Chess: Understanding the French Defense (Transpositionally) Part III

1 d4 d5 2 Nc3 Nc6 3 e4 Nf6 4 e5 Ng8 5 Nf3 Bg4
6 Be2 e6 7 O-O Nge7 8 Nh4 Bxe2 9 Nxe2 Ng6
10 Nf3 Be7 11 Be3 O-O Line



What's the game plan for White?

* Establish a d4-e5 pawn chain and solidify
its d4 base. The advance c2-c3 works well
towards that end.
* Where possible, re-develop the f3 knight,
and then take a swipe at the base of Black's
pawn chain via f2-f4-f5.

What's the game plan for Black?



* Entice White into releasing the d5 tension.
Once that's achieved, Black can delay the
solidifying ... e6 until after the light-squared
bishop is developed.
* Aim for a timely ... c5 and ... f6. The idea
is to disrupt White's central pawn chain.

1 d4



1 ... d5



1 ... Nc6

2 Nc3



2 ... Nc6



2 ... Nf6
2 ... f5
2 ... e6
2 ... Bf5
2 ... c6
2 ... g6
2 ... c5
2 ... e5

3 e4



The d5 pawn is now attacked twice, but,
it's protected only once.

3 g3 Nf6 4 Bg2.

3 ... Nf6



The best form of defense is offense.
White's e4 pawn is about to be captured.

3 ... e6
3 ... dxe4
3 ... e5? 4 dxe5 d4 5 Nd5 f5 6 exf6 Nxf6 7 Bg5 Be6
8 Bxf6 gxf6 9 Bc4 Bb4+ 10 Nxb4 Bxc4 11 Nxc6 bxc6
12 Qh5+ Bf7 13 Qc5 Qd6 14 Qxd6 cxd6.

4 e5



Attacking the attacker and also gaining ground.

4 exd5
4 f3

4 ... Ng8



On the outset this move looks regressive.
However, the knight has persuaded White
to relinquish the d5 pressure, thereby
enabling Black to delay the solidifying
... e6 until after the light squared
bishop is mobilized. Moreover, the
knight can always be brought back
into the game via Ng8-e7-g6.

4 ... Nd7
4 ... Ne4

5 Nf3



5 f4
5 Nce2
5 Be3
5 a3
5 Qd3

5 ... Bg4



Now Balck can play ... e6 without worrying about
shutting in the light-squared bishop.

5 ... Bf5
5 ... a6

6 Be2



6 Bb5
6 a3

6 ... e6



6 ... a6
6 ... Qd7

7 O-O



7 Nb1
7 h3

7 ... Nge7



7 ... Qd7
7 ... Be7
7 ... h6

8 Nh4



Exposing the g4 bishop to capture by the e2 one.

8 h3
8 Ne1

8 ... Bxe2



8 ... Ng8
8 ... h5
8 ... Bf5
8 ... Ng6

9 Nxe2



(i) Recaptures the bishop.
(ii) Strengthens d4.
(iii) Enables c2-c3, which also fortifies d4.

9 ... Ng6



And the knight is back in the game.

9 ... Qd7
9 ... h6

10 Nf3



Avoiding capture and also reinforcing d4,
together with the Queen and e2 knight.

10. Nxg6

10 ... Be7



Simple piece development.

10 ... Nh4
10 ... Qd7

11 Be3



It's all about augmenting d4!

11 Qd3
11 a3
11 c3

11 ... O-O



11 ... Qd7
11 ... a5

By ChessCoach@care2.com

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Chess: Understanding the Veresov Part III

1 d4 d5 2 Nc3 Nc6 3 e4 dxe4 4 d5 Nb8 5 Bf4 Nf6
6 Bc4 a6 7 Qe2 b5 8 Bb3 c5 9 dxc6 Nxc6 10 Rd1
10 ... Qa5 11 Bd2 Nd4 12 Nxe4 Qd8 13 Nxf6+ gxf6
14 Qh5 Line



What's the game plan for White?

* Sacrifice the e4 pawn in order to enable d4-d5.
The idea is to cramp Black's game in the center.

What's the game plan for Black?



* Loosen White's grip on the center via ... c7-c5.
This thrust obligates White to capture en passant
on c6, otherwise ... c5-c4 will suffocate his
queenside.

1 d4



1 ... d5



1 ... Nc6

2 Nc3



2 ... Nc6



2 ... Nf6
2 ... f5
2. ... e6
2 ... Bf5
2 ... c6
2 ... g6
2 ... c5
2 ... e5

3 e4



3 g3
3 Nf3
3 Bf4
3 e3

3 ... dxe4



Not only does Black gain a pawn, but he also exposes
the d4 one to double attack from the Queen and knight.

3 ... e6
3 ... Nf6
3 ... e5? 4 dxe5 d4 5 Nd5 f5 6 exf6 Nxf6 7 Bg5 Be6
8 Bxf6 gxf6 9 Bc4 Bb4+ 10 Nxb4 Bxc4 11 Nxc6 bxc6
12 Qh5+ Bf7 13 Qc5 Qd6 14 Qxd6 cxd6.

4 d5



So the pawn moves out of danger by attacking the
knight and gaining space.

4 Bb5
4 Bf4

4 ... Nb8



Back to square one.

4 ... Ne5
4 ... Nb4

5 Bf4



(i) Enables a rapid mobilization of the queenside.
(ii) Increases White's central control by claiming
the h2-b8 diagonal, particularly the e5 square.

5 Bc4
5 Nxe4
5 Qd4
5 Bf4

5 ... Nf6



Scoping out d5/e4 and initiating kingside
development.

5 ... a6
5 ... Bf5

6 Bc4



The d5 pawn is the cornerstone of White's position.
As a result, he reinforces it. He also begins to activate
his kingside.

6 Qd4
6 Qe2
6 Qd2
6 Nge2

6 ... a6



Preparation for ... b5. The impending pawn storm
is intended to destabilze the c4 bishop and
c3 knight. The idea is to undermine d5 by getting
at two of its key defenders.

6 ... g6
6 ... Bg4

7 Qe2



Vacating d1 for the a1 rook.

7 Nge2
7 Qd2
7 Bb3
7 a4

7 ... b5



7 ... Bf5
7 ... Bg4

8 Bb3



8 ... c5




The key to Black's position !
Now 9. ... c4 looks very unpleasant.

8 ... Bf5
8 ... Bg4

9 dxc6 en passant



Breaking up the menacing a6-b5-c5 trio.

9 ... Nxc6



10 Rd1



Because rooks love open files!

10 Nxe4
10 Qe3

10 ... Qa5



(i) Avoiding capture by the rook
(ii) Pinning the knight to the king

10 ... Qb6
10 ... Bd7

11 Bd2



Breaking the pin and also indirectly checking out
the Queen.

11 Bg5
11 Qe3
11 Kf1

11 ... Nd4



White's Queen comes under fire.

11 ... Bg4
11 ... Qb6

12 Nxe4



And so does Black's! White also gains his pawn back.

12 Nd5
12 Qe3

12 ... Qd8



12 ... Qc7
12 ... Qb6

13 Nxf6+



13 ... gxf6



14 Qh5



Things should get interesting, right about now.

By ChessCoach@care2.com

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