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Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e6/2. d4/2...d5/3. Nc3/3...Bb4

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< Chess Opening Theory‎ | 1. e4‎ | 1...e6‎ | 2. d4‎ | 2...d5‎ | 3. Nc3
The latest reviewed version was checked on 25 June 2022. There are 2 pending changes awaiting review.
French Defence, Winawer Variation
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black kingg8 black knighth8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black kinge7 black kingf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black kingd6 black kinge6 black pawnf6 black kingg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black kingd5 black pawne5 black kingf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black bishopc4 black kingd4 white pawne4 white pawnf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 white knightd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 black kingg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 black kinge2 black kingf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 black kingc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 white bishopg1 white knighth1 white rook1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)

rnbqk1nr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/1b1PP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKBNR w

Moves: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4

French Defence, Winawer Variation

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Black immediately seizes the occasion to get rid of the white knight. An exchange is almost inevitable. By pinning the knight, the e-pawn is left unprotected.

White can put his pawn out of danger with 4.e5 (this is the main line of the Winawer).

It should be noted that the dark squared bishop is the "good bishop" for black, as the light bishop is stuck behind the pawn chain in e6 and d5. The exchange however does give black some compensation after the usual 4.e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3 6.bxc3 as the closed position is quite solid for black and his superior queenside is more agile than the jammed white center. However after the usual and flexible 6...Ne7 white can choose between the tactical and very complex poisoned pawn variation (7.Qg4) or the strategic and hypercomplex lines following either a4 or Nf3. Play can be very difficult with lots of good chances for both players.

Theory table

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For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4
4 5 6
Main line e5
c5		 a3
Bxc3+		 =
Bogoljubow Variation ...
...		 Bd2
Ne7		 =
Transposition to Exchange Variation exd5
exd5		 ...
...		 =
Winckelmann-Reimer Gambit a3
Bxc3+		 bxc3
dxe4		 f3
...		 =
Alekhine-Maróczy Gambit Nge2
dxe4		 a3
Bxc3+		 =
Bd3
-		 ...
...		 =

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References

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Wikipedia has related information at French Defence

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