French Defense: St. George & Three Pawn Attack

French Defense: St. George Defense

Definition

The St. George Defense in the French arises after the moves 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 a6 (ECO C00).
By postponing the customary …d5 in favour of the flank move …a6, Black prepares …b5 and a queenside fianchetto with …Bb7, accepting a temporary reduction of central control in order to create long-term counterplay on the wings.

Typical Move-Order & Transpositions

The St. George Defense can appear in several ways:

• 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 a6 (pure French move-order).
• 1. e4 a6 2. d4 e6, transposing from the “pure” St. George (1…a6) to the French.
• 1. e4 e6 2. d4 a6, where White has not played Nf3 yet. (A rarer, but still legitimate path.)

Strategic Ideas

• Queenside Expansion: …a6 supports …b5, gaining space, deflecting White’s c-pawn, and offering a home for the bishop on b7.
• Delayed Central Tension: Black often plays …d5 only after finishing the queenside set-up, hoping to break in the centre when pieces are better placed.
• Unbalancing the Game: The early flank move takes the position out of well-trodden French main lines, forcing both sides to rely on general principles rather than memorised theory.
• Potential Drawbacks: White may seize the centre with c4, d4-d5, and e4-e5 before Black completes development, so accurate timing is critical.

Historical Significance

The name “St. George” originally referred to the London St. George Chess Club, whose masters experimented with 1…a6 in the 19th century. Although most famous in the independent form 1…a6, the idea migrated into French structures in modern times.

The most celebrated St. George game is Miles – Karpov, Skara 1980, where Tony Miles stunned the reigning World Champion with 1…a6. Had Miles responded 1…e6 and later …a6 he would have reached the French version discussed here, illustrating the close kinship of the two systems.

Illustrative Line

One frequently encountered continuation is:

The diagram shows Black’s thematic mix of French and St. George motifs: pressure on e5, central counter-punch …c5, and the latent …b5 break.

Usage in Practice

• Surprise Weapon: Grandmasters occasionally adopt the line as a one-off to sidestep heavy preparation.
• Rapid & Blitz Appeal: The early asymmetry and offbeat character make it popular in faster time controls.
• Club-Level Practicality: At amateur levels White players are often unsure of the most critical set-ups, giving Black practical chances for the initiative.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• GM Michael Basman, famed for his love of flank openings, is a modern champion of the St. George structures within and outside the French.
• The ECO codes C00 and A00 overlap here: the same early …a6 idea can arise from a French or a purely “irregular” opening.
• Because Black’s dark-squared bishop may end up on b7 rather than c5, some analysts jokingly call this line a “French-Benoni hybrid.”

French Defense: Three Pawn Attack

Definition

The Three Pawn Attack is an aggressive sideline of the French that begins 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. f4 (ECO C00). White erects a triangle (d4, e4, f4), gaining space and hinting at a quick kingside assault reminiscent of the King’s Gambit or Dutch structures.

Strategic Goals

• Kingside Initiative: The pawn on f4 supports an eventual e4-e5 thrust and opens lines for the rook on f1.
• Central Space: The d4-e4 duo gives White a strong foothold in the centre, while f4 restricts …Nf6 jumps.
• Dynamic Tension: White is willing to accept structural weaknesses (e.g. an exposed e-pawn) in exchange for open lines and attacking chances.

Black’s Main Replies

1. 3…dxe4 – The most principled, challenging White’s centre immediately.
   After 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. f3 exf3 6. Nxf3 the game often transposes to a sharp French Advance with the extra thrust f2-f4 already included.
2. 3…c5 – Strikes at d4 in true French spirit.
3. 3…Nf6 4. e5 Ne4 – A flexible counter that provokes pawn advances and targets d4.

Historical & Theoretical Notes

Although the line has never been a top-level mainstay, it carries respectable pedigree. Steinitz and Tartakower experimented with it in the early 20^th century; more recently, creative players like Baadur Jobava have revived it in rapid events.

Illustrative Game

Short – Miles, London (Rapid) 1994 is often cited as model play for both sides:

[[Pgn| e4|e6| d4|d5| f4|Nf6| e5|Ne4| Nf3|c5| c3|Nc6| Bd3|cxd4| cxd4|Bb4+| Bd2|Nxd2| Nbxd2|Qb6| a3|Bxd2+| Qxd2|Bd7 |arrows|f4f5;e5e6|squares|e6;f5;d4]]

The middlegame featured razor-sharp pawn storms on opposite wings before ultimately liquidating to an equal endgame, demonstrating the line’s double-edged nature.

Practical Tips for Both Sides

• For White
  • Be ready to sacrifice material (often the f-pawn) to keep lines open.
  • Develop quickly—delaying kingside castling can be fatal if Black breaks in the centre.
  • Watch the d4-square; after …c5 or …c5xd4, recapture with a pawn only if it does not leave a backward e-pawn.
• For Black
  • Timely …c5 is essential; undermine before White consolidates.
  • If you capture on e4, do so when you can follow up with …Nf6 or …Nc6, pressuring d4 and e5 simultaneously.
  • Consider early queen sorties (…Qb6 or …Qa5+) to hit d4 and pin a knight on c3.

Interesting Facts

• The name “Three Pawn Attack” sometimes causes confusion with the King’s Indian “Three Pawns Attack” (f2-f3, g2-g4, h2-h4). Remember: in the French it refers to the d4–e4–f4 triangle.
• Because it bypasses 3. Nc3 or 3. Nd2, the variation dodges enormous bodies of Classical and Tarrasch theory, making it attractive to independent thinkers.
• Several strong engines evaluate the starting position after 3. f4 as roughly equal, but the resulting positions are often harder for humans to handle accurately.