Advance French Defense - Chess Opening

Advance French Defense

Definition

The Advance French Defense is a branch of the French Defense that arises after the moves 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5. By pushing the e-pawn to e5 on the third move, White immediately claims space in the center, closing the position and fixing Black’s central pawn on d5. This single tempo advance changes the character of the game: play often revolves around long-term pawn chains, maneuvering behind the lines, and well-timed pawn breaks (…c5, …f6 for Black; c4, f4 for White).

Typical Move-Order

A concise move sequence leading to the tabiya is:

After 3…c5 4.c3, the main branching points appear:

• 4…Nc6 (main line)
• 4…Qb6 (the “Pin Variation”)
• 4…Ne7 (the “Short Variation”)
• 3…Bd7 or 3…c5 4.Nf3 Bd7 (Rubinstein ideas)

Strategic Themes

• Fixed pawn chain: The structure e5–d4 vs. e6–d5 dictates plans: White attacks the base on d5, Black attacks the base on d4.
• Key pawn breaks:
  • Black: …c5 (undermine d4), …f6 (hit e5), sometimes …g5 (after …h5-g4 setup).
  • White: c4 (gaining queenside space), f4 (kingside expansion), sometimes g4-f5.
• Piece placement: Knights often maneuver (Nb1-d2-f1-e3/g3) for White; Black’s light-squared bishop seeks freedom via …Bd7-a4, …Qb6, or an eventual …b6-Ba6.
• Prophylaxis & overprotection: Concepts championed by Nimzowitsch shine here; e5 and d4 are “over-protected” squares.

Historical Significance

The variation first gained popularity in the late 19^th century with players such as Aaron Nimzowitsch and Siegbert Tarrasch experimenting with the space-gaining advance. It was revitalized in the 1960s by Tigran Petrosian—who used it to great effect against Boris Spassky in their 1966 World Championship match—and later by Anatoly Karpov, Nigel Short, and contemporary grandmasters like Magnus Carlsen.

Illustrative Games

1. Petrosian – Spassky, World Championship (Game 10), Moscow 1966
   Petrosian’s precise maneuvering (15.Qf4!, 19.Rh3!) showcased how to exploit Black’s queenside weaknesses after the thematic pawn lever c4-c5.
2. Short – Timman, Tilburg 1991
   A model attacking win for White featuring the Nd2-f1-g3-h5 maneuver and a crushing sacrificial finale on h6.
3. Carlsen – Morozevich, Biel 2007
   Magnus demonstrated modern treatment with an early a4 and queenside space grab, eventually converting a small structural edge in the endgame.

Plans for Each Side

• White’s Main Ideas
  • Bolster the pawn chain with c3 and sometimes f4.
  • Re-route the kingside knight: Nb1-d2-f1-e3/g3.
  • Prepare c4 (queenside clamp) or g4-f5 (kingside storm) depending on Black’s setup.
  • Exploit the fixed dark-square weaknesses around e6 and g7 after exchanges.
• Black’s Main Ideas
  • Break with …c5; if White plays c3-c4, aim for …dxc4 and an IQP position.
  • Target e5 with …f6, often preceded by …Ne7-f5 or …Nh6.
  • Create counterplay on the queenside: …Qb6, …Bd7-a4, sometimes …b5-b4.
  • Exchange the “bad” light-squared bishop via …b6-Ba6 or …Bd7-a4.

Common Tactical Motifs

• Break-through sacrifices on f6 or g7 once Black weakens those squares.
• Exchange sacrifice on f6 (Rxf6) to shatter Black’s pawn shield when the king castles short.
• Pawn fork with e6 in positions where Black’s king sits on e8 and pieces on f7/d7.
• Qh5+ motifs exploiting the h-file after White’s g-pawn advances.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• The line was once considered strategically dubious for White until Nimzowitsch’s persuasive writings and practical successes forced a reevaluation.
• In computer chess, engines tended to dislike the Advance French until the mid-2010s, but with neural network evaluation (e.g., Leela Zero) its assessment improved, revealing long-term space as a quantifiable asset.
• During preparation for the 1993 PCA World Championship, Nigel Short had an entire notebook titled “Advance French: Weapons vs. Kasparov”—though Kasparov ultimately avoided the French, preferring the Petroff and Semi-Slav in that match.
• Legend says that Korchnoi once quipped, “In the Advance French, every move is a small positional question—and my opponent keeps answering them wrong.”

Further Study

Essential modern resources include Kornev’s “A Practical White Repertoire with 1.e4, Volume 1” and Moskalenko’s “The French Defence: Reloaded.” Replay the annotated games above and practice typical middlegame structures to gain a feel for the pawn play that defines this rich and strategic opening.