Download PGN of November ’24 French games
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Tarrasch 3...c5 4 exd5 Qxd5 5 Nf3 cxd4 6 Bc4 Qd7 7 0-0 Nc6 8 Nb3 a6 [C07]
In the Tarrasch, 3...c5 continues to be the most reliable equalizer. Following 3 Nd2 c5 4 exd5 Qxd5 5 Nf3 cxd4 6 Bc4, I looked last month at ideas with the move 6...Qd7, and some new games show this line as it is played at high levels. Aronian, L - Sevian, S, US Ch Saint Louis 2024, continued 7 0-0 Nc6 8 Nb3 a6 9 a4 Nf6 10 Qe2 Bd6 11 Rd1 e5 12 Nbxd4 Nxd4 13 Rxd4 Qe7:
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Here White has 14 Rxd6! Qxd6 15 b3, with a position we have seen in the Archives that now has a good deal of practice behind it. Alas, after some forcing lines, it seems that a drawish ending is the usual result. That’s pretty dramatic for such a positional line, but not too attractive if either sides wants strong winning chances. Black can keep a lot more play on the board with 10...Qc7:
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Wei, Y - Erigaisi, A, TechM GCL London 2024, saw 11 Rd1 Bd7 (11...Be7 is an important alternative) 12 Nbxd4, and here 12...Bc5 looks best, because 12...Nxd4?! 13 Rxd4 turned out to be awkward for Black.
White can also capture immediately with 9 Nbxd4 Nxd4 10 Nxd4, when 10...Qc7 might lead to unique positions after 11 Qe2:
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Here 11...Nf6 transposes to a dangerous line of the 6...Qd6 7 0-0 Nf6 8 Nb3 Nc6 9 Nbxd4 Nxd4 10 Nxd4 a6 main line. But Black can also play 11...Bd6, when 12 h3 is usual. Albornoz Cabrera, D - Shirov, A, Olympiad Budapest 2024, saw the complex 12 Nf5 Bxh2+ 13 Kh1, which is critical and worthy of study.
Tarrasch Variation 3...c5 4 exd5 Qxd5 with 11 Bd3 [C07]
In Antal, G - Can, E, Vrnjacka Banja 2024, White played the modest retreat 11 Bd3 Nf6 12 Qe2:
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This should not be particularly dangerous and Black equalized after 12...Bd6 13 h3 0-0 14 Bg5 Bh2+ 15 Kh1 Be5. These positions are tricky, however, and the game went back and forth dramatically for a while before ending in a draw.
Classical With 4 e5 Nfd7 5 Nce2 c5 6 c3 Nc6 7 Nf3 [C11]
After 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7, we have seen many, many games with 5 f4, but 5 Nce2 has become quite a popular alternative. After 5...c5 6 c3 Nc6, White has tried both 7 f4 and 7 Nf3, with the latter move recently gaining the attention of some strong players.
In Caruana, F - Mishra, A, US Ch Saint Louis 2024, Black played the solid and popular 7...Be7
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Here White has been playing 8 a3 or occasionally 8 h4 (see the notes). But Caruana played the rare and tricky 8 g3. Mishra managed to equalize but was outplayed in the early middlegame and ceded the point.
Instead of 7...Be7, a critical tactical line is 7...cxd4 8 cxd4 f6:
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In Shankland, S - Robson, R, US Ch Saint Louis 2024, White played the dynamic 9 Nf4 and Black responded with 9...Bb4+ 10 Bd2 Qe7. This is nearly equal, although White might have tried for a small edge with 11 Nd3. An important question is whether 9...fxe5 10 Nxe6 Qb6 is sound. I give some analysis indicating that it is, but this needs to be checked.
Steinitz Variation 4 e5 Nfd7 5 f4 c5 6 Nf3 Nc6 7 Be3 cxd4 8 Nxd4 Bc5 [C11]
As always, numerous Steinitz Variation games were played this month: 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 5 f4 c5 6 Nf3 Nc6 7 Be3.
Here 7...cxd4 8 Nxd4 Bc5 is a somewhat conservative solution we looked at recently. 9 Qd2 0-0 10 0-0-0 usually follows:
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Last month we saw 10...Bxd4 11 Bxd4 Qa5 12 Kb1 Rb8 with the idea ...b5, but the more common 10...a6 is the main move, as in Zeneli, K - Holt, C, Titled Tue October 2024. The course of the opening and notes indicate that Black is fine, although the game degenerates in typical Blitz fashion.
Steinitz Variation 4 e5 Nfd7 5 f4 c5 6 Nf3 Nc6 7 Be3 cxd4 8 Nxd4 Qb6 9 a3 [C11]
What’s happening with the popular 7...cxd4 8 Nxd4 Qb6 solution? Judging by recent games, little has changed. From White’s point of view, this is a frustrating defense, since the main lines can lead to positions which are extremely drawish if both sides are well prepared. This may also be frustrating for Black, since he has little chance to win if White follows the most forcing lines.
White is at least able to keep some pieces on and try to outplay Black in the variation 9 a3 Bc5 10 Ncb5:
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This position has been well-tested and tends to lead to draws, but some skill is required. In Volokitin, A - Radjabov, T, Vrnjacka Banja 2024, Black chose a good line, but misplayed the ending and gave White some real winning chances, even if the point was ultimately split anyway.
Steinitz Variation 4 e5 Nfd7 5 f4 c5 6 Nf3 Nc6 7 Be3 a6 8 Qd2 b5 9 h4 [C11]
We’ve seen an awful lot of games with 7...a6. It continues to be the most popular move and, unlike some of these Steinitz lines, is still not worked out. Niemann, H - Aronian, L, US Ch Saint Louis 2024, went 8 Qd2 b5 9 h4 (another game from this event went 9 Be2)
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Play continued 9...Bb7 10 Qf2 (Both sides have many ways to set up here, which keeps the play interesting), and in this well-known position, Black played simply 10...cxd4 11 Nxd4 Nxd4 12 Bxd4 Qc7 and soon equalized. White can probably keep a very minor edge in this line, but it appears to be fully playable.
Till next month, John
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