Download PGN of July ’24 French games
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Alekhine-Chatard Attack Accepted 6...Bxg5 7 hxg5 Qxg5 8 Nh3 Qh4 [C14]
After 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bg5 Be7 5 e5 Nfd7, I’ve lately neglected 6 h4 - the Alekhine-Chatard Attack - even though White’s results continue to be excellent against all the standard defenses. It seems to me that of the many tries Black has, only two are showing promise, based upon some subtle treatments. First, we should look at 6...Bxg5 7 hxg5 Qxg5, and now Hector’s 8 Qd3!? Is the move most represented in the Archives, but Black has scored well of late. Instead, Alekhine’s 8 Nh3 sports a very fine score. Then Black’s refinement 8...Qh4 has its points:
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Wang, I - Levine, J, 1000GM Las Vegas 2024, saw 9 Nb5 Kd8, when Black can no longer castle, but this has cost White some time and Black’s position is ultra-solid.
The main move is 9 g3, when Black should retreat with 9...Qe7:
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White has gained a full move with g3, but it turns out that this limits his own queen after it goes to g4 and Black plays, e.g., ...h5 (when Qg3 would otherwise be the most dangerous reply). In Lorenzo de la Riva, L - Cardozo, C, Titled Tue 28th May 2024, the play was balanced out of the opening and very complicated thereafter.
Alekhine-Chatard Attack Declined 6...h6 7 Bxe7 Qxe7 8 Nf3 [C14]
The safer move 6...h6 tends to lead to some White advantage, but strong Black players seem to be comfortable playing it. After 7 Bxe7 Qxe7, Kornyukov, A - Ibadov, D, Titled Tue 2nd April 2024, continued with the rare but solid 8 Nf3 (8 Qg4 and 8 f4 are far more common), a move which has scored well when employed.
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8...a6 has been the standard move and was played in the game. It should lead to a risk-free, relatively modest advantage. I cover 8...0-0 in the notes, which to my mind looks more promising.
Alekhine-Chatard Attack Declined 6...h6 7 Bxe7 Qxe7 8 f4 [C14]
Instead of 8 Nf3, 8 f4 looks like the most promising option for White. Then Volodin, A - Ulybin, M, Bryansk 2024, continued 8...a6 (8...0-0 has some unique features, especially since 9 g4 can follow to greater effect) 9 Nf3 c5:
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As you might imagine, very double-edged play can follow here, especially if White plays Qd2 and 0-0-0, as in the game.
Winawer Armenian Variation 6 b4 cxb4 7 Nb5 [C18]
After 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 c5 5 a3 Ba5 (the Armenian Variation) 6 b4, the sequence 6...cxb4 7 Nb5 b3+ 8 c3 has been thought to give White a very large advantage going way back to 1930s (in the notes to games; few if any players of Black were willing to try it).
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Strange to say, no less than a 3650+ rated Stockfish version tried this out versus a mere 3500 engine in Seer2.8.0 - Stockfishdev-20240413-c55ae37, TCEC 26 Premier 2024. My own engine gives White the advantage throughout, but it’s never convincing, and ultimately Black equalizes. Okay, I would hardly recommend that you play this way without massive preparation, but I find it fascinating that such an ancient line can be revived at all, and the game is extremely interesting.
Winawer Main with 6...Nc6 7 Qg4 g6 8 h4 h6 9 h5 [C18]
In the main line 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 c5 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 bxc3, 6...Nc6 is a move we’ve been examining for some time now. After 7 Qg4 g6, White’s advance 8 h4 h6 9 h5 has been seen less frequently than when 6...Nc6 first became popular, but since Black is scoring satisfactorily against other approaches, it deserves another look. Black plays 9...g5:
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One game this month went 10 a4 and White got less than nothing. White’s original idea 10 f4, which was Giri’s choice versus Carlsen, was retested in Dominguez Perez, L - Gong, Q, Titled Tuesday 21st May 2024. Now Black chooses between 10...f5 and 10...Qa5 11 Bd2 f5, as played in the game. The resulting complications are difficult enough that I wouldn’t enter this line as either color without serious preparation.
Winawer Main with 6...Nc6 7 Qg4 g6 8 Qd1 [C18]
A less popular but still logical sequence is 7 Qg4 g6 8 Qd1:
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Beerdsen, T - Roebers, E, NK Rapid Helmond 2024 saw 8...Qa5 9 Bd2 Qa4!? 10 Nf3 cxd4!? 11 Bd3! dxc3 12 Bxc3 with more than enough compensation. Naturally Black has alternatives.
br>Winawer Main with 7 h4 Qc7 8 h5 h6 9 Nf3 [C18]
I suppose that Hansen, E - Sherman, R, Titled Tue 4th 2024, is an eccentric game to show, and of little or no theoretical value. But I got fascinated with the fact that Black could get away with wasting a tempo and later, that a seemingly overwhelming White position wasn’t easy to resolve. The opening was a Winawer with 4 e5 c5 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 bxc3 Ne7 7 h4 Qc7 8 h5 h6 9 Nf3, which we have seen many times:
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Here instead of 9...b6, as in many Archives games, Black played 9...Qa5?!. I can’t really approve of this waste of time, but it does shed light on the nature of the position. Somehow Black doesn't stand too badly, even a tempo down. The point is that, once White has played Nf3 and given up on Qg4, Black's queen has some useful role on a5. Furthermore, the h4-h5 versus ...h6 tradeoff doesn't clearly favor White in comparison with the main lines of the Positional Winawer with 7 Nf3.
Till next month, John
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