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1. e4
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Here is an interesting miniature from the French Classical Variation. I enter a line where I exchange my queen for three minors and more active piece placement. |
 
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1... e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5
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More popular is 4. Bg5, intending to trade off Blacks good bishop after 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7. Here White decides to immediately gain space in the center and develop quickly. The Black dark-squared bishop will then activate to c5 later in the game, helping to pressure d4, the key central square in the French. |
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4... Nfd7 5. f4
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White secures his center and gives himself the option of a later f5, springing a kingside attack into motion. Black has to play energetically on the queenside, where his pawns are pointing. |
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5... c5
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The thematic ...c5 pawn break begins counterplay immediately. |
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6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 cxd4
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Development has centered around d4 for the last couple of moves, here I plan to activate by dark-squared bishop to c5 following the centralization of White's kings knight. |
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8. Nxd4 Bc5 9. Be2
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Here White shows his intention to castle kingside. I think this move is better than 9. Qd2 followed by 10. 0-0-0 as my play is all on the queenside and with the White rook on f1 one tempo earlier, White has the opportunity to begin his attack earlier. |
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9... O-O 10. O-O Qb6
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Piling up pressure on d4 and hitting b2. |
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11. Na4
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Protecting b2 and preparing to reinforce the center with c3 if necessary. After 11...Qa5, my pressure on d4 has lessened and White has the two bishops and will attempt to rip open the position to activate them. Black would then be looking way to passive for my tastes so... |
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11... Bxd4
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I decide to go all in. |
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12. Nxb6
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The only real try for an advantage, after 12. Bxd4 Qxd4 13. Qxd4 Nxd4, Black is a piece up! |
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12... Bxe3+ 13. Kh1 Bxb6
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Material is equal and I have more pieces out, I have to get them to central squares ASAP and activate my rooks. A key positional feature is my control of the a7-g1 diagonal. |
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14. a3
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Way too slow to have any practical effect on the game. This game has turned into a race for activity and White is just sitting on the back ranks waiting for Black to improve his position. White has several ways to improve his position, ideas such as Bd3, Qh5 and Rf3, would induce some weakness around the Black king. |
1 comment
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14... f6
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The first step in improving my position is to liquidate the White pawn center. |
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15. exf6 Nxf6
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Getting the knight to a better square and preparing to drop in on e4, where my knight and dark-square bishop can create threats on f2. |
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16. Bb5
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Better is 16. Bd3. |
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16... Ne4
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Stage two is complete and I am ramping up pressure on the White pieces. |
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17. Qe1 e5
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Stage three open the f-file and add more pressure to f2. |
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18. c4
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Attempting to attack on the queen wing would be fine if Black's pieces werent poised to attack the White king. Better still would have been 18. Bd3, getting ready to exchange off the knight on e4. Black would only then be slightly better. |
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18... Rxf4 19. Rxf4
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After 19. cd Rxf1 20. Qxf1 Nd4 Black is better as I will soon activate my light-squared bishop and bring the rook to f8. |
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19... exf4 20. Qe2
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Avoiding any discovered check tactics involving the queen. |
1 comment
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