This article continues the discussion of the game I began looking at in The Resilience of the French Defence.
After the moves: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 a6? 4.a3 5.Be3 Nf6 6.e5 Ne4 7.Bd3 f5 8.Nge2 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.f3 we have the position in the first diagram.
In this position I thought I had no choice but to take on c3, but looking at the position in the cold light of day I saw that 10…Bg5 is also possible. This looks appealing because it avoids giving white an extra c-pawn to use as a lever against my centre. Note that in the game I tried to exchange dark squared bishops using this manoeuvre after exchanging knights on c3, and my opponent prevented me from doing so by playing f3-f4. If he does that here I just retreat my bishop, my knight can stay on e4, and I’m happy. If white takes my bishop I take back with the knight, which can drop back from g5 to f7 if needs be. If the bishop retreats to f2 I simply take with my knight. If 11.Bc1 I just play 11…Bxc1. If white goes in for trickery with 12.fe I flick in 12…Be3+ before recapturing on e4.
I think this would have been a useful device in the game because it would help to ease black’s cramped position.
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You’ve lost 4 … Nc6. Anyway, I don’t like 10 … Bg5 11 Bxg5 Nxg5 - the white queen goes to one of the black squares (e1, d2 and c1 all look good) and, if you play Nf7, then White can play f4 without worrying about your posting a piece on e4 while if your Knight remains on g5 you leave f4 for his knight.
Sorry, yes, I did miss out 4…Nc6.
Also, rereading the article I see I wasn’t clear about the circumstances under which the knight would use the f7 square. It wouldn’t be an immediate voluntary retreat. Anyway, rather than write a long response here, I’ll come back to this in my next article, as I think there is sufficient to discuss to make it worth while.
Thanks for the comment.
Hi Mark
If I can be so bold, I think the …Nxc3 you played in the game is fine. After 11. bxc3 that you imply was played by white, then 11…Na5 (shades indeed of the Winawer etc.) would stop either c-pawn from being used as a lever for a while to come. This a5 knight can also come in future to c4 when required.
Best wishes,
Tim.