Welcome to the April 2004 French Update.
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Neil McDonald |
I hope you are enjoying your chess. With this rapid update I'm getting the French section back on track time-wise.If you have a greater appetite for chess than the updates can assuage, remember that there are literally thousands of games on the French and other openings stored in ChessPub. Virtually all of these games were chosen because they were exciting or artistic- some are of theoretical importance because they contain key moves and analysis, whilst others are model games which demonstrate the plans or tactical ideas for one or both players. The Grandmasters on the site have been adding new games for about five years, so they have probably forgotten themselves some of the clever ideas they give in ChessPub!
To download the April '04 French games directly in PGN form, click here: 
Tarrasch 3...Be7
Black in the hot water
It is surprising how much hot water Black can get into after 4.c3!? - it may be a modest little pawn move, but it virtually forces Black to make a pawn sacrifice or else accept an IQP position. Black chooses the latter course in the selected game and has to stake everything on a successful kingside attack. She comes through the test well in Bojkovic - Richards.
Tarrasch 3...Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3
Take a look at the diagram position which arose from the opening of this month's game. It is Black's move.
            
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Before you click on the link, ask yourself if there is any objection from a strategical point of view to Black playing 13...Qb6 ? And would the alternative 13...Kh8 be a waste of time, or can you see any purpose to behind it? If you had to choose between these moves, what would you play?
The great (French) French Defence expert GM Apicella made a poor choice here, so you are in good company if you are feeling a little confused! If you want all to be revealed click on the exciting game Sarthou - Apicella.
McCutcheon Variation 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4
Still alive
This remains an excellent way for Black to create an imbalance in the position. As it has for many years been treated as a poor relation of the Winawer, there are still a lot of new ideas being discovered. Sadly for White in this month's game the commendable urge to improvise leads to disaster. For a good lesson in how to exploit control of a light square complex check out Arakhamia - Zhukova.
Classical Variation 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7
If Black chooses to delay castling then a key position is reached after the moves 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Bxe7 Qxe7 7.f4 a6 8.Nf3 c5 9.dxc5 Nc6 10.Bd3 Qxc5 11.Qd2 b5 12.0-0-0:
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It has always seemed slightly odd to me that Black has got such a head start when it comes to a race between attacks with pawns on the wings, and yet it is White's delayed pawn attack on the kingside that often proves the deadlier. Of course chess strategy depends on more than just flinging pawns at the opponent's king. Above all a good piece coordination is essential. In this month's game Sutovsky demonstrates that the exchange of an important piece can ruin an opponent's attack. Have a look at his masterly play in Sutovsky - Thorhallsson.
Winawer 4.Nge2
The reply 4...Nc6 is the main test of White's opening. After 5.a3 Ba5 the crucial question arises: can White play 6.e5 advantageously, or is he just over extending his centre?
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Indeed it is hard to believe that White can profit through seizing space when his bishop is still buried on f1, which makes 6...f6 look like the natural reply. This is investigated in the first selected game. There is a saying that the operation was a success, but the patient died. GM Johnny Hector refutes Black's opening in splendid style, but he then loses control and goes down in flames. Enjoy Hector - Olsson.
The second game sees GM Berg playing as Black against Hector's favourite 4.Nge2. As is to be expected he plays a reasonable line, but then he misses a chance to activate his game. This time Hector gets everything right- he wins the theoretical battle and the tactical battle. Here is Hector - Berg.
Winawer 4.e5 c5 5.Bd2
Finally here is one of my own games. My experiences against 5.Bd2 have by no means always been so pleasant: I used to play Correspondence chess and one season I had no less than three games with Black in 5.Bd2- all horribly dull and an utter waste of stamps and life spirit. In the game given here Black's risky play paid off- check out Adelaja - McDonald.
Well I have to say goodbye now. I hope you got one or two useful ideas on how to play the French from the above. Best of luck in your tournaments and matches!
Neil