French Defense

Day 44

Leave a Comment / Blitz, Climb To 2000, French Defense /

Rating 1812

Puzzle Rush Score 37

Daily Study Today I played 1 blitz game and did a little bit of opening training on Chessable. The blitz game below is in the French Defense. I have been playing a line where I give up a pawn for the initiative and it has been a lot of fun to play. It seems that it may be a fairly sound response also (Carissa Yip played the line twice in the U.S. Women’s Chess Championships). I still know very little about the opening and need to work out what to do when black doesn’t accept the pawn. This game taught me a valuable lesson on how to handle 10… d4 with the main idea of maintaining a pin to avoid losing material, while keeping an edge in the position.

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Day 42

Leave a Comment / Blitz, French Defense /

Rating 1815

Puzzle Rush Score 38

Daily Study I played a game today as white in the French Defense. I played the advance variation gambiting the pawn on d4 in the same manner that Carissa Yip has played in her recent games at the U.S. Women’s Chess Championships. My opponent was the highest rated player I have managed to win against, so I was very pleased with the result.

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Day 39

Leave a Comment / Climb To 2000, French Defense /

Rating 1804

Puzzle Rush Score 36

Game The following games are from the U.S. Women’s Chess Championship. Carissa Yip plays an interesting line of the French Defense. I only started looking at this opening a few weeks back and so it was good to see it in action at high level play. You give up a pawn (if your opponent wants to take it) in order to gain the initiative and a dynamic, attacking position.

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Blitz Game

Leave a Comment / Blitz, French Defense /
I have been trying to improve my play against the French Defence as it is an opening I have always had trouble playing against.  There are so many variations and It has been really interesting to look into so far.
One of the variations that I have found quite interesting is the Winawer – Advance variation.
Here is my first win using the Winawer in a blitz game on Chesscube. It is a bit of a Hack Attack but it shows the attacking potential in the opening.

 


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