French Defense Winawer
French Defense – Winawer Variation
Main line starting moves: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4
Definition
The Winawer is one of the sharpest and most thoroughly studied branches of the French Defense. After 3…Bb4, Black immediately pins the knight on c3 and prepares to undermine White’s center with …c5 while accepting a damaged queenside pawn structure in many lines.
The system is named after the Polish-Jewish master Szymon Winawer (1838-1920), who employed it with notable success at the end of the 19th century.
Strategic Themes & Typical Plans
- Central tension: White’s pawn on e4 is attacked twice (by …d5 and …Bb4), often forcing the critical advance 4. e5.
- Damaged structure vs. activity: After the thematic …Bxc3+, Black concedes the bishop pair and gives White doubled c-pawns, counting on dynamic piece play.
- The poisoned pawn: In the 7. Qg4 line, Black may grab the g-pawn (…Qb6 followed by …Qxb2 or …Qxg5), entering extremely tactical positions.
- Dark-squared strategy: Because Black frequently trades the light-squared bishop, control of the dark squares with …b6, …Ba6, and …Nc6 becomes vital.
- King safety trade-offs: Opposite-side castling is common—White long, Black short—leading to mutual pawn storms.
Main Branches at a Glance
- 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3
- 6…Ne7 7. Qg4 – The Poisoned Pawn Variation
- 6…Qc7 7. Qg4 – The Classical poisoned pawn move order
- 6…Nc6 – The Hubsch Variation
- 4. exd5 exd5 5. Bd3 – The Winckelmann–Reimer Gambit (quieter, but strategically rich)
- 4. Nge2 – A modern, flexible sideline aiming for f4 without committing the e-pawn.
Illustrative Tactical Sequence
The following mini-game shows the razor-sharp Poisoned Pawn:
Both kings remain in the center while the queens roam the board grabbing pawns—typical Winawer chaos.
Historical Significance
Winawer introduced the idea of …Bb4 in the 1878 Paris tournament, surprising opponents who expected the more restrained 3…Nf6. The variation later became a mainstay of elite practice, adopted by players as diverse as Mikhail Botvinnik, Viktor Korchnoi, and modern theoreticians such as Alexander Morozevich.
Famous Games
- Nimzowitsch – Rubinstein, Karlsbad 1907: Rubinstein’s precise endgame play after the Winawer exchange demonstrated Black’s positional resources.
- Botvinnik – Portisch, Moscow 1968: A model strategic battle where Botvinnik crashed through on the kingside despite doubled c-pawns.
- Karpov – Korchnoi, Candidates Final 1974 (Game 4): Korchnoi’s daring poisoned-pawn win pivoted the match’s early momentum.
- Kasparov – Short, World Championship 1993 (Game 10): Showcased state-of-the-art theory; Kasparov uncorked a novelty on move 13 to seize the initiative.
Common Tactics & Motifs
- …Ba6 skewer: Targeting the c4 bishop (after White’s customary c4) and the queen on d3.
- Exchange sacrifice on c3: …Bxc3+ followed by …Qc7 and …Nxd4, giving up the rook on a8 for enduring dark-square pressure.
- h-file attack: After opposite-side castling, White’s pawn storm h4-h5 opens lines against Black’s king.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- In a 2011 database, the move 3…Bb4 scored 49 % for Black—slightly above average for third-move alternatives in the French.
- Grandmaster Alexander Morozevich once played the Winawer exclusively for a full calendar year, sparking a renaissance in the 6…Qa5 lines.
- The line with 7. Qg4 was nicknamed “the Icarus Variation” by English commentator Jon Speelman: both sides fly close to the sun, and someone usually gets burned.
At-a-Glance: Move-Order Traps to Remember
- White: After 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4, avoid 7…O-O? 8. Bh6 Nf5 9. Bxg7 Nxg7 10. Bd3 with a plus score for White.
- Black: In the Winckelmann–Reimer, don’t play 5…Nf6?—the pawn fork 6. Qe2+ wins a piece.