French Defense Knight Variation Wing Gambit
French Defense
Definition
The French Defense is a classical reply to 1. e4 that begins with 1…e6. By immediately supporting a central advance of …d5, Black erects a solid pawn chain aimed at challenging White’s center from a distance. Its ECO codes range from C00 to C19.
Typical Move-Order & Key Position
- Main line: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5
- Core idea: after 3. e5 c5, Black undermines the d4-pawn while the locked pawn chain e5–d4 vs. e6–d5 dictates the course of the game.
Strategic Themes
- Counterattack on the light squares. The move …c5 is almost universal, striking at d4.
- Bad French Bishop myth. Black’s c8-bishop is temporarily hemmed in, so finding routes for that piece (…b6, …Ba6 or …Bd7–e8–g6) is a recurring plan.
- Pawn chains & breaks. White pushes on the kingside with f4–f5 or g4–g5; Black breaks on the queenside with …c5, …f6 and sometimes …g5.
Historical Significance
Named after a series of correspondence games London vs. Paris (1834–36) in which the French team championed 1…e6. It was a favorite of Aron Nimzowitsch, Mikhail Botvinnik and Viktor Korchnoi, each adding rich positional ideas to the opening’s theory.
Illustrative Example
The diagram (after 11…Ba6) shows a typical French structure: locked pawn chain, queenside counterplay and the “bad” c8-bishop now activated via a6.
Interesting Facts
- 1…e6 is the only first move that can directly transpose to both the French Defense and the Dutch Defense (after 2. c4 f5).
- In the 1997 Kasparov vs. Deep Blue match, the computer chose the French in Game 4, underlining its strategic solidity even for silicon minds.
Knight Variation (French Defense)
Definition
The Knight Variation of the French Defense arises after 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 (ECO C00). White postpones d2–d4, developing a piece first and keeping the option of transpositions or independent gambits.
Why & How It Is Used
- Flexibility. White can still head into mainline French positions with 3. d4, deviate with the Wing Gambit (4. b4), or even transpose to a King’s Indian Attack setup (g3, Bg2, 0-0).
- Move-order subtleties. By omitting d4, White prevents certain counter-gambits such as the French Rubinstein (…d5 exd5 exd5).
- Psychology. Some French specialists prepare exhaustively for the Advance, Tarrasch, and Winawer lines; 2. Nf3 sidesteps their main preparation.
Theoretical Branches
- 2…d5 3. e5 –> Advance Knight Variation (often a prelude to the Wing Gambit).
- 2…d5 3. Nc3 – transposes to the Two Knights (also in the French).
- 2…c5 – Black tries to bypass the standard French structures, sometimes transposing to a Sicilian with colors reversed.
Example Miniature
White has achieved the Wing Gambit idea (b4) while maintaining the extra king safety of short castling.
Interesting Tidbits
- The Knight Variation was used by Bobby Fischer in simultaneous exhibitions to unsettle French aficionados.
- Grandmaster Larry Kaufman recommends 2. Nf3 in his repertoire books as “practical and low-maintenance” for club players.
Wing Gambit (French Defense – Knight Variation)
Definition
In the French Defense’s Knight Variation, the Wing Gambit occurs after the sequence 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e5 c5 4. b4!? (ECO C00). White sacrifices the b-pawn to undermine Black’s queenside and accelerate development.
Strategic Rationale
- Queenside diversion. By luring Black’s c5-pawn to b4 (…cxb4), White hopes to open lines on the a- and b-files.
- Lead in development. After 5. d4 or 5. a3, pieces flow to the center while Black spends moves consolidating the extra pawn.
- Space advantage. The e5-pawn cramps Black’s kingside; the gambit seeks to add queenside pressure as well.
Main Accepted Line
1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e5 c5 4. b4 cxb4 5. d4 Nc6 6. a3! Here 6. a3 forces Black either to give the pawn back (…bxa3 7. Bxa3) or to allow White a powerful center after 6…b3 7. cxb3.
Key Alternatives for Black
- 4…c4 – declines the gambit but concedes d4 and queenside space.
- 4…d4 – “French Benoni” structure, locking the center yet leaving Black’s light-squared bishop dormant.
Historic Example Game
N. Nimzowitsch – G. Maróczy, Copenhagen 1918 (analysis game)
Nimzowitsch demonstrates typical compensation: rapid development and a battery on the a- and b-files.
Practical Tips
- If Black grabs material, play a3 and c3 swiftly—regaining the pawn with initiative matters more than counting material.
- Castle short early; the open queenside can bite an uncastled king on e1.
- When Black declines with 4…c4, switch plans: strike in the center with d3 & dxc4 or maneuver knights to d6 & b5.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- The Wing Gambit idea first appeared against the French in an 1892 Paris café game; its “wing” moniker predates similar gambits versus the Sicilian by several decades.
- Although engines evaluate the position as roughly –0.30 for White after best play, practical results at club level hover near 50%, underscoring its surprise value.
- FM Dana Mackenzie once dubbed it “the One-Winged Angel of the French”—beautiful but risky—during his ChessLecture series.