1.e4
e6
2.d4
d5
3.Nc3
Bb4
The French Winawer
4.e5
c5
Attacking the white pawn chain at the c4-weakness
5.a3
Putting the question to the Bb4
5...Bxc3+
6.bxc3
trading off Black's good bishop but nicking the white pawn structure
6...Qc7
A very flexible move. Black can continue as normal with ...Ng37 or with ...f5
7.Qg4
Ne7
transposing back to the main line Winawer
8.Qxg7
Yes indeed, the French Defense really is a gambit!
8...Rg8
9.Qxh7
cxd4
The threat is Qxc3
10.Ne2
Defending both the c3-pawn and providing a counter to ...Qxe5
10...Qxe5?
11.Bf4!
Winning a pawn and forcing a queen trade.
11...Qf5
12.Qxf5
Nxf5
13.Nxd4
Best. Black must stop both Nxf5 and Nb5
13...Nxd4
14.cxd4
White is up a pawn... and the extra pawn is the h-passer!
14...Nc6
15.c3
Defending the d-pawn
15...a6
16.Bd3
Simple development. ...Rxg2 loses the rook after Bg3
16...Bd7
17.h4
Passed pawns are meant to be pushed...
17...Rc8
Seeking counterplay down the semi-open c-file.
18.g3
losing my nerve [ 18.h5
Na5
19.h6
Ke7
20.h7
Rh8
21.Bh6+-
]
18...Na5
19.Bd2
Nb3
[ 19...Nc4!
]
20.Rb1
Nxd2
Trading his effective knight for the wrong bishop
21.Kxd2
White now has bishops of the same color and black's pawns are fixed on the light squares
21...b5
22.h5
Without the dark squared bishops, it's hard to promote the h-pawn, but it will tie down black's forces and likely lead to a trade of rooks. The bishop ending is great for white.
22...Ke7
23.h6
Rh8
24.h7
f6
Wit the idea of ...e6-e5
25.f4
Rcf8
26.Rh6
Rf7
27.Ke3
To defend the f-pawn with Kf2
27...Rg7
28.Kf2
f5
Blocking the bishop's defense of the h7-pawn, but fixing more pawns on the light squares
29.Rbh1
Be8
Black can win the h-pawn, but the endgame is untenanble
30.R1h4
If he declines to capture the h-pawn, I can play Be2 and g4
30...Bg6
31.g4
Playing on the pin of the f5-pawn to advance the g-pawn
31...Rgxh7
[ 31...fxg4
32.Bxg6+-
]
32.Rxh7+
Rxh7
33.Rxh7+
Bxh7
34.Ke3
Perhaps I can get him to move his king to the queenside and make it easy on me
34...Kd6
35.Kf2
Ke7
Oh well...
36.Kg3
heading toward h5
36...Kf6
37.Kh4
Bg6
He keeps me out and eliminates the pin on the f-pawn.
38.g5+
So.. in addition to all the black pawn weaknesses, white has an outside passed pawn. But how to infiltrate into the black camp?
38...Kg7
39.Be2
Be8
40.Bh5
Step two... I know that he won't trade the bishops, but this will keep his king on the kingside watching the g-pawn
40...Bd7
41.Kg3
Now step three... march the king to b3
41...Bc6
42.Kf2
Bd7
the best defense is a6-a5-a4, but I can sac a pawn with c4 and march in with my bishop watching the light squares on the queenside
43.Ke3
Bc6
44.Kd2
Bd7
45.Kc2
too late now for ...a5-a4
45...Bc6
46.Kb3
a5
Diagram To prevent Kb4... that would be too easy
47.a4!
Busting up his defenses and forcing my king through
47...bxa4+
48.Ka3
Kf8
To win the a-pawn, I have to swingthe Nh5 to d1, permitting him to bring his bishop to e8 and then his king to the queenside
49.Bd1
Be8
50.Bxa4
Bh5
51.Bc2
Ke7
[ 51...Be8
52.Bd3
Bc6
53.Kb3
Ke7
54.c4
Kf7
55.cxd5+-
]
52.Ka4
Kd6
Trying to keep my king from the key c5 square.
53.Kxa5
So, how to get the king to c5 when all is easy
53...Kc7
54.Kb5
Kd6
55.Kb6
Be8
56.Bd1
Bg6
[ 56...Bd7
57.Be2
Be8
58.Bb5
Bh5
59.Kb7
]
57.Ba4
So far so good... now to swing my king towards d8
57...Bf7
58.Kb7
Bg6
59.Kc8
If I get to d8, the I win easily with Be8 and the g-pawn flies.
59...Ke7
60.Kc7
He stops me from betting through the back door, but now I get to c5!
60...Bf7
61.Bd7
[ 61.Kc6??
Be8+-+
]
61...Bg6
62.Kc6
Bf7
63.Bc8
Be8+
64.Kc5
Bf7
Now get the bishop to b3 and push d5
65.Ba6
Be8
66.Bb5
Bf7
67.Ba4
Bg6
68.Bb3
Bf7
69.c4
dxc4
70.Bxc4
Bg6
71.Bd3
d5 wins too.
71...Bf7
72.Bc2
Bg6
73.d5
Bf7
74.d6+
Kd7
75.Ba4+
Kd8
76.Kd4
Bg6
77.Ke5
Bf7
78.Kf6
[ 78.Kf6
Bg8
79.Kg7
trapping the bishop] *