Download PGN of August ’24 French games
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Advance, Hector Gambit 5...Qb6 6 Bd3 cxd4 7 0-0 Bd7 8 Re1 Nge7 9 h4 h6 [C02]
The gambit 3 e5 c5 4 c4 Nc6 5 Nf3 Qb6 6 Bd3 cxd4 7 0-0 continues to be tested regularly. One of the variations which has settled in as a main line goes 7...Bd7 8 Re1 Nge7 9 h4 h6.
Then Reinecke, K - Ghazarian, K, Andorra Open Escaldes 2024, went 10 Nbd2 dxc3 11 bxc3:
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Here Black played the very rare 11...Nc8!?, both preparing to develop the f8 bishop and also aiming to increase his queenside control with ....Nb6. This appears to be a sound alternative to 11...Na5 and 11...Rc8, both of which I also analyse in the notes.
In Stefansson, V - Komarov, D, Canadian op Laval 2024, White played 10 h5, arriving at a very commonly-arising position:
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As in the game above, Black initiated a reorganization by 10...Nc8, which has only very rarely been played but looks quite sensible, intending to develop and reroute the knight to b6 at some point.
Milner-Barry Gambit 9 Nbd2 Nc6 [C02]
Foregoing the popular gambit with the old-fashioned Milner-Barry Gambit has had somewhat of a comeback. After 6 Bd3 cxd4 7 cxd4 Bd7 8 0-0 Nxd4, the move 9 Nbd2 has taken over as White’s best try (one of the oldest alternatives gets a recent test in the notes).
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In Kuru, A - Hamdouchi, H, Porticcio 2024, I look at recent games with Black’s three main moves from this position. If Black is prepared, he should be fine, but White always seems to have enough compensation to keep things about even.
Radjabov Variation 3 Nc3 a6 [C10]
After the conventional 3 Nc3, a number of strong players have been trying the eccentric 3...a6!? with moderate success. I’m used to things like 3 Nd2 a6, 3 Nd2 h6, and even 3 Nc3 h6, but at first I found it hard to understand 3...a6. In the end, like the other three ‘semi-waiting’ moves above, Black’s idea is that if White commits to a developing or space-gaining move, ...a6 will prove useful in creating counterplay. Eric Prie used 3...a6 regularly in the early 1990s, Nikolay Legky played it consistently for about a decade thereafter, and a few other masters toyed around with it, but the variation had never caught on at the top levels until a few years ago when super-grandmaster Teimour Radjabov began to employ it regularly, largely in Blitz and Rapid games. Others took notice, and after players like Carlsen and Nakamura tried it out in multiple games, we have been accumulating many examples, including some high-level games.
Notice, by the way, that three other move orders are being used to get into these 3 Nc3 a6 lines: 1 e4 a6 2 d4 e6 3 Nc3 d5, 1 e4 e6 2 d4 a6 3 Nc3 d5, and 1 Nf3 e6 2 e4 a6 3 Nc3 d5 4 d4. I’ve taken recent games as the basis for an overview of the ideas.
Radjabov Variation 3 Nc3 a6 4 Nf3 Nf6 5 Bd3 c5 [C10]
Obviously, 4 Nf3 is a natural response, when a critical line is 4...Nf6 5 Bd3 c5 6 exd5 . In Hou Yifan - Radjabov, T, Chess Stars Blitz Moscow 2024, Black played 6...exd5:
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White continued 7 0-0, allowing 7...c4, after which Black always seemed to have fully satisfactory chances. The move 7 Bg5, analysed in the notes, was critical, gaining a positional advantage, albeit at the expense of the bishop pair and counterplay.
Instead of 6....exd5, 6...cxd4?! is a rather dubious move played just last month by no less than Magnus Carlsen.
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In the game Omanovic, V - Halilcevic, K, Tuzla 2022 (which began 1 Nf3 e6 2 e4 a6 3 Nc3 d5 4 Nc3 Nf6 5 Bd3 c5, etc.), White found 7 dxe6! (Carlsen’s opponent Tari played 7 Nxd4, which was also good but not as clear) 7...Bxe6? (7...dxc3 8 exf7+ Kd7! is the best chance to mix things up, but is obviously risky) 8 Nxd4 and White had an extra pawn and a far superior position.
Radjabov Variation 3 Nc3 a6 4 Nf3 Nf6 5 e5 [C10]
Instead of 5 Bd3, 5 e5 has scored the best and seems to render ...a6 dubious. But after 5...Nfd7, White’s knight on c3 means that ...c5 will gain in effect. So White usually plays 6 Ne2 c5 7 c3 Nc6. Now it looks like a favorable 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 e5 system, but without f4 in, White doesn’t have his usual grip in the center and Black gets typical French play.
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In Wagner, D - Nakamura, H, Titled Tuesday 02nd Apr 2024, White set up with 8 g3 (8 a3 is also examined) 8...a5!? (there are numerous options) 9 h4 a4 with double-edged play that probably favors White somewhat but leaves all the possibilities open.
Radjabov Variation 3 Nc3 a6 4 Nf3 Bb4 [C10]
Instead of 4...Nf6, 4...Bb4 is another, more flexible, way to play this variation, one which has been tried by elite GMs including Carlsen, Nakamura, and Fedoseev. Then 5 Bd3 and 5 exd5 have been played, but the most successful move has been 5 e5, with a main-line Winawer in which White has Nf3 in and Black has ...a6. That would seem to favor White, but the knight on f3 both blocks the move f4 and prevents the dangerous move Qg4, while Black has an opportunity to make use of ...a6 with 5...Bd7:
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With this move he intends ...Bb5, exchanging off his bad bishop. There have been quite a few tests here. Firouzja, A - Maksimovic, B, Titled Tuesday 30th Apr 2024, continued 6 h4 (games with 6 Bd2 and 6 a3 are examined in the notes) 6...Bxc3+ 7 bxc3 Bb5. Black didn’t come out too badly, but White stood better throughout. 6...Bxc3+ is rather time-wasting, and I think alternatives such 6...h6, 6...Ne7, and 6...c5 should be looked into, with interesting prospects.
Radjabov Variation 3 Nc3 a6 4 exd5 [C10]
Recently a few strong players have decided to avoid complications with 4 exd5 exd5 5 Bd3, which seems rather unambitious but requires accurate development by Black.
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Alekseev, E - Santiago, Y, Crunchlabs Match 2024, saw 5...Bb4 (5...c6 and 5...Nc6 have been played by strong players) 6 Nge2 Ne7 7 0-0 0-0. In general, White has a limited edge, but it’s not much and Black has numerous setups to choose from. This game has notes on 4 e5 c5 as well (it’s equal at best for White).
Till next month, John
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