French: Advance, Euwe, 6.Be2
French: Advance
Definition
The term “French: Advance” refers to the Advance Variation of the French Defense. The opening position arises after the moves 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5. White immediately pushes the e-pawn past Black’s central pawn chain, grabbing space and fixing the structure.
Typical Move Order
The most common continuations are:
- 3…c5 (the main line) 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.a3, 6.Be2 or 6.Bd3
- 3…Bd7 (the Milner-Barry Sideline) planning …c5 without allowing Qg4 ideas
- 3…c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 is seen in a majority of top-level games
Strategic Themes
- Space Advantage: White’s pawn on e5 gains space and cramps Black’s kingside pieces.
- Fixed Center: Because the pawn structure is locked, play often revolves around pawn breaks—c4 or f4–f5 for White, c5 or f6 for Black.
- Minor-Piece Placement: White usually develops the light-squared bishop via d3 or e2, while Black decides between the solid …Ne7 and the more active …Nc6.
- Endgame Potential: Queens are frequently exchanged on b6 or d4, leaving a pleasant space edge for White—but Black’s well-placed minor pieces give counterchances.
Historical Significance
The Advance was championed by Aron Nimzowitsch in the 1920s as an illustration of his overprotection theory. Later, players like Viktor Korchnoi, Anatoly Karpov, and modern stars such as Alexander Grischuk and Alireza Firouzja have used it to great effect.
Illustrative Game
Korchnoi – Karpov, Candidates 1974. Karpov calmly equalized with …c5 and …Nc6, but Korchnoi’s early a3 sidestepped Black’s usual …Bb4 pin.
Interesting Facts
- The line was once considered “harmless,” but computer analysis now reveals many sharp attacking resources for White after 4.Nf3 and 5.Bd3.
- Magnus Carlsen adopted the Advance in rapid/blitz play to avoid Petroff-style preparation after 1…e5.
Euwe
Definition
“Euwe” usually denotes Dr. Max Euwe (1901-1981), the 5ᵗʰ World Chess Champion (1935-1937), a renowned mathematician, educator, and later President of FIDE (1970-1978). In opening theory the name also labels several variations he popularized, most notably:
- Nimzo-Indian, Euwe (4.a3) Variation: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3
- Queen’s Gambit Declined, Euwe Variation: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 0-0 7.e3 Ne4 8.Bxe7 Qxe7
- Pirc Defense, Euwe System: 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 c5
Why It Matters
- World Champion Educator: Euwe was the first amateur to become World Champion, balancing teaching and chess.
- Scholarship: His book series “The Road to Chess Mastery” and “The Middlegame” (with Jan Timman) remain classics.
- Administrative Legacy: As FIDE President he expanded global membership and introduced official age-group championships.
Signature Playing Style
Euwe combined concrete calculation with classical principles. He was less speculative than Alekhine (whom he defeated for the title in 1935) but more dynamic than Capablanca. His openings showed an appetite for space-gaining pawn thrusts (a3, f4) long before they became mainstream.
Classic Game
Euwe – Alekhine, World Championship 1937 (Game 6). The 4.a3 Euwe Variation forced Alekhine to surrender the bishop pair; Euwe’s precision earned a famous win.
Trivia & Anecdotes
- Euwe once paused mid-game at Nottingham 1936 to help an arbiter solve a mathematical puzzle about ticket receipts!
- His doctorate was on “the constructive definition of sets,” not on chess.
- The Max Euwe Center in Amsterdam hosts a public chess library and a museum located on a picturesque canal square.
6.Be2
Definition
The notation 6.Be2 indicates a bishop move to the square e2 on the sixth move. While dozens of openings can reach this square count, the phrase most commonly refers to:
- Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2
- Occasionally, the King’s Indian Main Line: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2
Purpose in the Najdorf
- Flexibility: White delays castling and keeps options open for f2-f4 or f2-f3 setups.
- Sidestepping Prep: 6.Be2 avoids heavy-theory lines like 6.Bg5, 6.Be3, or 6.Bc4.
- Solid Center: After 6…e5, White often plays Nf3-b3 or Nf3-f3, followed by Be3, Qd2, and sometimes a queenside castle.
Key Continuations (Najdorf)
- 6…e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.0-0 Be7 9.f4 (or 9.a4) – a restrained but ambitious structure.
- 6…e6 7.0-0 Be7 8.a4 0-0 9.f4 – Black keeps …e5 in reserve.
- 6…g6 – a modern gambit approach transposing to Dragon-like schemes.
Historical Background
The move was quietly introduced in the 1950s but rose to prominence when Bobby Fischer used it to out-prepare opponents who expected his trademark 6.Bc4. In the 1990s, Kramnik and Adams polished the line, showing it could fight for an opening edge.
Model Game
Fischer – Gligorić, Havana 1966. Fischer’s 6.Be2 steered the game into a rich middlegame where he later exploited the d5 square.
Interesting Nuggets
- Engines evaluate 6.Be2 more favorably today (+0.30) than a decade ago, thanks to deeper lines featuring an early a4.
- Grandmaster Peter Svidler quipped that 6.Be2 is “the Najdorf for adults”—you get the same structure without memorizing 30 moves.
- In the King’s Indian, 6.Be2 heralds the “Classical” system, the main battleground of Kasparov vs. Karpov in the 1980s.