French Defense Advance Paulsen Euwe Variation
French Defense
Definition
The French Defense is a counter-attacking response to 1. e4 that begins with the moves 1. e4 e6. Black immediately prepares to strike at the center with …d5 on the next move, challenging White’s pawn on e4 rather than contesting the e-file symmetrically (as in 1…e5). The opening is renowned for its solid pawn chain, semi-closed positions, and rich strategic complexity.
Typical Move Order
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5
From here White chooses among the main branches: 3. Nc3/Nd2 (Tarrasch & Classical), 3. e5 (Advance), or 3. exd5 (Exchange).
Strategic Themes
- Pawn Chain: The e6–d5 structure points toward the queenside, giving Black counterplay there while White often builds kingside pressure.
- “Bad” Light-Squared Bishop: Black’s c8-bishop is hemmed in by the pawn chain but can become powerful if liberated by …b6, …Ba6, or well-timed pawn breaks.
- Counter-attack: Black frequently breaks with …c5 or …f6 depending on the variation, aiming to undermine White’s center.
Historical Significance
The name derives from a series of correspondence games between London and Paris (1834). Champions such as Mikhail Botvinnik, Viktor Korchnoi, Anatoly Karpov, and, more recently, Alexander Morozevich and Teimour Radjabov have employed the French as a mainstay of their repertoires.
Illustrative Game
Karpov – Korchnoi, World Championship (Game 32), Baguio 1978: Karpov’s use of a minority attack in the Classical French became a textbook demonstration of queenside play.
Interesting Fact
Although the French is viewed as rock-solid, it has produced some of the sharpest king hunts in chess history—most famously in the game Short – Timman, Tilburg 1991, where White’s king marched all the way to h6 to deliver mate!
Advance Variation (of the French Defense)
Definition
The Advance Variation arises after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5. By advancing the e-pawn, White cramps Black’s position, grabs space, and fixes the central pawn structure early.
Strategic Ideas
- Space Advantage: The pawn on e5 restricts Black’s knight on g8 and the natural …f6 break must be prepared carefully.
- d4 Weakness: White’s pawn on d4 can become a target because it can no longer be supported by e3.
- Breaks: Black typically attacks the base of the chain with …c5 (Paulsen Variation) or, more rarely, …f6. White counters with c3, Nf3, Bd3, and often strives for the kingside thrust f4–f5.
Typical Position
Notable Games
- Uhlmann – Korchnoi, Moscow 1967: Black’s thematic …f6 break equalized and eventually yielded a win in the endgame.
- Carlsen – So, Wijk aan Zee 2018: A modern illustration where White patiently built up on the kingside and converted a small advantage.
Anecdote
The move 3. e5 was long considered slightly suspect until Nimzowitsch rehabilitated it in the 1920s, emphasizing the virtues of space and restriction—ideas he championed in his seminal work “My System.”
Paulsen Variation (in the Advance French)
Definition & Move Order
The Paulsen Variation begins 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5. Named after 19th-century pioneer Louis Paulsen, the immediate thrust …c5 challenges White’s center before it is fully reinforced.
Plans for Both Sides
- Black: Exert maximum pressure on d4 by combining …c5, …Nc6, and …Qb6. Pawn breaks with …f6 remain a thematic resource.
- White: Support the center with c3, develop pieces to f3 and d2 or c3, and consider queenside castling followed by a pawn storm with h4–h5.
Key Continuations
4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 (Euwe Variation)
4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Be2 (the Steinitz twist)
4. dxc5!? (Milner-Barry Gambit approach)
Example Miniature
Interesting Fact
Because the Paulsen line attacks so quickly, engines historically underestimated White’s long-term space advantage. Modern neural-network engines (e.g., Leela, Stockfish NNUE) have re-evaluated many positions, reinstating the Paulsen as one of Black’s most dynamic equalizers in the Advance French.
Euwe Variation (of the Advance–Paulsen)
Definition & Move Sequence
The Euwe Variation, named after the 5th World Champion Max Euwe, arises after:
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3.
Strategic Essence
- White’s Setup: The knight on f3 guards d4 and supports the potential g-pawn advance. White intends Bd3, 0-0, and sometimes Re1 & Nbd2.
- Black’s Counterplay: Usual routes include 5…Qb6 (double attack on d4 & b2) or 5…Nh6 followed by …Nf5. The pawn tension on d4/c5 is central.
Model Game
Max Euwe – Miguel Najdorf, Buenos Aires 1948: Euwe’s original handling with h4!? inspired generations of players seeking aggressive ideas in an ostensibly “slow” structure.
Sample Line
Did You Know?
Although Max Euwe popularized 5. Nf3, he never scored above 50 % with it in top-level play; however, his analytical notes in the Dutch magazine “De Schaakwereld” laid the theoretical foundation that modern grandmasters still reference.