For some reason this strong player does not listen to BadPritt's wise words:

Svesjnikov,E (2524) - Barejev,E (2701) [C02]
Olympiade-37 Torino (2), 22.05.2006

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Pc6 5.Pf3 Ld7 6.Le2 Tc8 7.0-0 a6 8.Pa3 cxd4 9.cxd4 Lxa3 10.bxa3 Pge7 11.Tb1 Pa5 12.a4 Lc6 13.Ld3 h6 14.Lc2 Pc4 15.Pe1 a5 16.h4 Pf5 17.g3 0-0 18.Pg2 De7 19.Pf4 Pa3 20.Lxf5 exf5 21.Lxa3 Dxa3 22.Dh5 Dxa4 23.Tfd1 Dc2 24.Te1 Tce8 25.Tbc1 Db2 26.Tcd1 La4 27.Tc1 Dxd4 28.Dxf5 Lc6 29.Tcd1 Db4 30.Dd3 Dc4 31.Dd2 a4 32.Tc1 Db5 33.Dd4 a3 34.Tc2 Te7 35.Tc3 Ta8 36.Tb3 Dc4 37.Dd2 d4 38.Tc1 Da4 39.e6 fxe6 40.Tb4 Da5 41.Dxd4 Td8 42.Dc4 Df5 43.Te1 g5 44.Txe6 Txe6 0-1

The French was good enough for Volkov to beat Akopian, who's what - 2705 or something? - in the critical last round at Port Erin. I think it'll be around for a little while yet.

I like that thought  , I used to have a similar opinion regarding the Caro-Kann, thinking that the 2 Knights variation was the way to go because 1)Black played c6, so I don't need to immediately prevent c5 with d4, which would be a waste of a tempo for black, and 2) 2.d3 is not as good because black can play into a KIA with the light square bishop outside the pawn chain, or he could contemplate e5 in one go.  So I would play 2.Nf3 to stop e5, and then after 2...d5 3.Nc3 to protect the e4 pawn.  It made so much sense!

I think my logic was shallow though, and I've gone back to old advice from my chess books: IGNORE your opponents threats as much as possible!  So...

1.e4 c6 2.d4!

1.e6 e6 2.d4! and worry about the e-pawn later (i.e. push it up one)

Pigudon, I found for you nothing less than the words of Alexander Khalifman!  I think that talking about theory, we can only talk about an academic advantage for white knowing lots of theory, but in reality, from the pratical point of view, the best player will win from other side. Don´t forget about V. Akobian, the young star Nakamura and Radjabov too. If players like these can play this opening, why not us? Have faith.   

Dear readers, 

You are holding in your hands volume seven of our series "Opening for White according to Anand - 1.e4", in which we have analyzed one of the most popular variations of the French Defence - the Winawer system (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4). 

The French Defence has long acquired a quite peculiar reputation. Most of the top-class players do not even recognize it as an 100% correct opening. Well, it has certain strategical liabilities indeed: Black's position is cramped, his light squared bishop is usually very weak and he has plenty of problems with the safety of his king. It is rather dangerous for Black to castle sometimes, while keeping the king in the centre impedes the development of his own pieces. Still, people played the French Defence; they are playing it and will play it! It is a quite difficult task to mention all the strong players who have been using it regularly and who have contributed greatly to its theoretical development. At first, that list would be quite long and secondly we might omit someone anyway...In fact it may be easier to make a list of the great players of the past and the present who have never played the French Defence...This should tell you a lot... Whenever there are drawbacks to something, there are advantages to it as well. White's space edge can be neutralized by timely undermining of his centre. Black's light squared bishop can be exchanged at some moment, meanwhile there arises a question - whether it is really so bad after all...? In fact, that same piece might become sometimes extremely unpleasant for White in case the position gets opened. Black is often perfectly capable to solve the problem of the safety of his king by a profound theoretical knowledge. If I have to summarize, I will have to mention that the French Defence is a quite interesting and unique opening in which both opponents must solve difficult problems right after the very beginning of the game and most of these problems are characteristic only for that particular opening. Of course, it is absolutely necessary to know thoroughly the opening theory, but the all-round understanding of the arising pawn-structures and the complex strategy of that opening should combine with an extensive practical experience. 


I will completely agree that the systems 3.e5 and 3.Nd2 have their advantages as well, but I am taking the responsibility to recommend to you to study and to play the most principled move for White and that is - 3.Nc3. Well, I understand that the devotees to that active knight-move must know a lot of theoretical variations, but I can assure you - this move creates most of all problems for Black and it provides White with greatest chances to obtain an opening advantage. I believe these short explanations are going to convince you that Black's move 3...Bb4 disrupts immediately the natural balance on the board. He is ready to exchange a bishop for a knight; meanwhile White will have the kingside as his field for actions. Black will act on the queenside trying to exploit White's weakened pawn-structure there. 


In general, we can say - that system, particularly after: 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3 6.bxc3, leads to quite complex fighting positions in which White's chances are somewhat preferable. Still, he cannot play that variation relying just on common sense. White must know plenty of forced lines and the perfect place to find them is this book! I hope the book will enrich your understanding of the French Defence too, because that opening has a special place in contemporary chess and quite deservedly so. 

A.Khalifman 

14th World Chess Champion 

There you go, some recent Winawers by some patzers
[Event "Monarch Assurance 15th"]
[Site "Port Erin"]
[Date "2006.09.23"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Bobras,Piotr"]
[Black "Akopian,Vladimir"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "C18"]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qa5 7.Bd2 Qa4 8.Qg4 g6 
9.Qd1 b6 10.h4 h5 11.Bd3 Ba6 12.dxc5 bxc5 13.Nf3 Nd7 14.0-0 Ne7 15.Bg5 Nf5 16.Re1 Bxd3 
17.cxd3 Qxd1 18.Rexd1 0-0 19.Rdb1 Rfb8 20.a4 Kf8 21.Bc1 Ke8 22.Ba3 Ne7 23.d4 Nc6 24.Bxc5 Nxc5 
25.dxc5 Rc8 26.a5 Nd8 27.a6 Rxc5 28.Ra3 Nc6 29.Rb7 Na5 30.Rxa5 Rxa5 31.Ng5 Rxa6 32.Nxf7 Rb6 
33.Nd6+ Kf8 34.Rf7+ Kg8 35.Rc7 Rbb8 36.c4 dxc4 37.Ne4 Rf8 38.Nf6+ Rxf6 39.exf6 a5 40.Rg7+ Kf8 
41.Rh7 Ra6 0-1

[Event "RUS-chT 13th"]
[Site "Sochi"]
[Date "2006.04.20"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Movsesian,Sergei"]
[Black "Shirov,Alexei"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Eco "C15"]
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd3 dxe4 5.Bxe4 Nf6 6.Bf3 0-0 7.Nge2 e5 8.Bg5 h6 
9.Bh4 exd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd4 11.Nxd4 Re8+ 12.Kf1 Bxc3 13.bxc3 Ne4 14.Bxe4 Rxe4 15.Bg3 Na6 16.Rd1 Be6 
17.f3 Bc4+ 18.Kf2 Ree8 19.Rd2 Bxa2 20.Nb3 Rad8 21.Rhd1 Rxd2+ 22.Rxd2 Re6 23.Rd8+ Kh7 24.Rd7 f6 
25.Nd4 Re8 26.Nb3 b6 27.h4 h5 28.Bf4 Bxb3 29.cxb3 Nc5 30.Rxc7 a5 31.Rc6 Nxb3 32.Rxb6 Nc5 
33.Kg3 Nd3 34.Ra6 Re2 35.Rxa5 Kg6 36.Bd6 Ne1 37.Kh3 Nxg2 38.c4 Ne3 39.c5 Nf5 40.Ra4 Rc2 
41.Re4 Kf7 42.Rf4 Ke6 43.Bf8 Rc3 44.Bd6 Rc2 45.Bf8 g5 46.hxg5 fxg5 47.Re4+ Kd5 48.Re8 Rc3 
49.Rd8+ Kc6 50.Kg2 Nh4+ 51.Kg1 Nxf3+ 52.Kf2 Ne5 53.Be7 Rf3+ 54.Ke2 g4 55.Rd6+ Kb7 56.Rb6+ Kc8 
57.Bd6 Nc4 58.Rb8+ Kd7 59.Rb7+ Kc6 60.Rc7+ Kd5 61.Rh7 Rf5 62.Be7 Ne5 63.Rg7 Nc6 64.Bh4 Nd4+ 
65.Ke3 Re5+ 66.Kd3 Ne6 67.c6 Kxc6 68.Rf7 Nc5+ 69.Kd4 Re4+ 70.Kc3 g3 71.Bxg3 Re3+ 72.Kc4 Rxg3 
73.Rf6+ Kd7 74.Kxc5 Ke7 75.Rh6 Rg5+ 76.Kd4 Kf7 77.Ke4 Kg7 78.Ra6 h4 1/2

 I have to say that I love the French defence. I have been playing it for about 4 years and I love it. (Ihate the exchange!!). But now I am a bit worried. It seems everyone is playing C10-C11, I mean 1e4 e6 2, d4 d5 3. Nc3 o Nc2 and then 3.dxe4. And then Black has a position that is passive and seems to be happy with a draw. What happened with the players of c18 and c19? Are those under a cloud? Are those moves  unsound? and my second question: Why the very big great master quit playing the french: Short, Dreev. Korchnoi,  Bareev, Morozevich they all go to 1...e5 or caro or sicilian. Did they understand that the french is only for lesser mortal. Please drop me a line. And I hope you can encourage me to continue playing the French