
2... d5
capture on e4. }
3. Nd2
3... Nc6
worth it. }
4. Ngf3
happen. }
4... e5
5. g3
5... dxe4
6. dxe4 Bc5
7. Bg2 Nf6
8. O-O O-O 9. c3 a5
bishop. }
10. Qc2 Qe7
11. Nc4
11... Rd8 12. Ne3
{ White mostly chose to play this way, potentially looking to invade on d5 or f5
with the knight. The latter idea is often attempted to be achieved by means of Nh4
first and then Nf5 with one of the knights. }
12... Be6 13. Nh4 a4
{ However, we could care less about what he is doing on the kingside. We just keep
grabbing space on the queenside. }
14. Nhf5 Qd7
{ Next, we'll play ...Qd3 and will force a queen trade. This is where the a4-pawn
comes very useful: not only does it prevent White's queen from running away via a4,
but also, it grabs a ton of space on the queenside and makes White experience a lot
of trouble unraveling: for example, a2-a3 creates a weak b3-square, while any move
with the a1-rook hang the a2-pawn. So we are already much better in the inevitably
arising endgame. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "15) The King's Indian Attack - Model Games"]
[Black "Trigo Urquijo, Sergio vs. Strikovic, Aleksa"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. Ngf3 e5

{ According to our plan, instead of risking running into an attack in a typical KIA
type of game, Black grabs the centre and converts the position to the reversed
Philidor. The idea is to make sure White does not get to play e4-e5 and build a
typical King's Indian style attack against our king. So, we take the centre
ourselves. If White ever takes on d5, his knight on d2 is placed rather passively,
blocking the queenside. }
5. g3
{ White is trying to fianchetto the bishop, which, as we know from the theoretical
chapter, is a flawed plan. }
5... dxe4 { Now, the bishop on g2 won't ever get active. } 6. dxe4 Nf6 7. Bg2
Bc5 { The g2-bishop is awful, while the one on c5 is great. } 8. O-O O-O 9. Qe2
{ White overprotects the e4-pawn, getting ready to move the d2-knight to c4, so
that his queenside can come out. }
9... a5
{ This is a typical idea that we had seen in the chapter on theory, such as here.
Black grabs space on the queenside, preventing the possibility of c2-c3 and b2-b4,
kicking our pieces away, while also potentially preparing to develop the bishop to
a6 after ...b7-b6. Of course, the pawn can also advance to a4 at some point,
squeezing White's queenside even more. }
10. Nb3 { The knight is very misplaced and has no future on this square. }
10... Bd6 11. Bg5 h6 { Okay, now Black is also looking to get a bishop pair. }
12. Bxf6 { And White happily gives it. Thank you! } 12... Qxf6 13. c3 b6
{ The bishop would feel great on the f1-a6 diagonal. } 14. Rfe1 Ba6 15. Qc2
Rfd8
{ Black is ready to either trade all the rooks on the d-file, which would be
beneficial, since the bishop pair works best in the minor piece endgames, or he can
grab even more space on the queenside with moves like ...a5-a4. }
16. Rad1
{ 16.a4 would have prevented the further space grab, but it's understandable that
this move is scary to make, as the a4-pawn is now a lot more vulnerable. }
16... a4
{ Of course, there is no reason not to grab even more space this way. } 17.
Nbd2 Bc5 18. Nf1 { The knight is trying to go to e3 and d5. } 18... Rxd1
{ Of course, we are happy to trade all the major pieces, as we had discussed
earlier, since the bishop pair works best without the rooks. }
19. Rxd1 Bc4
{ Importantly, a2-a3 isn't possible, as it hangs an exchange to ...Bb3, while after
b2-b3 White opens the a-file for our rook, which also does not seem exactly
desirable. }
20. N1d2
{ White's knight is no longer able to move via e3 where it wanted. But, on d2 it's
again very restricted! 20.Ne3? would not have helped White much, as after
20...Bxe3 the structure gets destroyed, and on top of that, 21.fxe3 Bxa2-+
Black wins a pawn and gets a completely winning position. }
20... Be6 21. Rf1
{ White plays this move. ...why? The f2-pawn was under some pressure, but nothing
urgent or terrible. I guess, he just cannot think of something better. }
21... b5
{ 21...Bxa2 would not win a pawn due to 22.Ra1! and the a4-pawn falls. We don't
need that. }
22. a3
{ Now, the a-pawn is out of danger, but the squares on b3 and c4 are becoming
extremely weak. }
22... Na5
{ Of course, the knight is ready to take advantage of that right away. } 23.
Re1 Rd8
{ Now that the a4-pawn isn't hanging anymore, the rook is able to start fighting
for the only open file. }
24. Rd1 Rd6
{ Black keeps improving his position in an exemplary positional way, but it was
possible to finish the opponent off a lot quicker. 24...g5! would have been
incredibly strong, because White, as it turns out, will have a very hard time
protecting the f2-pawn! Of course, ...g5-g4 is a huge threat, and h2-h3 does not
help, as the simple ...h6-h5 renews the threat. 25.Rf1 Nb3! Now, ...g5-g4 is
about to win the d2-knight! 26.Nxb3 axb3-+ With the bishop coming to c4 on the
next move, the white rook has to leave f1, and the f2-pawn might not survive such a
course of events. White is dead-lost. }
25. Re1
{ 25.Nf1 White had to prevent those threats to the f2-pawn by getting ready to
bring the knight to e3 to block the g1-a7 diagonal, no matter if he liked the idea
of spoiling his pawn structure or not. }
25... g5
{ Finally. It's over now, as ...g5-g4 with decisive pressure on f2 cannot really be
stopped. }
26. Rf1 Bb6 27. h3 Kg7
{ 27...h5 would have done the job quicker, but Black is in no hurry. } 28. Kh2
Qd8
{ However, maybe Black's play was not connected with trying to break through on the
weak f2-square. Instead, he is putting even more pressure down the d-file, which is
also good enough, especially now, when Rd1 is not possible as the f2-pawn would be
lost. }
29. Kg1 f6 30. Qc1 Qd7
{ Black keeps slowly improving the position. Now the h3-pawn is hanging, so White
has to worsen his king's position, which could result in problems with the f2-pawn
if his rook is to ever move. }
31. Kh2 Nc4 32. Nb1
{ White definitely could not take on c4, but this move makes his knight absolutely
immobile and horrible. 32.Nxc4 Bxc4 forces the rook to leave f1 and the f2-pawn
falls. 33.Re1 Bxf2-+ }
32... c6 33. Qc2 Na5
{ Now, the knight is getting re-routed to b3, and the bishop is getting ready to
come to c4. }
34. Nbd2 Nb3 35. Nxb3 Bxb3 36. Qc1 Bc4
{ And finally White found the courage to stop the game, which is rather reasonable,
as the f2-pawn falls on the next turn. As you can see, White could not create
literally a single threat during the entire game. His position was extremely
passive all the time, and in particular, it's the fault of the knight on b3, which
was doing absolutely nothing, as well as of the idea Bg5xf6, which just gifted
Black the bishop pair for nothing in return. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "15) The King's Indian Attack - Model Games"]
[Black "Trushelyov, Victor vs. Malakhatko, Vadim"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. Ngf3 e5

{ Again, Black is looking to play the reversed Philidor, rather than the typical
KIA positions. Instead of risking being attacked on the kingside, we grab the
center! }
5. c3 { White is trying to play b2-b4 and grab space on the queenside. } 5...
a5
{ This is a great positional idea, as Black grabs space on the queenside, while
also preventing b2-b4. However, as I had explained in the theoretical chapter, this
move has a tactical flaw. }
6. Be2
{ White, however, misses the opportunity to put the opponent under a lot of
pressure and just continues developing. Now, Black is doing great. 6.Qa4! puts a
lot of pressure on the e5-pawn and there is no convenient way to defend. That's why
...a7-a5 should be delayed until Black can get both ...Nf6 and ...Bd6 in
comfortably. }
6... Nf6 7. O-O Be7 8. Re1 O-O
{ Of course, so far all the moves have been very logical. Next, Black can go ...
h7-h6 to cover the g5-square, then ...Be6, when Ng5 is no longer a concern, ...
Qd7, ...Rad8, etc. It would also be a good idea to overprotect the e5-pawn
by ...Re8 and ...Bf8, which would especially make sense if White plays Bf1,
threatening exd5 at an appropriate moment, when his e1-rook attacks our e5-pawn. }
9. Qc2 Re8 10. a3
{ Does White want to play b2-b4? Not yet, as the a1-rook would get in tactical
trouble after ...axb4. But, his last move is a positional mistake! }
10... a4
{ Now, the b3-square becomes a hole for our pieces and b2-b4 won't ever be possible
without a structural damage incurred as Black takes en passant. }
11. Nf1 h6 { This calm move prevents both Bg5 and Ng5. } 12. Be3 Be6
{ Now that Ng5 is never possible, the bishop feels very comfortable here. } 13.
c4
{ White tries to grab some space in the center, hoping Black would exchange, when
the d4- and d5-squares are mutually weak, but there is no need to do that. }
13... d4 14. Bd2 Nd7
{ Of course! Now, the knight is coming to that juicy c5-outpost, from where it can
both put pressure on the d3-pawn and try to come to the b3-square. }
15. h3 Nc5 16. Ng3 Qb8
{ Another cool idea: Black is preparing ...b7-b5 to open up some files on the
queenside and get access to the weak b2-pawn and b3-square. }
17. Nh2
{ White is trying to build some play on the kingside, but that won't work, both
because this plan is very slow, and because he does not have enough pieces,
especially the queen, on that part of the board. }
17... b5 18. Bg4 Bf8
{ 18...bxc4! would have been even stronger. Now, of course, dxc4 gives Black a
protected passed pawn and a strategically winning position, while after 19.Bxe6
fxe6-+ The queen cannot take on c4, as the b2-pawn will be lost, while dxc4 is,
again, strategically awful, since Black gets a protected passed pawn. }
19. Bxe6 Rxe6 20. f4
{ White is trying to get counterplay on the kingside, but that's too slow and
ineffective. }
20... bxc4 21. f5 { This is pure desperation. } 21... cxd3 22. Qd1
{ The queen is trying to make its way to g4 or h5. } 22... Rd6
{ Black just dominates the queenside. His extra central pawns don't hurt, either. }
23. Ng4 Qxb2
{ Of course, Black is glad to grab another pawn and threaten ...Nb3, understanding
there is no attack on the kingside. }
24. Bxh6 { White goes all-in. } 24... gxh6 25. f6 Nb3 26. Qf3 Qd2
{ The queen can join defense via g5. It's over. } 27. Nf5 Nxa1 28. Qg3 Kh7 29.
Rxa1 Qg5 { Now, Black is a rook up and his d-pawn is about to queen. } 30. Qxd3
h5 31. Nh2 Rxf6
{ And in a few moves, White figured it was appropriate to resign. In my opinion,
Black played a wonderful positional game. As we found out, the early ...a7-a5 is
not a good idea due to the rather non-trivial Qa4!, but besides that, Black played
really well. It is particularly worth pointing out the strong reaction to a2-a3,
namely ...a5-a4!, which created an outpost on b3. White was passive, but his
position was still rather solid. However, as he made another positional mistake by
pushing c3-c4, Black locked up the centre, re-routed the knight to c5 and broke the
queenside apart with ...b7-b5!, which is another idea I highly recommend you take
away. And, he always stayed in control on the kingside. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "16) Odds and Ends"]
[Black "Bad version of the Exchange Variation"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. f4
{ This sideline is sometimes chosen by the type of players who like
@@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1@@EndFEN@@
1.e4 c5 2.f4 or 2.Nc3 and 3.f4 versus the Sicilian, for example. White's goal
is to avoid getting a typical French pawn chain by delaying d2-d4, hoping to grab
space on the kingside and build an attack there thanks to that space. }
2... d5 3. exd5 exd5
{ Results in the Exchange French with the weakening move f2-f4 if White puts his
pawn on d4, or plainly in a bad position for him if he doesn't, because in that
case, how would the queenside pieces come out? }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "2.f4 with 3.e5"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. f4
{ This sideline is sometimes chosen by the type of players who like
@@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1@@EndFEN@@
1.e4 c5 2.f4 or 2.Nc3 and 3.f4 versus the Sicilian, for example. White's goal
is to avoid getting a typical French pawn chain by delaying d2-d4, hoping to grab
space on the kingside and build an attack there thanks to that space. }
2... d5 3. e5
{ Of course, this is White's idea. He will try to avoid playing d2-d4 in order to
not give us a target. Instead, he'll try to play Nf3, c2-c3 and Bd3, followed by
castling. }
3... d4
{ If White is not interested in taking the center, we'll do that ourselves! }
4. Nf3 Ne7
{ We are developing the knight. The goal is to either install in on d5, looking to
attack that weak f4-pawn, or put it on f5 to support the pawn on d4. }
5. Bd3
{ Whenever this position arose (just in 4 games!), White chose to develop the
bishop here, aiming it at our kingside. }
5... Nd5
{ I know, moving the same piece twice is weird. But, our knight is very stable
here: it's hardly possible to chase it away with c2-c4, the f4-pawn is under
attack, and if White's d2-pawn ever moves, the e3-square becomes a fantastic
outpost for the horsey. }
6. g3 Nc6
{ Of course, the d4-pawn now required protection. Don't worry about placing the
knight on c6. We don't need to play ...c7-c5 - instead, the goal is rapid
development. }
7. O-O Bc5
{ Black can safely castle short, or play ...f7-f6 and undermine the center.
However, I am looking for something a bit more exciting, to be honest. What would
that be? I want us to ...castle long! We'll prepare that by going ...Qd7, ...b7-
b6 and ...Bb7. The king is going to be perfectly safe there, and Black will launch
a deadly attack with ...h7-h5-h4, ...f7-f6 and ...g7-g5. White's position looks
very suspicious here, primarily because he doesn't have any space, especially in
the center, and it's not obvious how to develop his kingside. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "2.b3 - what NOT to do"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. b3
{ This is another funny sideline, which is often played with an intent of
sacrificing a pawn. It's an entertaining path, but not a good one. }
2... d5 { Of course, we continue fighting for the center as planned. } 3. Bb2
{ This is the whole point of White's second move: he is hoping the b2-bishop will
be strong enough to warrant a pawn sacrifice. Admittedly, it could be a temporary
one. However, among other things, Black is by no means forced to accept that
pawn. }
3... dxe4 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Qe2
{ This actually enables White to get his pawn back and gives him a rather promising
position, so let's avoid that. And, by the way, if you're looking for an
unexplored sideline against the French, this could be a good way to go for White,
especially as most Black players will just automatically capture. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "2.b3 - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. b3
pawn. }
3... Nc6
{ Another weird almost-novelty kind of move, perhaps you are already used to them
if you've read enough of my repertoire suggestions :) The idea is to support the
move ...d5-d4, cutting out that b2-bishop, while also keeping the option of playing
...dxe4. Now, taking on d5 clearly doesn't make much sense, because in that case,
the bishop does not belong on b2. Of course, 4.e5 also looks like a strategic
error, because it blocks the b2-bishop. So...is White just painted in the corner?
You see, this is the problem with most gambits: accepting them gives the opponent
some fun, but declining often shuts down all of their ideas. }
4. exd5
{ This is the most frequently played move, but after the obvious sequence: }
4... exd5 5. Nf3 Nf6
{ I am having a hard time understanding what is White supposed to do with his
queenside. d2-d4 will render that fianchettoed bishop useless, while d2-d3 makes
sure White is not contesting the center at all. }
6. Bb5
{ Most players chose to delay the decision regarding the d-pawn by just developing
the kingside first. Fair enough. }
6... Bd6 7. O-O O-O
{ With such simple and natural moves as ...Re8, ...Bg4, etc coming next, I think
Black is fighting for the initiative. That statement would prove even more
correct if White doesn't ever move the d-pawn, as the queenside is simply not
getting out in that case. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "2.b3 - N2"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. b3
pawn. }
3... Nc6
4. Nc3
{ I guess he can try to protect the e4-pawn this way, but that move only asks for a
punch. }
4... d4 5. Nce2 e5
{ Now, White has no space whatsoever, and the problem is that he always needs to be
making sure ...d4-d3 wouldn't paralyze him even more, while d2-d3 is a move that
would create a massive hole on c3. Of course, the b2-bishop is already dead, too. }
6. Ng3
{ In a few games that got here, White tried unraveling his kingside this way, but
it shouldn't lead to much success. }
6... Nge7 7. Bc4 Ng6
{ The knight is positioned perfectly here, as it helps us prevent the f2-f4 break,
while also potentially allowing Black to install the knight on f4 later on and
build a kingside attack. White is having a hard time getting the rest of the pieces
out, for instance: }
8. Nf3 h5 9. O-O Qf6
{ With ...h5-h4-h3 coming next, White is being pushed against the wall. This is
just awful for him. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "2.b3 - N3"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. b3
pawn. }
3... Nc6
4. e5
{ This is another possibility. Again, why is the bishop on b2, if I may ask? }
4... d4
{ With this ambitious move, we grab space in the center and prevent d2-d4. Now, the
plan is to develop the queenside with ...b7-b6 and ...Bb7, then move the queen,
castle long and attack White's king, which is more or less guaranteed to hide on
the kingside. }
5. Nf3 Qd5 { First, we attack the e5-pawn and prevent Bb5. } 6. Qe2
{ White has to defend his e5-pawn, but now, the f1-bishop is blocked. } 6... b6
{ With ...b7-b6 and the aforementioned plan coming next, I think there is no need
to be analyzing this further. Plus, again, the d4-pawn is very powerful in such
positions, it prevents White's queenside from coming out, so we are already
pressing for the advantage. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Black "The Two Knights - N1"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3
{ This is another sideline, which of course can also arise via
@@StartFEN@@rnbqkbnr/pppp1ppp/4p3/8/4P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 2@@EndFEN@@
2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 . White keeps the pawn on d2 for now, hoping for ...dxe4, when he
gets a rather quick development. But, keeping the pawn on d2 comes at a price. }
3... d4
{ I see no reason not to make this ambitious move, which kicks the knight out with
a tempo and grabs space. }
4. Ne2 c5
{ Black is taking even more space in the center. Now, White typically tries to
undermine the d4-pawn with c2-c3, but other moves, such as Ng3, d2-d3 or even b2-b4
are also possible. }
5. c3 Nf6
{ Counterattacking the e4-pawn is a great idea, because we want to provoke passive
moves like d2-d3, or weakening ones like e4-e5. }
6. d3 { This does not achieve anything and is very passive. } 6... Nc6
{ Now, it's not obvious how to develop White's kingside. For instance, after: }
7. g3
{ Black, certainly, has a lot of moves, but it seems easy and good enough to take
up even more space in the center. }
7... e5
{ Now, we are playing a reversed King's Indian Defense. This is a fantastic
position, because in this pawn structure, Black wants to prepare ...c5-c4-cxd3 to
open the c-file, but White already played c2-c3, which means the c-file is even
easier to open up. One thing to remember is that White would like to castle and
prepare f2-f4-f5, looking to attack our king, if it goes to the kingside. So, we
won't hurry with short castling, instead focusing on our queenside play first. }
8. Bg2 a5 9. O-O a4
{ With ...h7-h6, ...Be6, ...b7-b5, ...Qb6, etc coming next, Black has a strong
initiative on the queenside, while White has no play whatsoever on his part of the
board. Please remember: don't hurry with short castling, so that if White tries
to play f2-f4-f5 and attack your king, it can just remain in the center, rendering
White's attack pointless. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3
3... d4
4. Ne2 c5
5. c3 Nf6
{ Counterattacking the e4-pawn is a great idea, because we want to provoke passive
moves like d2-d3, or weakening ones like e4-e5. }
6. e5 Nfd7
{ The e5-pawn is in a lot of danger, as natural moves like ...Nc6 are coming next
and will just win it. }
7. cxd4 cxd4 8. Nexd4
{ White managed to win our central pawn, but that's not a problem at all. }
8... Nxe5
{ If White captures, the d4-knight will be taken and White will end up with an
inferior structure, an isolated d2-pawn. }
9. Bb5+
{ This is White's most popular and natural continuation: he just develops with a
tempo. }
9... Nec6 10. O-O Bd7
{ I think the idea of unpinning that c6-knight and preventing ideas like Ne5 is the
safest and easiest way to proceed. Now, we are ready to either trade pieces,
which will give us a large strategic advantage, as that IQP will be weaker as
pieces come off, or to just keep developing with ...Be7 and ... O-O. Retreating
means White needs to waste time, too, which obviously isn't great. }
11. Ne2 { This is just a sample sequence to show how the game can go. } 11...
Be7 12. d4 Nb4
{ Black rushes to blockade the pawn. With ...Bc6 and ...Nd5 coming next, the
position is perfectly safe, and there is no need to discuss it in more detail,
except for me referring you to the need to study the typical IQP positions. We
just want to trade the minor pieces and then put a lot of pressure on that d4-pawn
with our major pieces in the endgame. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3
3... d4
4. Ne2 c5
5. Ng3
{ The knight can go this way, freeing up the path for that f1-bishop, but the issue
is that knights tend to be very misplaced on g3, b3, g6 and b6 in most chess
openings, as restricting them on those squares takes only a pawn or two. Look at
this knight: the e6-pawn makes it rather useless! }
5... Nc6 6. Bb5
{ White pins us, maybe looking to spoil our pawn structure by taking on c6. }
6... Ne7 { We don't need to allow that at all. } 7. O-O a6
{ Time to kick that bishop out. } 8. Be2 e5
{ With ...f7-f6 and ...Be6 coming next, we just have a lot more space and a clear
plan of advancing the queenside pawns with ...b7-b5, ... c5-c4, etc, while White is
short on space and his g3-knight is awful. So it's reasonable to stop here and
agree the opening went really wrong for him. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3
3... d4
4. Ne2 c5
5. b4
{ This is a rather interesting gambit move, which has been used by several strong
GMs, especially Yasser Quesada. Of course, White is hoping to remove the c5-pawn
and win the one on d4, as well as to develop his queenside faster: the bishop is
ready to go to b2. But, that's not an issue, just like most gambits. }
5... Nf6 { Instead of defending, we will counterattack the e4-pawn! } 6. e5
Nfd7
{ Now, the e5-pawn is separated from the rest of the army and weak, ...Nc6 is
coming to attack it again. }
7. bxc5
{ However, it might look as though our d4-pawn is now in trouble as well, as there
are two attackers and no defenders, right? Wrong! }
7... Bxc5 8. Nexd4 Nxe5
{ Same tactic as in one of the other variations in the Two Knights. The d4-knight
is loose, so we are able to get his central pawn back. Black is ready to castle
and follow up with ...b7-b6 and ...Bb7. Instead, White is experiencing a rather
weird situation in the center and has to be careful. For instance, after: }
9. Bb2 O-O 10. Be2 Ng6
{ Black is ready to not only follow up with ...b7-b6 and ...Bb7, as planned, but
also install the knight on f4, bring the bishop back on d6 and try attacking White
on the kingside, which won't be easy to defend against both bishops aimed there. }
*
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "*"]
1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3
3... d4
4. Ne2 c5
5. d3 Nc6 6. g3 e5
{ Enables us to play the reversed King's Indian, which is great news, as White's
knight already committed to the e2-square, where it's misplaced, and While already
closed the center. We talk about these positions via the move order with 5.c3, but
let's review a couple nuances: 1) Our plan is to push ...c5-c4 and open the c-
file, as our pawn chain is aimed at the queenside. 2) We don't need to hurry with
short castling in order to not give White an opportunity to attack our king after
grabbing space there with f2-f4-f5. }
7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O Be6
{ With ...c5-c4 coming next, Black has a strong initiative. f2-f4 can be easily
dealt with by means of ...f7-f6. Please note White's attempts to grab space on
the kingside with f4-f5 don't make any sense as long as we don't castle there.
Instead, leaving the king in the center is a much better idea. }
*

The Unexplored French Defense - TLS

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The Unexplored French Defense - TLS

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[Event "?

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. Bd3 c4

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. a3 c4

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Be2 Nge7

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Be2 Nh6

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. Be2 cxd4

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. Be2 Bb5

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. Be2 cxd4

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Be7 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bd3 c5 7. c3 b6

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Be7 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bd3 c5 7. c3 b6

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Be7 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. Bd3 c5 6. dxc5 dxe4 7. Nxe4 Nxe4 8.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bd3 c5

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bd3 c5

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bd3 c5

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bd3 c5

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bd3 c5

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bd3 c5

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bd3 c5

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Bd3 c5

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bb5+

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bd3

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bd3 dxe4 4. Bxe4 Nf6 5. Bf3 Bd6 6. Ne2 Nbd7 7. c4

1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. Ngf3 e5

1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. Ngf3 e5

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