By Karel van der Weide

Somehow I was not content with my results as White in the French Winawer: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 There appeared to be problems in two main lines: 6...Ne7 7.Qg4 and after both 7...0-0 and 7...Qc7. I was not always able to come out on top. Therefore I thought it was time for a change. In the future, those who were ready to play the rest of the game without their black coloured bishop could count on 7.Nf3. Naturally, I both checked the theoretical part and tried to understand typical plans and positions. Studying the games of Fischer and Korchnoi should provide me some understanding of this system. Unfortunately, up to now I have managed to show bad theoretical knowledge and even worse understanding! Let me share my initial experiences with you, dear reader.

I played my first game with 7.Nf3 last year in the tournament of my German club, SK Münster 32. My opponent was the kind local lumberjack Ulrich Meyer, who has a modest rating of some 1800 points. See and shiver! 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qc7 7.Nf3 Bd7 8.a4 Ne7

9.Ba3??

Obvious confusion. It will "only" cost me two pawns. Lines in the Winawer where you give material for a diagonal exist, but definitely not here! 9.Bd3 appeared to be my repertoire.

9...cxd4 10.Qxd4 Nbc6 11.Qd2

Very poor, but what else? 11.Qc5 Nf5 12.0-0-0 b6 13.Qb5 Nxe5 and 11.Qe3 Nf5 12.Qe2 Ncd4 not to mention 11.Qf4 Ng6 12.Qg3 Ncxe5 are even worse.

11...Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Qxe5+ 13.Be2 Rc8 14.0-0 Qxc3 15.Qf4 Ng6! 16.Qc1

Humiliating, but 16.Qd6 Qe5 forces the exchange of Queens.

16...f6! 17.Re1

More active continuations fail immediately: 17.Qb1 Qxc2 18.Qxb7 Qxe2 19.Rfc1 Rd8 and 17.Rb1 Qxc2 18.Qe3 Rc3.

17...Kf7 18.Qb1 b6 19.Ba6 Rcd8!

Well done again, after the alternative 19...Rc7 I had some ideas to win an Exchange: 20.Bd6 Rc6 21.Bb4 Qxc2 22.Bb5 Qxb1 23.Rexb1 Rc7 24.Bd6 Rb7 25.Ba6.

20.Bb4 Qc7 21.Ra3 Rhe8 22.Rc3 Qb8 23.Qb3 d4??

Until now, Mr.Meyer has played excellently. After 23...Ne5 or 23...Kg8 White is two solid pawns down. With 23...d4, Black voluntarily breaks his pawn-formation.

24.Rc4 b5 25.Rxd4?!

Still keeping the initiative, but I could have concluded matters with 25.axb5 Bxb5 26.Bxb5 Qxb5 27.Rc7+ Rd7 (27...Kg8 28.Rxg7+ Kh8 29.Rxa7) 28.Bd6!!.

25...bxa4 26.Qd3 Bc6 27.Bd6 Qb6 28.Bc4 Bd5?

This loses at once, as did 28...Bxg2 29.Kxg2 Rxd6 30.Rxd6 Nf4+ 31.Kf1 Nxd3 32.Rxb6 Nxe1 33.Rb7+. After 28...Qa5 the fight would have continued.

29.Rxd5 Ne5 30.Rdxe5 Rxd6 31.Rxe6 Rexe6 32.Bxe6+ Kf8 33.Qe4 g6 34.Bc4 Kg7 35.Qe7+ Kh6 36.Bg8 Rd2 37.Qxh7+ Kg5 38.h4+ Kf5 39.Be6+ Kf4 40.Qh6+, 1-0. "That was not necessary." said Mr.Meyer after the game and he was quite right!

OK, no need to panic. The system can not be blamed for my insane 9.Ba3??. On the contrary, the possession of the Black coloured bishop assures White dynamic play. This verdict was confirmed in the next game against fellow dutchman Wemmers. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Nf3 Nbc6 8.Be2 Qa5 9.0-0

In my opinion Black had already committed a mistake. Usualy 8...Qa5 is played in order to force 9.Bd2. Now White has the liberty to castle as 9...Qxc3 10.Bd2 Qb2 11.Rb1 Qxa3 12.Rb3 leaves the Black Queen in an unhappy situation. Wemmers however, came up with an original idea.

9...b6!? 10.a4 Ba6 11.Bd2 Bc4!? 12.Re1 Rc8?

This is much to slow. Black should have continued 12...Qa6 or prevent the white idea with 12...h6. In both cases it is not easy to prove any white advantage.

13.Bxc4! dxc4 14.Ng5! cxd4 15.cxd4 c3 16.Bc1! Rd8 17.Ba3

This is the position you get in your dreams, furthermore Black is principally punished for putting his center pawns on e6/d5 and giving away his Black collored Bishop!

17...0-0

17...Rxd4 18.Qh5 g6 19.Qf3 0-0 20.Bd6 and the white invasion is lethal.

18.Bd6??

Horrible, I forgot to include 18.Qd3 g6 when 19.Bd6 is surely winning. Now the position becomes unclear. In the process, Wemmers cunningly sacks an Exchange and manages to mate me.

18...h6! 19.Ne4 Rfe8! 20.Qg4 Kh8 21.Bxe7?!

White definitely should take the repetition of moves by 21.Qh5 Kg8 22.Qg4.

21...Rxe7 22.Nd6 Qd5! 23.Rad1 Nb4 24.Re3 Qc6! 25.Qh4 Nd5! 26.Nxf7+ Rxf7 27.Qxd8+ Kh7 28.Rf3

Pure desperation. I realized that in the long term White will lose some queenside pawns.

28...Rxf3 29.gxf3 Nf4! 30.Qh4

Also bad is 30.d5 Qxa4 31.dxe6 Qxc2.

30...Qxf3, 0-1.

Some you win, some you lose. Now I had the experience of winning a losing position and losing a winning one. I was confident this was a solid base for the future.

van der Weide-Jaap Vogel
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qc7 7.Nf3 Ne7 8.a4 b6 9.Bb5+ Bd7 10.0-0 Bc6!? (N)

11.Ba3

There is an interesting alternative in 11.Re1, with the idea of Bf1. Then White is ready for the typical Black f6-action.

11...Nd7 12.Qd3 a6 13.Bxc6 Qxc6 14.Rfb1

The subtle 14.Rfd1 isn t working either: 14...h6 15.c4 dxc4 16.Qxc4 b5!.

14...h6 15.c4 dxc4 16.Qxc4

Initially I thought the Queen was well situated here, but it was the aforementioned lack of understanding.

16...0-0 17.Rb3 Rfc8 18.dxc5 bxc5 19.Rab1 Ng6

In the process, it had occurred to me the White pawns are actually quite weak.

20.h4 Ndxe5

Splendid! I'm a pawn down, with only imaginary compensation on the black squares. Luckily Jaap is an old acquaintance of my father. That's merely an understatement; he saved my life when I was a little boy! Once I fell of the boat during a common family trip and Jaap dived after me. Anyway, he felt sorry for me and offered a draw.

In the same tournament (Amsterdam 2006), I proved to have learned something from my game with Jaap.

Van der Weide-Halkias
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Nf3 b6 8.a4 Ba6 9.Bxa6 Nxa6 10.Qe2?!

10. 0-0 turned out to be my repertoire -- bad memory!

10...Nb8 11.a5 Nd7 12.0-0 h6

It is not clear wether this profilactic move is necessary: 12...0-0 13.axb6 axb6 14.Bg5 Rxa1 15.Rxa1 h6 16.Bxe7 Qxe7 17.Qb5 c4 18.Ra7 Rd8 19.Qxb6 Nxb6 20.Rxe7 Na4 is viable for Black.

13.c4 dxc4 14.dxc5 bxc5

14...Nxc5?! 15.Rd1 Nd5 16.Qxc4 0-0 17.Qg4 gives White some attacking chances.

15.Nd2 c3 16.Nc4

You see, I understood that a Knight on c4 is better then a Queen! White has a certain amount of compensation for the pawn; the Nc4/a5/e5 construction keeps Black in an iron grip. The rest of the game is very scrappy and both players were happy to save their skin by a draw.

16...0-0 17.Rd1 Qc7 18.Rd3 Ng6 19.f4 Rab8 20.Be3 Ne7 21.Rad1 Nd5 22.Bc1 Rb4

I was hoping he would go astray with 22...f5? 23.exf6ep Rxf6 24.f5!.

23.Rg3 Ne7 24.Nd6 g6

The guy digs in. White has some attacking schemes here -- 25.h4 or 25.Qh5 -- but I was not happy with either of them. Therefore...

25.Rg3 Rb1 and a draw was agreed.

Hmm, so that were two draws. To be honest, I expected to score some points with 7.Nf3. If you at first don't succeed, try again, try again!

Van der Weide-Lenz
Vienna 2006
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Nf3 Nbc6 8.a4

Confused again! 8.Be2 turned out to be my repertoire in order to answer 8...Qa5 with 9.0-0. Hopeless!

8...Qa5 9.Bd2 Bd7 10.Be2 f6 11.exf6 gxf6 12.0-0 0-0-0 13.c4 Qc7 14.cxd5 Nxd5 15.c4?

I had already spend an hour at this moment. Somehow the lines I calculated were different from the lines I had prepared. There is a very simple explanation; it is not the same position! Therefore an intermezzo. Let me show you the line I actually had in mind to play: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Nf3 Qa5 8.Bd2 Nbc6 9.Be2 Bd7 10.0-0 f6 11.c4 Qc7 12.cxd5 Nxd5 13.c4 Nde7 14.exf6 gxf6 15.Bc3! 0-0-0 16.d5 exd5 17.cxd5 Be6 18.Bxf6 Rhg8

19.dxc6 (The Queen sacrifice guarantees White a clearly better position.) 19...Rxd1 20.cxb7+ Qxb7 21.Rfxd1 Nd5 22.Rac1 Qb6 23.Bd4 Nf4 24.Rxc5+ Kb7 25.Bf1 Bg4 26.Rb5 Qxb5 27.Bxb5 Bxf3 28.Rb1 Rxg2+ 29.Kf1 Kc8 30.Rb3 Rxh2 31.Ke1. Sorry to have skipped the sidelines, but I did not want to bother you too much. Maybe you already spotted the difference with the actual game, dear reader. White is a tempo up because he did not spent a move on a4! Now, back to my game with Lenz.

15...Nf4!

Oops, another difference. Contrary to my analyses, the f4-square is available now. I hate myself!

16.d5 exd5 17.cxd5

17.Bxf4 Qxf4 18.Qxd5 Rhg8 is suicide.

17...Nxd5 18.Qc1

I gave a pawn for some practical chances. Black could have put me on halt with 18...Ncb4 or 18...Nd4. In the game however, I regain the lost material, keep my pair of bishops and ... show technique!!

18...Nce7? 19.Qc4! Rhg8

Here 19...Nb6 20.Qa2 Bxa4 (20...Nxa4 21.Bd1) 21.Rfb1 gives White the initiative.

20.Rfc1 Kb8?!

Losing time, although 20...b6 21.a5 Rg4 22.Qb3 wasn't a picnic either.

21.Qxc5 Qxc5 22.Rxc5 Rc8 23.Rxc8+ Rxc8 24.a5!

The exchanges only benefited White, as his pair of bishops gains strength. Under normal circumstances one should not bring its minority towards the opponent's majority (24.a5), but here we have an exception.

24...Bg4 25.h3 Bh5

25...Nc3 26.Bxc3 Bxf3 27.Bxf6 Bxe2 28.Bxe7 gives White good winning chances despite the opposite coloured bishops.

26.g4 Bg6 27.Nd4! Be4 28.Bf1 Nc6?

Probably the losing mistake. Now Black loses his stronghold on d5.

29.Nxc6+ Rxc6 30.Re1 Rc2

30...Bf3 31.Re8+ Rc8 32.Rxc8+ Kxc8 33.Bd3 with the lowering of the curtains.

31.Bh6!

There is no need for the wild pawn race after 31.Rxe4? Rxd2 32.Re8+ Kc7 33.Rh8 Rd1 34.Rxh7+ Kc6 35.Rf7 b5!.

31...Nc3 32.Bg7

32.Rxe4 Nxe4 33.Bd3 Ra2 34.Bxe4 Rxa5 should also be a win for White.

32...f5 33.h4 b5 34.axb6 e.p. axb6 35.g5! Bf3

35...b5 36.h5.

36.Bd3 Ne2+ 37.Kh2 Rd2 38.Bxf5 Kb7 39.Bf6

Watching out for cheap tricks like 39.Bxh7 Rd7.

39...Ra2 40.Bd3 Rd2 41.Bxh7, 1-0.

Just like in my first game with 7.Nf3, I was lucky. And my luck was bound to turn.

van der Weide-Sebenik
Austria 2006
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 Ne7 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.Nf3 Qa5 8.Bd2 Qa4

A rare continuation which should be met by 9.dxc5. However, I wanted to handle the position with "French understanding."

9.Bd3 c4 10.Be2 h6 11.h4 Nbc6 12.h5 Bd7 13.Nh4 0-0-0

It is not easy to suggest a useful move for White. I didn't like pawn-moves on the kingside, nor did I fancy 14.Rh3 because it is a vis-a-vis with the bishop on d7. Therefore the cryptic ...

14.Kf1!!?? g5?

A bad strategical mistake. Black only has one plan to go for and that is the f6 break. He can prepare this with 14...Qa5 or go for it at once: 14...f6 15.exf6 gxf6 16.Qc1 e5 17.dxe5 Nxe5 with a total mess.

15.hxg6 e.p. fxg6 16.Nf3! g5 17.Nh2 Nf5 18.Ng4 Rdf8 19.Nf6

We have arrived!

19...Be8 20.Qb1

I didn't like to reorganize my pieces the other way around because of 20.Ra2 Bg6 21.Bh5 Bxh5 22.Qxh5 Ncxd4!?.

20...Bg6 21.Qb2 b6?

Another misjudgement. Now I can arrange the optimal constellation for my pieces.

22.Re1 Ng7 23.Bd1 Ne7

White's problem is that he has options concluding the game. Both 24.Re3 and 24.g4 are interesting, but I decided to exchange Queens and get rid of my only weakness.

24.Qb4 Qxb4 25.cxb4 Ne8 26.c3 Bf5 27.Ng4 Bd3+ 28.Kg1 Nf5 29.g3 a6 30.Kg2 Kd7 31.Rh2??

Weaknesses should be fixed and therefore 31.Rh5 was the appropriate and winning move.

31...h5! 32.Reh1 Rfg8!

After missing this resource I went berserk. White should be thinking about a draw now after 33.Rxh5 Nh4+ 34.gxh4 Rxh5 35.hxg5.

33.Ne3? h4! 34.Nxf5? exf5 35.gxh4? gxh4+ 36.Kh3 Be4!

I have managed to worsen my position move by move. Especially because I had intended 37.f3 here, which of course fails to checkmate!

37.Re1 Nc7 38.Be2 Ne6 39.Bf1 f4 40.Rg2 Ng5+

I saw an ingenious win here with 40...Rg3+ but I did not bother to check this awesome game with the machine. Unfortunately, the resulting ending is close to a draw, but not close enough!

41.Rxg5 Rxg5 42.Rxe4 dxe4 43.Bxf4 Rf5 44.Be3 Rf3+ 45.Kh2 b5 46.Bg2

46.d5 Rxe3 47.fxe3 Rh5 48.Bh3+ Kd8 49.Be6 Rxe5 50.Kh3 Rg5 51.Kxh4 Rg1.

46...Ke6 47.Bxf3 exf3 48.Bg5 a5 49.bxa5 Ra8 50.Kh3 Rxa5 51.Bc1 Ra8 52.Kxh4 Rg8 53.Bg5 Kf5 54.Be7 Rg2 55.Bd6?!

Here 55.Bb4 was a bit tougher, but Black should win after 55...Kf4 56.Kh3 Rxf2 57.e6 Rg2 58.Bd6+ Kf5 59.e7 Rg8 60.Bg3 Ke6 61.e8=Q+ Rxe8 62.Kg4 Rf8 or something like this.

55...Rxf2 56.Kg3 Rc2 57.Bb4 Ke4, 0-1.

Are these games indications to refrain from 7.Nf3? Not at all! It takes some time to get a feeling for a certain line. As in life, we may not quit after initial disappointments. Quoting former French(!) president Georges Clemenceau during World War I: "They conquer the Elzas, we keep fighting. They cross the Somme, we keep fighting. They march into Paris, we keep fighting. Always we keep fighting, because once a day will come that will be ours."