Download PGN of May ’23 French games
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Advance 5...Qb6 6 a3 Nh6 7 b4 [C02]
Over the past few months we’ve seen the gambit continuation 3 e5 c5 4 c3 Nc6 5 Nf3 Qb6 6 Bd3 many times. The previously most popular move 6 a3 is still frequently played, especially by those of a positional bent. We’ve covered 6...c4 quite a bit, but haven’t seen 6...Nh6 for a while. Murzin, V - Pastar, S, Vrnjacka Banja 2023, saw the traditional line 7 b4 cxd4 8 Bxh6 gxh6 9 cxd4 Bd7:
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For some time 10 Ra2 was considered best here, but 10 Be2 with the idea of 0-0 is probably equally good. The exchange sacrifice 10...Rg8 11 0-0 Rg4 12 h3 Rf4 13 g3 Rxf3 14 gxf3 has appeared in numerous games over the years. In the game, Black played 14...Nxd4?, which leaves White with a large advantage after 15 Bh5!. 14...Qxd4 improves, with compensation.
Advance 5...Qb6 6 a3 Nh6 7 Bd3 cxd4 8 0-0 [C02]
A newer and potentially more promising 6 a3 system that has arisen lately goes 6...Nh6 7 Bd3!? cxd4 8 0-0 (8 cxd4 Bd7 9 Bc2 Nf5 is also examined) with a position that resembles the 6 Bd3 gambit lines:
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Kulaots, K - Bacrot, E, Vrnjacka Banja 2023 saw 8...Bd7 9 b4 and the game’s 9...a6?! was rather slow and should have left White slightly better. I recommend 9...Rc8; this is a fresh variation in which there’s a lot to be discovered.
Tarrasch 3 Nd2 c5 4 Ngf3 cxd4 5 Nxd4 Nf6 6 exd5 Nxd5 7 Ndf3 [C07]
We haven’t had a French Defence in the World Championship for a while, and the game I Nepomniachtchi, I - Ding Liren, WCh(7) Astana 2023, turned into a really exciting affair. The opening was safe and familiar, with 3 Nd2 c5 4 Ngf3 cxd4 5 Nxd4 Nf6 6 exd5 Nxd5 7 Ndf3:
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I’ve spent a lot of time on the opening and recent developments, since the middlegame has been analysed at length elsewhere. Here 7...Bb4+ has been the most successful move. Ding’s 7...Be7 was reasonable enough, but as the game went White gained a dangerous attack which in practical terms was perhaps more important than the objective assessment of equal. Although Black defended very well under difficult circumstances and ultimately even gained some advantage, he blundered in time pressure.
Classical 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bg5 h6 [C02]
After 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bg5, we are extremely familiar with 4...Be7, 4...Bb4, and 4...dxe4. In the past few years a small body of theory has grown around the move 4...h6, to which I’ve devoted only one game (see the Archives). This month I’m adding two games from the same event by the same players. They are both Blitz contests, but of particular interest, as they involve the two superstars Abdusattorov and Kramnik, with the ex-World Champion defending the Black side. I’ve used these games to flesh out the theory and indicate what the currently important lines are. In Abdusattorovirbek, N - Kramnik, V, Armageddon Berlin (4.1) 2023, White accepted the gambit by 5 Bxf6 Qxf6 6 exd5 Bb4:
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The players followed the current main line with 7 Bc4 exd5 8 Bxd5 0-0 9 Nge2 Rd8 with complex play which is often very forcing. Indeed, the first new move was played by White on his 21st move. In general Black stands satisfactorily here.
Two rounds later, Abdusattorov, N - Kramnik, V, Armageddon Berlin (4.3) 2023, saw 6 a3 instead. There followed 6...Qd8 7 Nf3 c6:
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Here 9 Bd3 has been the move, but White tried 9 Qe2!?, aiming for 0-0-0 in some lines. In the game he probably should have waited a few moves before castling (preferring moves like h4 and Qe3), since Black’s queenside pawns are able to advance quickly and open lines in that sector.
Classical Steinitz 7...a6 8 a3 cxd4 9 Nxd4 Bc5 [C11]
The Steinitz variation 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 5 f4 c5 6 Nf3 Nc6 7 Be3 remains hotly contested on all levels. It seems to me that it was about 30 years ago that the quick expansion on the queenside with 7...a6 became the choice of a majority of masters, and although other moves have become favorites at different times, it has never gone out of fashion. I’m afraid that most of the examples from this month are with fast time controls, but they still provide a good basis for a mini-survey of recent ideas.
In Fier, A - Bluebaum, M, Titled Tue 28 Feb 2023, White tried 8 a3, a flexible move which has gained adherents over the past few years. Black can continue normally with 8...b5, but many players prefer 8...cxd4 9 Nxd4 Bc5, trying for an improved version of the well-known 8 Qd2 cxd4 9 Nxd4 Bc5 defense. White replied with 10 Qd2:
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Black has played several moves here. In the game, the radical 10...g5!? was given a test. This is an unusual move, but one that has appeared in the games of very strong players on both sides. I’ve tried to give a thorough update of the limited practice so far, and the game continuation is both logical and challenging. Alas, the resulting positions are far too complicated to play accurately in a Blitz game, and various blunders ensue, but this opening variation will surely see many more tests in the future.
Classical Steinitz 7...a6 8 Qd2 b5 9 Bd3 [C11]
After the normal 8 Qd2 b5, White has tried many approaches. In Gukesh, D - Aveskulov, V Titled Tue 28th Mar 2023, Gukesh played 9 Bd3, which is rare but critical, both preparing f5 and discouraging ...0-0 because of White’s kingside ambitions.
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Black played 9...Qb6, when 10 Qf2 (analysed in the notes) is White’s most frequent response. Gukesh played 10 dxc5 Bxc5 11 Bxc5!? (11 Bf2 is the main line) 11...Nxc5 12 Qf2 leading to complicated positions that will repay study.
Classical Steinitz 7...a6 8 Qd2 b5 9 a3 [C11]
Instead of 9 Bd3, the main moves by far are 9 a3 and 9 dxc5. After the former move, Black has increasingly turned to 9...Qa5 as his preferred solution:
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Here 10 dxc5 Bxc5 11 Bxc5 Nxc5 hasn’t posed Black many problems recently (see the notes), so in Krishnan, V - Bluebaum, M, Titled Tue 18th Apr 2023, White maintained the tension with 10 Be2. Black employed the logical solution 10...b4 11 Nd1 Rb8,. and 12 0-0 bxa3 13 Qxa5 Nxa5 was not particularly promising. White needs something new in this line.
Classical Steinitz 7...a6 8 Qd2 b5 9 dxc5 Bxc5 10 Bd3 [C11]
White can strive for piece activity with 9 dxc5. Then Seyb, A - Buhmann, R, Viernheim 2023 continued 9...Bxc5 10 Bd3 (10 Bxc5 Nxc5 11 Bd3 Qb6 is also complex and double-edged, as seen in the inserted Carlsen game) 10...Qb6 11 Bf2:
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This is one of the main lines of the Steinitz. The game and notes are a good example of how complex and unclear this line can be. I expect that we’ll continue to see the 7...a6 games between enterprising players for many years to come.
Till next month, John
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