French Defense Winawer Advance Retreat Armenian Line

French Defense

Definition

The French Defense is the opening that arises after the moves 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5. Black immediately challenges White’s center with …d5 while preparing to undermine it later with …c5. It is classified in ECO codes C00–C19.

How the Opening is Used

• Black seeks an asymmetrical, strategic struggle, often based on the pawn chain e6–d5 versus e4–d4.
• Typical plans include breaking with …c5, supporting the center with …f6, or counter-attacking on the queenside after …c5 and …Qb6.
• White chooses whether to keep tension (3.Nc3/3.Nd2), exchange (3.exd5), or gain space (3.e5 → the Advance Variation).

Strategic & Historical Significance

The French is one of the oldest symmetrical replies to 1.e4, popularized by correspondence games between the cities of London and Paris (hence the name) in the early 1830s. World Champions such as Botvinnik, Petrosian, Karpov, and modern stars like Vachier-Lagrave and Caruana have all relied on it as a main weapon.

Example Game

Viktor Korchnoi – Anatoly Karpov, World Championship (Game 17), Baguio 1978: Karpov equalized in a Classical French and later converted an endgame, demonstrating the resilience of Black’s structure.

Interesting Facts

• It is the only major opening named after a country rather than a person or city.
• Because the c8-bishop is initially “imprisoned” behind the e6-pawn, French specialists often develop it later with …b6 & …Ba6 or …Bd7–e8–h5.
• The pawn structure can transpose into positions typical of the Caro-Kann or even certain Queen’s Gambit lines after exchanges in the center.

Winawer Variation

Definition

The Winawer Variation of the French Defense begins 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4. Named after the Polish master Szymon Winawer (1880s), it pins the knight on c3 and immediately increases tension in the center.

Main Line Move-Order

After 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3⁺ 6.bxc3, White obtains the famous “Winawer pawn triangle” (c3–d4–e5). From here the game can branch into lines such as 6…Ne7 (Poisoned-Pawn), 6…Qa5 (Positional line), or 6…Qb6 (Armenian ideas).

Strategic Themes

• Doubled c-pawns give White a mobile center and open b-file, but also long-term weaknesses.
• Black often targets the d4-pawn while counter-attacking on the light squares (especially d4 & e5).
• The dynamics revolve around opposite-side castling, sharp king-side pawn storms (…g5, …h5), and piece activity rather than material.

Historical Note

Anatoly Karpov and Viktor Korchnoi contributed enormous theory during their Candidate and World-Championship clashes (1974, 1978). Later, players like Vassily Ivanchuk and Alexander Morozevich kept the variation alive at elite level.

Example Diagram

Typical position after 6…Ne7:

Interesting Facts

• In the “Poisoned-Pawn” line (7.Qg4), Black deliberately allows White to take g7 but aims for rapid piece play and the pawn’s eventual recovery.
• Modern engines often evaluate these razor-sharp positions as roughly balanced, highlighting the soundness of both sides’ chances.

Advance Variation (in the Winawer)

Definition

After 3.Nc3 Bb4, the move 4.e5 is called the Advance Variation of the Winawer. By pushing the e-pawn, White gains space and immediately closes the diagonal of Black’s light-squared bishop.

Why It Is Played

• Seizes central space and prevents …f6 for the moment.
• Makes it harder for Black to break in the center without preparation.
• Prepares a later f2–f4-f5 pawn storm against Black’s king.

Typical Continuations

1. 4…c5 5.a3 Bxc3⁺ 6.bxc3 — main road to the core Winawer structures.
2. 4…Ne7!? — a rare sideline, prepping …c5 without letting the bishop get trapped.
3. 4…b6?! — the old “Alekhine–Chatard” try, seldom seen today.

Historical Tidbit

Alexander Alekhine used the advance 4.e5 line to beat Savielly Tartakower at San Remo 1930, showcasing an early model for White’s kingside attack.

Interesting Facts

• The same strategic idea (pushing the e-pawn one square forward) appears in the Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5).
• Some databases label 4.e5 as C11, while 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3⁺ is shifted to C12–C19 depending on Black’s 6th-move choice.

Retreat Variation (7.Bc1)

Definition

Within the Winawer Advance after 6…Ne7, the move 7.Bc1 is called the Retreat Variation. Instead of the sharper 7.Qg4, White calmly withdraws the dark-squared bishop to reinforce the d4-pawn and keep options flexible.

Main Line

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3⁺ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Bc1.

Strategic Ideas

• Re-routing: The bishop may later appear on a3, f4, g5, or even h6 depending on Black’s setup.
• Solid Center: White over-protects d4, making …cxd4 …Nxd4 less effective for Black.
• Delayed Kingside Play: White can castle short, expand with f2–f4, or switch to queenside castling depending on Black’s pawn breaks.

Famous Example

Tigran Petrosian – Vasily Smyslov, Moscow 1961 (URS Championship). Petrosian used 7.Bc1 to out-maneuver Smyslov in a long positional battle, reinforcing the variation’s reputation for solidity.

Interesting Facts

• The retreat looks anti-intuitive—giving up two tempi (a3 and Bc1)—yet statistical databases show respectable results for White.
• Because theory is relatively light, many strong players adopt 7.Bc1 as a surprise weapon to avoid the well-charted 7.Qg4 “Poisoned-Pawn” labyrinth.

Armenian Line

Definition

The Armenian Line refers to the sequence 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3⁺ 6.bxc3 Qb6 7.Bc1, where White again retreats the bishop, this time in response to Black’s early queen sortie. The name honors Armenian grandmasters—especially Tigran Petrosian and later Rafael Vaganian—who developed and popularized the idea.

Key Concepts

• Provoking …Qb6: After 6…Qb6, the pawn on d4 becomes a target. White’s 7.Bc1 solidifies it and asks Black what the queen is really doing on b6.
• Flexible Development: White may follow with Nf3, Nf3–g5, or even h4–h5, depending on Black’s setup.
• Endgame Appeal: The early queen move can be met by simplifications, leading to endgames where Black’s queen is misplaced and the doubled c-pawns are less exploitable.

Typical Continuations

1. 7…Ne7 8.Nf3 Bd7 9.a4!—stopping …c4 and preparing Ba3.
2. 7…Nc6 8.Nf3 Nge7 9.a4—again eyeing the a4–a5–Ba3 maneuver.

Historic Game Snippet

Petrosian – Guimard, Candidates 1953 featured the early outline of the Armenian Line; Petrosian neutralized Black’s activity and later won a rook endgame.

Interesting Facts

• The retreat 7.Bc1 occurs on the same square where White’s bishop began the game, yet it often leaves Black struggling for an active plan.
• Modern engines confirm that Black must tread carefully; careless play (e.g., an early …Nc6–a5) can leave the queen exposed and the light squares weak.
• Grandmasters Levon Aronian and Gabriel Sargissian—both Armenians—have re-introduced the line in the 21^st century, true to its heritage.