Confused_by_Theory wrote on 10/24/17 at 16:15:22:


I do not know if this is confirmed or not, but in my understanding, if the Queen eyes h5, then that means that White has to take with the Rook to get an attack after h5 gxh5 since Qxh5 exchanges queens. If needed, Black can also play ...Tf5. Then of course the Queen can switch to go to a4 if White decides to quit the h4-h5 plan.

ReneDescartes wrote on 10/24/17 at 00:52:17:


But then you got the super popular Najdorf Poisoned Pawn where Black grabs the b2-pawn and suffers for 40 moves under a fairly scary attack to draw.

Funnily, when I played 1. e4 a decade ago, the very few times someone played 7...0-0 against me, I usually lost. Which is another reason I find it odd--if White's attack fails, Black simply is fine positionally, and the ...b5-b4 plan can be quite dangerous if White ends up diddling around.

Confused_by_Theory wrote on 10/13/17 at 15:03:11:


A good book of course, but from the White point of view. It is not discouraging me from playing 7...0-0 though. I just use it mostly to find out what White players might be preparing.

kylemeister wrote on 10/13/17 at 05:10:13:


Berg's book is great, and I think a big volume book by any publisher on either a repertoire for Black or at least current theory on all three lines 13...Df7, 13...Ad7 and the topical 13...b5 would be very nice.

If I understand correctly so far, Black has counterplay in all lines. I subscribe to CP, but I would like at least as much coverage for 7...0-0 as the Poisoned Pawn. Or maybe that is just my bias 

I noticed that the latest update (the 13th addressing this subject since the Berg book if I counted correctly) regarded 8. Bd3 c4 as okay, though to my knowledge it has been regarded as "?!" and as leading to ±.  Blasphemy?  Discuss!

Hello.

I think Negis "Grandmaster Repertoire - 1.e4 vs The French, Caro-Kann and Philidor" is pretty much a great book and perhaps especially the french chapters.

Have a nice day.

Over the past few years, I have noticed that the Poisoned Pawn is chosen by Black players of the Winawer more than 7...0-0. Is there a reason for this, when 7...0-0 line is more solid and stable ?

It is true that in the database, there are still many games with 7...0-0, but I find for example in many tournaments where I go, I seem to be the only one playing 7...0-0. Not to mention there is not much study material lately of 7...0-0 besides Berg's repertoire book.