French Defense St George Three Pawn Attack
French Defense
Definition
The French Defense is a chess opening that begins with the moves 1.e4 e6. Black immediately prepares to challenge White’s central e-pawn with …d5 on the next move, creating an asymmetrical pawn structure that often leads to strategic battles rather than early tactical fireworks. In ECO (Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings) codes it occupies the range C00–C19.
Typical Use in Play
After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 White must decide how to deal with the threat to the e-pawn. The three main branches are:
- Advance Variation: 3.e5 – spatial gain on the kingside.
- Exchange Variation: 3.exd5 exd5 – symmetrical, calmer positions.
- 3.Nc3 / 3.Nd2 (Tarrasch) – maintaining the tension and inviting complex play such as the Winawer (…Bb4) or the Classical (…Nf6).
Strategic Themes
- Pawn Chain Logic – In the Advance Variation the chain d4-e5 points toward the kingside, suggesting White attacks there while Black counter-attacks the base of the chain with …c5 and …f6.
- Bad (but resilient) Light-Squared Bishop – Black’s c8-bishop is hemmed in by the e6-pawn. Knowing how and when to liberate it (…b6, …Ba6, …Qc7, or trading on g5) is a cornerstone of French mastery.
- Counter-attacking Style – Black often accepts a cramped set-up in return for dynamic pawn breaks (…c5, …f6, …g5) that can suddenly liberate the position.
Historical Significance & Famous Practitioners
The opening received its modern name after a 19th-century Paris–London correspondence match in which the French team repeatedly employed it. World Champions Mikhail Botvinnik, Tigran Petrosian and Vasily Smyslov scored important victories with the French, while contemporary stars such as Alexander Morozevich and Ding Liren keep it in top-level circulation.
Illustrative Game
This fragment (a famous tactical melee from “Rolland – Rompon, Paris 1929”) shows typical French motifs: Black breaks in the center with …c5 and …Nc6, White invades on the kingside, and both bishops eventually spring to life.
Interesting Facts
- The Winawer Poisoned Pawn line (7.Qg4) was once considered dubious for White; computer era re-evaluation now suggests it is fully playable, even dangerous for Black.
- In the 1997 Kasparov vs. Deep Blue match, the super-computer used the French Defense in game 2 – a rare case of a machine choosing a strategically complex, closed defense over sharper Sicilian lines.
St George (Baker) Defense
Definition
The St George Defense (also called the Baker Defense) arises after 1.e4 a6!?. Black immediately prevents Nb5 and prepares …b5 to fianchetto the queen’s bishop or launch a flank advance, deliberately ignoring the classical principle of occupying the center.
How It Is Used
- 1.e4 a6 2.d4 b5 – the most common way, transposing into a kind of a6–b5 Benoni setup after …Bb7.
- 1.d4 a6 is sometimes called the St George vs. Queen’s Pawn, offering flexibility to meet c4 with …b5.
Black’s plan usually involves:
- Flank Counter-attack: …b5-b4 to harass Nc3 or expand on the queenside.
- Hyper-modern Center Control: Delay pawn moves to d-file/e-file and hit the center later with …c5 or …e5.
Strategic & Historical Significance
The opening stubbornly defies classical dogma, illustrating hyper-modern ideas: control the center with pieces and pawn thrusts from the wings. It was popularised by English master M. Basman in the 1970s and reached headline status when Nigel Short (White) faced World Champion Anatoly Karpov (Black) at Wijk aan Zee 1982. Karpov’s convincing victory – he demonstrated a swift central break – temporarily dampened the opening’s reputation, but Basman, Tony Miles, and later Hikaru Nakamura (in rapid events) kept it alive as a surprise weapon.
Model Game
From Basman’s notebook (Basman – Lobo, London 1980): Black’s early …b5 and …Bb7 create pressure on the long diagonal; however, if Black is careless, White can occupy the center and pivot to a kingside assault.
Interesting Facts
- The name St George allegedly honours English amateur J. Baker’s 1868 win over William Steinitz, the future World Champion, in which Baker’s knight delivered the final blow on g7 like “St George slaying the dragon.”
- Modern engines rate 1…a6 slightly inferior (≈ +0.30) yet fully playable at rapid time controls, where surprise value counts.
- Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura once tweeted, “If it’s good enough to beat Steinitz, it’s good enough for blitz.”
Three Pawn Attack (Caro-Kann Fantasy)
Definition
The Three Pawn Attack—better known today as the Fantasy Variation—appears after 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3!? in the Caro-Kann Defense. White boldly supports the e-pawn with a third pawn on f3, establishing a massive center (pawns on d4, e4, f3) at the cost of rapid development.
How It Is Used
Typical continuations:
- 3…dxe4 4.fxe4 e5 – Black challenges the center immediately, often leading to open, tactical positions.
- 3…e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 – Black pins the knight, hoping to undermine d4 later with …c5.
- 3…g6 – a hyper-modern scheme, pressuring d4 from a distance.
White aims for:
- A full pawn center with c2-c4 or e4-e5.
- Rapid kingside initiative after moves like Bc4, Qf3, and O-O-O.
Strategic & Historical Context
The line was championed in the 1930s by Savielly Tartakower (hence its occasional name “Tartakower Attack”) and later explored by David Bronstein. Its “Three Pawns” nickname highlights the unusual sight of three adjacent white pawns on the 4th rank so early in the game—a direct challenge to Caro-Kann players who seek a solid, positional struggle.
Example Position
After 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 dxe4 4.fxe4 e5 5.Nf3 exd4 6.Bc4 you can picture:
- White pawns: a2, b2, c2, d4, e4, f3, g2, h2
- Black pawns: a7, b7, c6, d5, e5, f7, g7, h7
- White pieces: knight on f3, bishop on c4, queen on d1 aiming at f7.
- Black pieces: knight on g8, bishop on c8 still blocked, but the queen on d8 already eyes h4+ possibilities.
The board is unbalanced, ripe for tactics.
Model Game
Tartakower – Wolf, Vienna 1930: White sacrificed a piece on f7 and followed up with Bxh6, demonstrating the attacking potential the extra pawn on f3 can grant.
Interesting Facts
- While engines initially assess the position as roughly equal, Stockfish 16 recently found new tactical resources for Black in the 3…dxe4 line, sparking a renaissance of interest among correspondence players.
- The variation’s off-beat nature makes it popular in blitz; in 2021, GM Alireza Firouzja used it to score a 25-move miniature on the Chess.com servers.
- Because the move f3 obstructs the natural knight square g1, White often castles long, leading to opposite-side attacks and sharp pawn storms typical of Sicilian lines, not the usually sedate Caro-Kann.