French Tarrasch
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 a6!?
The main idea, as I understand it, of this move, which is sixth-most popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, is to happily play with an IQP, but without allowing White the move Bb5(+). For what it is worth, the text, for a long time, is the second choice of Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1, behind the immediate 3...c5. However, the engines do fluctuate, given lots of time, eg at one stage Stockfish17.1 comes to marginally prefer the text, while Dragon1 replaces the text with 3...dxe4 as second choice.
4.Ngf3 c5 5.exd5 exd5 6.c4!?
A rare continuation, but quite liked by the engines. I guess the point is to open the centre while White enjoys a slight lead in development. The move, despite its rarity, has a fine pedigree, having apparently been first played by a teenage Viktor Korchnoi in 1948.
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| How should Black respond? |
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6...Nf6
This was Korchnoi's choice when he reached the position as Black in 1968.
7.Bd3
The main line in Mega25 runs 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Bc4, with a sharp position that the engines reckon gives equal chances.
7...cxd4!?
The normal advice in such situations is to keep developing, rather than taking time to capture a pawn, but in this case the text seems reasonable.
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| How should White proceed? |
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8.0-0!?
The engines like this, and 8.cxd5.
Contrary to first appearances, 8.Nxd4?! is possible, since 8...dxc4 can be met by 9.Bf5!, eg 9...Qxd4 10.Bxc8 Qe5+ 11.Qe2 Qxe2+ 12.Kxe2 b5, although the engines reckon White does not have enough for a pawn.
8...Be7 9.Re1 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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Black is a pawn up, but White has a slight lead in development, and should not experience difficulties levelling material. The engines agree the game is equal.
10.Nb3
This is probably a novelty. Vladislav Federov (2455) - Moris Saruhanjan (2305), Alekhine Open (Moscow) 1996, continued 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Nb3 Nc6 12.Nbxd4 Nxd4 13.Nxd4 Bf6 14.Be4 h6, with what the engines reckon is an equal game (but 1-0, 46 moves).
10...Bg4
Perhaps more logical, but not necessarily better, is 10...dxc4 11.Bxc4 b5, making use of the move 3...a6!?
11.cxd5 Nxd5
The engines like my other main thought of 11...Bb4!?
12.Bc4
Simpler is 12.Nbxd4.
12...Nb6 13.Be2 Nc6 14.Nfxd4 Bxe2 15.Rxe2
The engines prefer 15.Qxe2.
15...Bf6
Black perhaps has an edge after 15...Nxd4 16.Qxd4 Bf6.
16.Be3 Nc4
The engines suggest moving the other knight, either to e5 or b4.
17.Nxc6 bxc6
A tad better may be 17...Qxd1+, but it is not clear.
18.Bd4 Rb8?!
Probably better is 18...Bxd4 19.Qxd4 Qxd4 20.Nxd4 Rfe8, but White has at least a slight edge.
19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.Qc2 Ne5
This is Dragon1's top choice; Stcokfish17.1 prefers 20...Nb6.
21.Qc3 Nd7
The engines suggest 21...Rb5 22.Rae1, and possibly then ...Nd7.
22.Qxf6 Nxf6 23.Rc2 Rb6 24.Rac1 Rd8?!
The engines give 24...Nd5!? 25.Rxc6 Rxc6 26.Rxc6 Nb4 27.Rb6 Nxa2, but only White has winning chances after 28.Rxa6 or 28.Nc5.
25.Kf1
And not 25.Rxc6?? Rxc6 26.Rxc6 Rd1#.
25...Rd6?
A waste of time as ...
26.Na5
... threatens to fork rooks with 27.Nc4, as well as thretening the c pawn.
26...Re6 27.Nxc6
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| Now White has won a pawn, how would you assess the position? |
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White is winning, according to the engines, but naturally the game is hardly resignable.
27...g6 28.Nd4 Re4 29.Nf3 Reb4 30.b3 Nd5!?
Possibly better is 30...a5, seeking to give White an isolated, albeit passed, queenside pawn.
31.Rc6 Kg7 32.g3 h5 33.Kg2 a5?
It is too late for this as now the move is only weakening.
34.Rxb6 Nxb6
If 34...Rxb6?!, then 35.Rc5.
35.Rc7 a4 36.bxa4?!
This seems to throw away much of White's advantage. The engines give 36.Ne5, eg 36...Kf6 37.f4 Ke6 38.Rxf7 axb3 39.axb3 Rxb3 40.Rb7, when, despite there being pawns on only one side of the board, the engines reckon White is the equivalent of roughly a piece and a pawn ahead.
36...Rxa4?!
But now White is apparently clearly winning again. The engines give 36...Nd5!? 37.Rd7 Nf6 38.Ra7 Ne4, claiming White has 'only' the upper hand.
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| After 36...Ra4?! it is White to play and win |
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37.Ne5
Right piece, wrong square. Winning is 37.Ng5!, and if, as in the game, 37...Kf6, then 38.f4! Rxa2+ 39.Kh3 Kg7 (forced) 40.Rxf7+ and 41.Rf6.
37...Kf6!
This saves the game.
38.Nxf7
38.f4!? is no longer anything special as after 38...Rxa2+ 39.Kh3 Black has 39...g5!, with mating threats.
38...Rxa2 39.Rc6+
Keeping knights on makes the draw a little less simple.
39...Kxf7 40.Rxb6 Kg7 41.h4 Kf7 42.Rbe Kf6 43.Rf3+ Ke5 ½–½
Stockfish17.1 reckons the game is completely equal (Dragon1 gives White an edge of 0.08), but I suspect most people, at least at club level, would play on to see if Black knew what he was doing.
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