French Winawer
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.Bd2
This is second in popularity to the mainline 5.a3.
5...Ne7
This is a normal way to the develop the black king's knight in the Winawer Variation of the French Defence, but here it has the added point that, in the event of Nb5, Black can castle before White continues with Nd6+
6.a3
Even so, the commonest continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database is 6.Nb5, when 6...Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 0-0 8.f4 a6!? (8...cxd4 is also popular) 9.Nd6 cxd4 10.Nd4, gives a game with equal chances, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.
6...Bxc3
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| How should White recapture? |
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7.Bxc3
This is overwhelmingly most popular, but the engines fluctuate between it and 7.bxc3!?, which was played by Lajos Steiner in a win against Aron Nimzowitsch in the 1928 stem game.
7...cxd4
The engines suggest 7...Nbc6 or 7...b6.
8.Bxd4
The engines prefer the much more successful 8.Qxd4, meeting 8...Nbc6 with 9.Qg4!?, claiming the upper hand for White, one point being 9...d4?! can be met by 10.0-0-0, and, if 10...Nf5, then 11.Nf3.
8...Nbc6 9.Nf3 0-0 10.Bd3
Preserving the bishop-pair with 10.Bc3 is recommended by the engines.
10...Nxd4 11.Nxd4 Ng6
The engines suggest 11...Nc6, or David Howell's 11...Qb6.
12.Bxg6!
Apparently a novelty, and much liked by the engines. Carles Díaz Camallonga (2467) - George Stoleriu (2349), Chess.com Blitz 2020, went 12.Nf3 Nf4!? 13.0-0 Bd7 14.Re1, with a slight edge for White, according to the engines (but 0-1, 80 moves).
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| How should Black recapture? |
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12...fxg6!
The engines agree this is one of those rare occasions when capturing away from the centre is better, even though here it weakens e6.
13.0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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White has an unchallengeable knight on d4, and fewer pawn-islands, which combine to give the upper hand, according to Stockfish18, although Dragon1 only awards White a slight edge.
13...Bd7 14.Qd2 Rc8 15.c3 g5!?
The engines like this.
16.h3 h6 17.Rfe1 Qe8 18.Re3 Qg6 19.Qd3 Qxd3 20.Rxd3 Rf4 21.Re1 Rcf8 22.Rf3 Rxf3 23.Nxf3
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| How would you assess this ending? |
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White has the better pawn-structure, and has good-knight-v-bad-bishop. But rook-and-bishop is nearly always a stronger partnership than rook-and-knight, especially with play over the whole board, so any opening up of the game could work in Black's favour, at least as long as rooks stay on the board. However, both engines give White the upper hand.
23...Kf7 24.Nd4 Ke7 25.Re3 a6!? 26.Kf1 Rf4 27.g3
Not 27.Rf3?, as both 27...Re4 28.Re3 Rxe3 29.fxe3, and 27...Bb5+!? 28.Ke1 Re4+ 29.Re3 Rxe3+ 30.fxe3, leave the game equal, according to the engines.
27...Rf8 28.Rf3 Rc8
The engines reckon White is only slightly better after 28...Rxf3!? 29.Nxf3, but it looks an unpleasant position for a human to defend.
29.Ke2 Be8 30.Re3 Bh5+ 31.f3 Rf8 32.Nb3 Be8 33.Nd4 h5!?
This is the engines' top choice.
34.Kf2 Bg6
On 34...g4 I intended 35.h4, with what the engines agree is a slight edge.
35.Ke2 Bb1 36.Nb3
The engines suggest 36.g4!?
36...b6 37.Nd4 Kd7 38.Kf2 a5!?
This is not liked by the engines. They prefer 38...g4 or 38...Bf5.
39.Ke2
White is much better after 39.Re1, according to the engines, one of their lines running 39...Bf5 40.g4 hxg4 41.hxg4 Bg6 42.Ne2!? Rh8 43.Kg3 Kc6 44.Rd1 Kc5 45.Nd4 Re8, although there is a lot of play left in the position, and there were many reasonable alternatives for both sides along the way.
39...a4!?
The engines are happy with this, even though it puts another pawn on a light square. I suppose the point is it restrains White's queenside, and anyway the pawn is hard for Black to get at.
40.Kf2 Ba2?!
MN strongly criticised this afterwards, saying the bishop was "so powerful" on the b1-h7 diagonal; the engines agree.
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| How should White proceed? |
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41.Re1
Keeping the bishop off b1-h7, and freeing e3 for the white king.
41...Bc4 42.Ke3 Rh8 43.h4!?
With Black unable to create counterplay on the queenside (or in the centre), it is a good time to try to make gains on the kingside, especially with the bishop somewhat out of play.
43...gxh4
Not 43...g4? 44.fxg4 hxg4 45.Kf4!, eg 45...Rf8+ 46.Kxg4 Rf2 47.Re3 Rxb2 48.Kg5 Ra2 49.Rf3, when White's kingside play is much quicker than Black's on the queenside.
44.gxh4 Ke7 45.Rg1 Rg8?
Black had to play 45...Kf7, when the engines give White the upper hand, or at least a slight edge (Stockfish18 is less enthused than Dragon1). However, it is far from clear White can make progress, although White can keep probing, without much risk of losing.
46.Rg6
Winning a pawn, and the game.
46...Kf7 47.Rxe6 g5 48.Rf6+ Ke7 49.hxg5 Rxg5 50.Rf5 Rg2 51.Rxh5 Rxb2
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| Black is 'only' one pawn down, but White's e pawn wins easily |
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52.Rh7+ Ke8 53.e6 Rb1 54.Kf4 Re1 55.Nf5!? 1-0
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