EppsNet Archive: French Defense

One of my online chess games. Some annotations below . . . 2. Nc3 A typical French Defense would go 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3. I like to play 2. Nc3 first just to see what happens. Usually Black plays 2. …d5 3. d4 and everything is back to normal. 3. …f5? Have not seen this but it doesn’t look promising. 6. …c6? Black may not have a really appealing move here. White is about to make hash of the Black kingside. 9. …c5 It might be in Black’s interest to avoid the check at h5 with 9. …h5 or 9. …Kf1 but this move need not have turned out as badly as it did. 11. …Bxf5?? Capturing the queen must have been tempting but leads to an immediate loss. 11. …Nc6 avoids the upcoming check at a5, and 12. dxc6?? does allow the bishop to capture the queen as… Read more →

One of my online chess games. Black builds a probably winning advantage but is running short on time (in a 3+2 blitz game). I offered a draw, which Black declined. This was followed by some not-so-good moves on both sides, including a losing blunder by Black on the last move. Some annotations below . . . 1. …e6 French Defense 39. Qa5? Black has probably a winning advantage and it’s hard to find a strong move. 39. …Ba6+? Black could start to capitalize on the pawn advantage with 39. …c4. 41. Qa1? I didn’t see it coming but 41. Kh2 would have avoided the upcoming knight sacrifice on g3, which opens up the diagonal to the White king. Black is winning but has only 21 seconds left (I have 43) so I offered a draw, which Black declined. 42. Qa4? 42. Qc3 would have guarded g3. It’s too late for… Read more →