Chess Evolution: The French Defence (part two)

THIS is the correspondence game that gave the French Defence its name.

London - Paris

Correspondence Match 1834

French Exchange

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5

The Exchange Variation has a poor reputation in modern chess, often derided as a would-be drawing weapon by white players afraid of a stronger opponent. Nevertheless it has been played by some very strong whites who were rarely afraid of an opponent - Staunton, Morphy, Kasparov, Kramnik, Carlsen, etc. There is a certain logic to the variation - White's advantage of the move should be easier to exploit in an open position than in a closed one. However the centre after 3...exd5 is better described, in my view, as half-open rather than open.

4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 c5!?

An aggressive reply that asks whites what they propose to do about the d3 bishop.

6.Qe2+

Most popular is 6.0-0, the point being 6...c4 can be met by 7.Re1+ and 8.Bf1, as in Kasparov (2770) - Korchnoi (2610), Tilburg (Netherlands) 1991. That game continued, after 6...c4 7.Re1+, with 7...Be7 8.Bf1 0-0 9.Bg5 Bg4 10.h3 Bxf3, when Stockfish11 and Komodo11.01 reckon White has a slight edge (1-0, 45 moves).

6...Be7 7.dxc5!?

White scores poorly with this in Mega20, but it has been played by Alexandra Kosteniuk.

7...0-0 8.Be3

Matthew Turner has played this, reaching the position by transposition - Kosteniuk preferred 8.0-0.

8...Re8 9.Bb5?!

This is arguably not in the spirit of the French Exchange. White should probably get on with development, eg 9.Nc3 with the idea of possibly castling long.

9...Nc6 10.Nd4?!

Again White is playing with fire.

How should Black proceed?

*****
*****
*****
*****
*****

10...Bxc5!

A fine move that perhaps White thought was impossible because of the double attack on c6.

11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.c3

Another non-developing move, but the knight is trapped after 12.Nxc6?? Qc7.

12...Bxd4 13.cxd4 c5

Black gets to play ...c5 for a second time.

14.Qd3

This allows White to capture on d4 in the event of 14...cxd4, which would be the answer to 14.0-0?

14...Qb6 15.0-0 Ba6 16.Qb3

White cannot save the exchange.

16...Qxb3 17.axb3 Bxf1 18.Kxf1 Ng4 19.dxc5 Nxe3+ 20.fxe3 Rxe3 21.Nd2 Rae8 22.b4

Not 22.Rxa7?? Re1+ 22.Kf2 R1e2+ etc.

22...Rd3 23.Rxa7?!

Desperation. The white players realise their game is hopeless with normal play, and so create a pair of passed queenside pawns in the hope of profiting from confusion by their opponents.

23...Rxd2 24.b5 Rxb2 25.b6 d4 26.b7 d3 27.Ra8 Kf8 0-1