Welcome to the May 2002 French Update
Welcome to this month's update. When writing the French e-books some months ago, I was curious to see what the overall score was between White and Black in French games given on the site. It turned out to be extremely close: White scored 49% and Black 51%. I wonder if this makes it the least biased 'book' on the French ever?
It would have been even closer but for my vanity in putting lots of my own wins as Black on the site and conveniently forgetting about my losses. Well, this month's update goes some way towards correcting things. White scores 6.5-3.5 and there is even one of my losses. I hope you enjoy it!
All this month's new games are easily downloaded in PGN format using ChessPub.exe, go to ChessPub.exe, put the date on, say, 30th May 2002, and then click on 'French', over on the right. All these games should appear!
You can also enter the specific ECO code if you are only interested in a particular opening. Download PGN of May '02 French games
The King's Indian Attack [A04/08 & C00]
In the past I've been a bit dismissive of the variation 2.d3 d5 3.Qe2 dxe4 4.dxe4 b6 for Black. The idea of course is to play Ba6 to embarrass the white queen, but it seemed to leave Black in a rather passive position. However, a game this month made me sit up and take notice: Alexander Fedorov, a great King's Indian Attack expert, is absolutely crushed as White by a much lower rated player. Therefore I've gathered together all the latest analysis on this line. You can decide if you want to add this line to your repertoire by playing through Fedorov-Ghane.
At a recent 4NCL British League match I had the pleasure of playing Alexander Morozevich himself as Black in the King's Indian Attack. I chose the variation I recommend on this site as the most solid for Black. Anyway, perhaps lulled into a false sense of security by my inferior play, Morozevich made a dreadful blunder and glory suddenly beckoned for me: but no, the normal state of things was restored in a wild time scramble. Theoretically speaking the variation seems at least OK for Black, though not the way I played it! Have a look at the notes in Morozevich-McDonald.
The French Exchange. [C01]
The 4NCL British League match that paired me with Morozevich also saw Nigel Short, rated 2663, face David Moskovic, rated 2250. The latter was White and played the French Exchange- the bugbear of all ambitious French players. Although rather preoccupied with my own game, I decided to keep an eye on this board to see how Short would go about the business of winning. The answer was: do nothing special, but do it well and don't be afraid of the endgame. Moskovic achieved a decent position from the opening but then made some inaccuracies- just as his lack of experience suggested would happen. Then Short took command and won fairly easily. For a text book example of how to beat a weaker player in this variation have a look at Moscovic-Short.
The Advance Variation: [C02]
4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 Bd7 6.a3 a5!?
Sergei Volkov, the former Russian Champion, has a fondness for the queen's rook pawn when he plays the French. Whether it is the Tarrasch, Classical or Advance he always seems to want to get in ...a5-a4 as early as possible! In this month's game he enters a hair-raising variation in which Black grabs the famous poisoned b-pawn and then has to fend off a massive attack on his king. See if you dare to follow this path by checking out Sveshnikov-Volkov.
4.c3 Nc6 5.Be3
Subscriber Bill Conrad sent me the following email:
Hi, Neil:
I've been a subscriber for a few years now, and, as a long-time French player, I check your website more than any of the others (why do people play ANYTHING against 1.e4 but the French, anyway? )
I read your April update about the Kupreichik and thought I'd send you a game I find somewhat interesting. I'm hardly a theory-hound; as a B-player, any aspirations to "theory-hound" status would ring hollow. I just love playing the French Defense, and every now and then, play it coherently.
I am attaching a game from the recently-completed US Amateur Team tournament, held in Los Angeles in February 2002. My opponent was over 400 points higher than me, and, even though I couldn't remember "the latest theory", my experiences playing the French guided me to a relatively playable position. I'd appreciate it if you could take a look at it and see if you want to include it in your coverage of the Kupreichik.
Thanks a lot to Bill for his interesting notes to the game Petranovic-Conrad. They were well written and showed his understanding of the French. I have just added a couple of comments. The crux of the matter is in the note to move eight- just what was Kupreichik planning to do? Have a look at Petranovic-Conrad.
Incidentally, if Black wants to avoid even the possibility of the Kupreichik then this can be done with the 4...Qb6 move order of the Volkov game above. On the other hand, playing Qb6 isn't part of everyone's plans in the Advance.
The Winawer 4.a3 [C15]
Subscriber Arturo Ochoa asked me a long time ago to look at the recent theory in all the early divergences in the Winawer. I'm gradually getting there: last month it was 4.Nge2, this month I've been going through games with 4.a3.
One conclusion I've reached is that the variation 4...Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 dxe4 6.Qg4 Nf6 7.Qxg7 Rg8 8.Qh6 could be a strong attacking weapon for White! It has the powerful element of surprise in that it is relatively rare. Have a look at Berkvens-Galyas, in which a 2297 overcomes a 2440 as White.
If Black wants to avoid this line he should think about immediate alternatives to 4...Bxc3+ after 4.a3. Two of these are discussed in the next game. However, there is danger here as well if Black is careless. In the game itself he falls for a wonderful positional trap and is soon crushed. Check out Mortensen-Fant.
Winawer 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qc7 7.Nf3 b6 [C18]
Here Black aims to exchange light squared bishops with ...Ba6, but it takes time. The question is whether White can exploit it. Previously we have looked at 8.h4; this month I have examined White's attacking scheme based on a quick a4 and a5, which is very logical as Black has created a target on b6. If White plays energetically he can put Black under serious pressure- have a look at Mueller-Berg.
Winawer 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Bd3 [C18]
In the search for fresh ideas I was struck by the recent game Short-Poulton. White's seventh move is highly unusual, and by the next move there is a position never reached before according to my database! To see whether or not this is a brilliant new discovery check out Short-Poulton.
Winawer 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 0-0 [C18]
A tough theoretical battle is going on here. Judging from recent results White is in the ascendancy, with Black needing to find a convincing way to neutralise two strong moves in the mainline. In the game selected Yusupov, one of the hardest players in the world to beat, defends stoutly against an unsound sacrifice by White but then falls victim to a very sneaky tactic. Have a look at Lutz-Yusupov, which reminds us that even Russian Grandmasters have human frailties!
Well that's all for now. If you have any game you want to send up or query, just email me. If you have emailed and you got no response, then apologies: please email me again.
Good luck with your chess!
Neil