So In the line after 1 e4, e5; 2 d4, d5; 3 e5 we see 3...c5,
attacking the base. The immediate reply 4.c3 by White transfers the
base, and therefore the focus of the attack, to c3. Black can push past with
...c4 and go for ....b5-b4, or exchange on d4 with ....cxd4,cxd4 which brings
the base one step mearer again, at cost of relieving some tension. There can
follow 4...Nc6; 5 Nf3, Qb6. now the natural 6.Bd3 leaves the
d-pawn exposed (although you can play it as a gambit), and a logical sequence
is: 6 Be2, cxd4; 7 cxd4, Bb4+ 8 Kf1 since 8. Bd2 risks 8...Nxd4.
Nowadays we are less rigid about these things: for example, White need not sit
back on the Q-side, and instead often plays 6.a3 threatening b4, and
experience has shown that this is not an idle threat. Black usually moves one
more step down the chain with 6...c4, but a playable alternative is
6...f6!?, attacking the head and not the base. Admittedly after 7
exf6 Black's e-pawn is a bit sickly, but for the moment White is in no
position to attack it.
The most important feature of positions shown in the first diagram is not itself actually shown: this is the Black light-squared (Queen's) Bishop. Stuck behind the pawn on e6, it will play little role in the game for a while. This feature led Bob Wade to coin the line 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 planning ...Bd7 and ...Bb5. Recently there has been a small fashion for 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bd7!? idea ...Bc6. More commonly Black will play ...b6 and ....Ba6 to secure the exchange (see Hubner-Larsen), but often as not Black just carries this piece as a slight liability on d7, waiting for its chances after ...e5 or in an endgame when it might reappear on b5.
Despite the weak c-pawn, White is well placed here: Black cannot quickly
organise a Queen's-side attack while the White Bishops are nicely placed to
influence events on both sides. The Black King cannot comfortable castle
...O-O with the holes all over the defences there.
16... Bd7 17. Qf2 Nba4 18. Rab1 h5 19. b6 Nxd3 20. cxd3 Bxa3 21. f5
Just as Black is getting somewhere on the Queen's-side we have a classic
Pillsbury breakthrough. This is a vacating sacrifice to allow the Ne2
to move up into firing position, hoping to catch the Black King in the
centre.
21... gxf5 22. Nf4 h4 23. Ra1 Be7 24. Rxa4
A deflecting sacrifice, pulling the Bd7 away from the support of e6.
24...Bxa4 25. Nfxe6 fxe6 26. Nxe6 Bd7 27. Nxd8 Rxd8
The Queen rather than the King was caught!
The attack has thus resulted in a small material advantage (Q v. RB) which White converts with continued vigour.
28. Bc5 Rc8 29. Bxe7 Kxe7 30. Qe3 Rc6 31. Qg5+ Kf7 32. Rc1 Rxc1+ 33. Qxc1 Rc8 34. Qe1 h3 35. gxh3 Rg8+ 36. Kf2 a4 37. Qb4 Rg6 38. Kf3 1-0
The sharp MacCutcheon Variation.
5. e5 h6 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. bxc3 Ne4 8. Bd3 Nxd2 9. Qxd2 c5 10. dxc5 Qc7 11. Qe3 O-O 12. Ne2 Nd7 13. f4 Nxc5 14. O-O Bd7 15. Rf3 Rac8 16. Rh3 f5 17. Qd4 Rf7 18. c4 dxc4 19. Bxc4 Be8 20. Qe3 b5 21. Bb3 Re7 22. Nd4 Kh7 23. Qe2 Qb6
White's energetic start has not given him anything concrete. Meanwhile, Black
has ample opportunities on the Queen's-side, with a sickly pawn on c2 to lean
on.
24. Kh1 Ne4 25. Rd3 a5 26. a3 Bf7 27. Qe3 Qc5 28. Rf1 a4 29. Ba2 Nc3
The point immediately in front of an isolated pawn is a great outpost for a Knight. The Bishop retreats, but soon wishes it had a 0-th rank to retire further.
30. Bb1 Rec7 31. Qc1
31... b4 32. Rff3 Qa5 33. Qb2 bxa3 34. Qa1 Qb4 35. Ba2
[35. Rf1 Qb2 36. Qxb2 axb2 and ...a4-a3-a2]
35... Nxa2 36. Qxa2 Qe1+ 0-1
[Why does everybody quote this game? Laziness? Or is it that it's not so easy to do for White? Or that Black players now see it coming and avoid it?]
The Queens have come off leaving a bad Black Bishop. White has potential
control of the d4 point and would ideally like to get rid of the Black Knight
for his own Knight or Bishop, so that he can occupy d4 unchallenged.
16. Ne2 Bd7 17. Nd4 Rac8 18. Kf2 Rc7 19. Ke3 Re8 20. Rf2 Nb7 21. Bf1 Na5 22. b3 h6 23. Bd3 Nc6 24. Nxc6 Bxc6 25. Kd4
The moment the Black Knight disappears the King moves up into position.
25... Bd7 26. g4 Bc8 27. h4 g6 28. Rh1 Kg7 29. h5 Rh8 30. Rfh2 Bd7 31. g5 hxg5 32. fxg5 Rxh5 33. Rxh5 gxh5 34. Rxh5
White has used the extra space and good Bishop to make some progress on the
King's-side. This progress consists of open lines, and Black cannot easily
oppose Rooks on the h-file because the White King would immediately barge in
through the unlocked door at c5.
34... Kf8 35. Rh8+ Ke7
White is two pieces up on the King's-side.
36. g6 fxg6 37. Bxg6 b4 38. Rh7+ Kd8 39. Bd3 Rc3 40. a3 a5 41. Rh8+ Ke7 42. Ra8 1-0
Here is a well known example.
White has got nothing from his Bishop excursions.
10...Nxc3 11.bxc3 f6 12.f4 fxe5 13.fxe5 Ne7 14.Nf3 c5 15.0-0 Qa5 16.Qe1 Bd7 17.c4 Qxe1 18.Rfxe1 dxc4 19.Be4 cxd4 20.Bxb7 Rab8 21.Ba6 Rb4
After the exchange of Queens there is still an initiative (and for the moment a
pawn) for Black. White successfully fends off the first wave...
22.Rad1 d3 23.cxd3 cxd3 24.Rxd3 Bc6 25.Rd4 Rxd4 26.Nxd4 Bd5 27.a4 Rf4
But the defence has left White passive an uncoordinated. Black manoevres
skilfully to weave a win.
28.Rd1 Ng6 29.Bc8 Kf7 30.a5 Nxe5 31.a6 Rg4 32.Rd2 Nc4 33.Rf2+ Ke7 34.Nb5 Nd6 35.Nxd6 Kxd6 36.Bb7 Bxb7 37.axb7 Kc7 38.h3 Rg5 39.Rb2 Kb8 40.Kf2 Rd5 41.Ke3 Rd7 42.Ke4 Rxb7 43.Rf2 0-1
An actual example:
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5
This is the classic French conjuring trick with the White pawn centre.
3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. f4 O-O
Now you see it...
8. Nf3 c5 9. Bd3 f5 10. exf6 Rxf6 11. Qd2 Nc6 12. dxc5 Nxc5
...Now you don't! Without the f-pawn White risks being rolled over. Even with
the f-pawn White must still pay constant attention to Black possibilities of an
...e5 break, so much so that White may undertake little elsewhere on the
board.
Another example:
3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ne2 cxd4 8. cxd4
White can count this exchange a partial relief.
8...Qb6 9. Nf3 f6 10. exf6 Nxf6 11. O-O Bd6 12. Nc3 O-O 13. Re1 Bd7
This formation is more favourable to White, but look at the pieces! White has
spent so much time carefully arranging the pawns and Knights that the Black
pieces have had time to come to very good squares. The proud White d-pawn is
under some pressure (not lots of pressure yet because of the Bxh7+ trick), the
White Queen's-side is no more developed now than at move three, and Black can
eye up a few stray White pawns (b2, d4, f2). The position possibly is slightly
more favourable to White, but in practical play the conversion to a full point
is a long hard struggle in which Black has good chances to win, since if ...e5
does ever come the d-pawn will be passed.
This is the hanging centre in the worst form for Black: White has a through
blockade.
12... Nf6 13. Nd2 O-O 14. Nf3 Bd6 15. Qe2 Rac8 16. Bd4 Qc7 17. Ne5 Be8 18. Rae1 Bxe5 19. Bxe5 Qc6 20. Bd4 Bd7 21. Qc2 Rf7 22. Re3 b6
White has maintained the restraint of the pawns, and has pointed his Bishops at
the Black King.
23. Rg3 Kh8 24. Bxh7
White is now a pawn up, and exchanges down to a won ending.
24...e5 25. Bg6 Re7 26. Re1 Qd6 27. Be3 d4 28. Bg5 Rxc3 29. Rxc3 dxc3 30. Qxc3 Kg8 31. a3 Kf8 32. Bh4 Be8 33. Bf5 Qd4 34. Qxd4 exd4 35. Rxe7 Kxe7 36. Bd3 Kd6 37. Bxf6 gxf6
38. h4 1-0
The centre begins to roll... the central pawns are exposed, so Black needs to
play sharply (i.e. vigorously and accurately). That's just what he does!
10. cxd5 e4! 11. dxc6 Qxd3 12. Qxd3 exd3 13. Ne5
White really needs to get a few more reserves into action.
[13. Nc3 bxc6 14. Na4 Bd6 15. Be3 <=>/=+]
13... bxc6 14. Nxd3 Bd4 15. Be3
[15. Nc3 Ba6 16. Rd1 Rad8 17. Ne2 Bxd3 18. Rxd3 Bxf2+]
15... Bxe3 16. fxe3 Ba6 17. Rd1 Rad8 18. Nf2 Rxd1+ 19. Nxd1 Ne4 20. Nf2 Nxf2 0-1
After a long first act we see the c-file being hotly contested with an
additional two plus points for White: the outpost on c5 and the initiative on
the King's-side. At this point Black snaps and concedes a pawn for some
chances to re-arrange his defences.
31... Nc4+ 32. Bxc4 dxc4 33. N5e4 b5 34. Nd6 Rb8 35. f5 Bd7 36. Rf2 Nd5+ 37. Nxd5 exd5
White has exhanged all but Black's least useful minor piece.
38. g5 h5 39. Rcf1 Kg8 40. g6
The exchanges have left the Queen's-side blocked while the King's-side pawns
keep rolling along... This push wins an outpost on f7(!).
40... f6 41. Re2 Bc6 42. Rfe1 Rd8 43. Kf4 fxe5+ 44. Rxe5
White now has the e-file all to himself, and Black cannot strike down the
impudent Knight because of the back rank mate. Black tries to contest the
e-file...
44... Kf8 45. Nf7 Re8 46. Ng5 Rce7 47. Nh7+ 1-0
After the exchange of the bad light-squared Bishop, Black can look forward to reasonable chances in the middlegame.
11. O-O Ra8 12. Re1 Nf8 13. Nbd2 Ng6 14. Nf1 Qd7 15. Qe2 O-O 16. Ng3 Rae8 17. Nh5 f6
18. Nf4 Nxf4 19. Bxf4 f5
(= Taulbut) After some inaccuracies bu both sides, White steers home a win, but at this point chances are probably about equal.
20. Reb1 Ra8 21. Qb5 Rfc8 22. Bg5 Bf8 23. Bd2 h6 24. b4 g5 ?! 25. h4 g4 26. Ne1 Qe8 27. Qd3 axb4 28. cxb4 Ra7 29. Bc3 Rca8 30. Qd1 Nd8 31. b5 c5 ?! 32. dxc5 Bxc5 33. Nd3 Nb7 34. g3 d4 ?! 35. Bd2 Bf8 36. Qb3 ?! 36... Rc8 37. Rc1 Raa8 38. Ra2 Rxc1+ 39. Bxc1 Na5 40. Qd1 Rc8 41. Rc2 Rc3 ?! 42. Rxc3 dxc3 43. Qc2 Qc8 44. Be3
44... Qc4 45. Bxb6 Nb3 46. Be3 Na1 47. Qe2 Qxa4 48. b6 Nb3 49. Qc2 Qc4 50.
Qa2 Qd5 51. Nf4 Qd1+ 52. Kh2 c2 53. Qxb3 1-0
8. g3 cxd4 9. cxd4 Bb4+ 10. Kf2 g5 11. Be3 f6 12. Bh3 gxf4 13. gxf4 fxe5 14.
fxe5 Rf8
There is no pawn tension in the centre now. Both Kings are a little exposed,
but what matters is getting men into the box.
15. Ne2 Be7 16. Qd2 Ndb8 17. Rhf1 Na6 18. Kg2 Bd7 19. Ng5
White's Knight parachutes in. Of course, ...Bxg5 removes the intruder but at
cost of cenceding the dark squares.
19... Rg8 20. Kh1 Na5 21. b3 Rg7
White spies loose piece on a5.
22. Bxe6 Bxe6 23. Nxe6 Qxe6 24. Qxa5 1-0
A pawn down with the King still stuck in the middle, Nosher had seen enough.
This distinctly unclassical move has been a major line ever since: it avoids
the ...Bb4 pin, allows c2-c3 reinforcing the d-pawn, and has a mind to go later
to f3, while the Ng1 goes via e2 to f4 or g3. 3... Nf6
4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ne2 Qb6 8. Nf3 Be7
This is now recognised as too slow.
9. O-O O-O 10. Nf4 Nd8 11. Qc2
Black's king is in the firing line with little support. This is the sort of
fierce initiative Black can be faced with if no counterplay is forthcoming.
Now Black is obliged to move the f-pawn.
11... f5 12. exf6 Nxf6 13. Ng5
Black must make some concession on the King's-side
13... g6 14. Bxg6
In such positions, this sacrifice is a matter of technique more than imagination.
14... hxg6 15. Qxg6+ Kh8 16. Qh6+ Kg8 17. Ng6 1-0
The gang of thuggish White pieces cannot be stopped.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Ngf3 Nc6 6. Bb5 Bd6 7. O-O cxd4 8. Nb3 Nge7 9. bxd4 O-O 10. c3 Bg4 11. Qa4 Qd7 ...etc.
Karpov repeatedly showed that Black labours under a disadvantage in this line, and Korchnoi repeatedly showed that it was possible to draw with the IQP. The IQP is associated with possibilities for a Knight outpost on e4 and chances for a King's-side attack, as in this striking game:
Having played h3, White now castles under it.
9. O-O Bxc5 10. c3 Re8 11. Qc2 Qd6 12. Nbd2 DIAGRAM
The weakness created by h3 now meets swift punishment.
12...Qg3 13. Bf5 Re2 14. Nd4 Nxd4 0-1
(resigns, because 14... Nxd4 15. cxd4 Bxd4 16. Bxc8 Rxf2 and Black will soon mate)
The basic Winawer start. White can play Qg4 or more slowly:
6... Ne7 7. Nf3 Qa5 8. Bd2 c4 9. a4 Nd7 10. Be2 Nb6
White is passive and Black has already rounded up a Queen's-side pawn.
11. O-O Nxa4 12. Nh4 Ng6 13. Nxg6 hxg6
The open h-file will be important later. Black has potential initiatives on both sides.
14. Re1 Bd7 15. Bf1 b5 16. Qf3 Rb8 17. Reb1 Qc7 18. Bc1 a5
Black's Queen's-side advance rolls.
19. Ba3 Rb6 20. Qg3 Qd8 21. Bd6
This is the problem with the Winawer: you may get a Bishop stuck in your
throat. Here Black sacrifices the exchange, confident he has enough going for
him on the Q-side, which the Bishop was holding up!
21... Rxd6 22. exd6 Bc6 23. h3 Kd7 24. Re1 Qh4 25. Qe5 Qf6 26. Qg3 Rh4 27. Re3 Rf4 28. Be2 Qh4 29. Bf3 b4
White is hanging on grimly.
30. Qxh4 Rxh4 31. g3 Rh8 32. cxb4 axb4 33. Rb1 Rb8 34. h4 Rb7 35. Kh2 Kxd6 36. g4 Nc3 37. Ra1 Nb5 38. Rd1 Ra7 39. h5 g5 40. Kg2 Ra2 0-1
This document (frencheg.html) was last modified on 30 Jan 1996 by
Dr. Dave