Klick wrote on 05/05/04 at 05:20:22:


5.Bd2 leads to interesting and challenging play for both sides.

Comment about the following: I really like PTF 4, but it's really difficult to keep track of transpositions (or lines that appear to be transpositions but in fact are not. Perhaos that is the reason for the position in PTF4 that does not match the actual gamre.).

After 5...Ne2 6.dxc5 (White's 6th seems like a decent move. 6.f4 seems inferior for white because of 6...cxd4 7.Nb5 Bc5, -- 8.213 note b in PTF 4) Watson in PTF 4 has (section 8.211 note a) 6...Nbc6 7.f4 O-O (....Bxc5 seems to avoid complications after 8.Na4 but white played a different move on move 8) 8. Nf3 f6 9. Bd3 which is supposed to be Santo Roman-Kindermann 1990, but does not match the actual position at move 9 in that game.

I suspect that strong masters play objectively weaker moves (sometimes without realizing it)  in order to steer the game toward variations they are comfortable with. Chess authors can have a similar problem; in fact, the need to use lines that fit in a consistent consistent system surely must be compelling.

Welcome on the French forum !! 
"inferior Nf3" .. maybe. Do you know game: Fine-Capablanca, Netherlands 1938 ? 
and if your opponent always play Bd2 vs Winawer, you can try: 4...Ne7 5.Bd2 b6!? 6.Nb5 Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 a6!? 8.Na3 a5! Ljubojevic-Seirawan,Mar del Plata 1981 (Zlotnik)

Psakhis' work has been/will be expanded to four volumes, three of which have been released over the last two years. I forget the exact titles, but an author search at Amazon.com should reveal them. The most recent release does indeed cover the Winawer.

Surely every French Defence player should have a copy of Watson's "Play the French" 3rd ed (or maybe 2nd edition) which has some good material on the non-main lines.  

The Winawer-mainlines are quite fun to play as Black. However, one of the disadvantages of the Winawer, is that white has a considerable amount of "sidelines" available. I guess 5.Ne2 is one of the more popular.

My question is about the sideline 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.Bd2. What an annoying move I am used to play against normal white weaknesses on the queenside, what should I go for now? How should Black treat the position, what is his plan?

I think 5...Ne7 is the best and most ambitious move. Following 6.Nb5 Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 0-0 we arrive at one of the thematic positions. But I don`t feel that comfortable here. White will be able to castle quickly, play f4 supporting his center, and has the option of putting his knight on d6. What should black play for here if he wants to win? I suspect that Black has some good options, but I am not quite sure what they are. Please enlighten me!