French Winawer: 5...Ne7 6.Nb5 (Bogoljubow)
French Defense: Winawer Variation
Definition
The Winawer is a major branch of the French Defense that begins with the moves
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4. Black immediately pins the knight on c3, provoking structural
tension and steering the game into highly unbalanced, strategic-tactical positions.
Typical Move-Orders & Main Ideas
- 4. e5 (Advance) is the most popular choice, gaining space and forcing Black to decide how to undermine the centre. The classical main line runs 4…c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3, after which White owns the bishop pair and a dangerous pawn chain, while Black strives to attack the base at d4.
- Alternatives such as 4. exd5, 4. Bd2, or the provocative 4. Qg4 (the “Poisoned-Pawn” line) each lead to their own distinct set-ups, but all preserve the Winawer’s trademark imbalance.
Strategic Themes
- Bishop Pair vs. Structure – White often accepts doubled c-pawns in order to keep both bishops and long-term attacking chances.
- Minority Attacks – Black attacks the d4-pawn with …c5, …Nc6, and …Qa5 while White targets the kingside with moves like h4–h5.
- Colour-Complexes – Because one side usually possesses the light-squared bishop and the other the dark-squared bishop, control of opposite colours shapes middlegame plans and endgame evaluations.
Historical Significance
Named after the Polish master Szymon Winawer, who used the line against Wilhelm Steinitz in 1883. It became a favourite of the Hypermodern school—most notably Aaron Nimzowitsch—and later of world champions such as Botvinnik, Karpov and Carlsen. Its rich mix of strategy and tactics has ensured constant theoretical attention for more than a century.
Illustrative Game
An annotated miniature:
Interesting Facts
- Despite its sharpness, the Winawer has been used successfully as a drawing weapon at the very highest level, most famously by Anatoly Karpov in his 1978 World Championship match versus Viktor Korchnoi.
- The line inspired an entire book devoted solely to the position after 7.Qg4 Qc7—evidence of how deep modern theory now goes.
Bogoljubow Variation (4…Ne7) of the Winawer
Definition
The Bogoljubow Variation is a quieter but strategically rich response to the Winawer Advance line: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Ne7. Black sidesteps the well-trodden 4…c5 lines, instead redeploying the g8-knight to support a later …c5 or …f6 break while keeping the c8-bishop free.
How It Is Used
- Flexibility – By avoiding an immediate commitment of the c-pawn, Black keeps multiple pawn breaks in reserve and can castle either side.
- Kingside Counterplay – …f6 or …Nf5 places pressure on e3 and g3 squares, especially if White plays Qg4 too early.
- Solid Structure – Black retains a healthier pawn formation compared to many other Winawer branches, at the cost of some central space.
Strategic & Historical Notes
Efim Bogoljubow introduced the idea in the 1920s as an antidote to lines in which White’s queen darted to g4. Though less common than 4…c5, it has never disappeared; creative fighters such as Alexey Shirov, Vassily Ivanchuk and more recently Rapport and Firouzja have all revived it.
Typical Continuations
- 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 – Black strikes the centre after exchanging bishop for knight.
- 5.Qg4 (the Alekhine–Chatard approach) when 5…O-O or 5…c5 both lead to extremely sharp play.
Notable Game
Short–Korchnoi, Tilburg 1991, shows Black calmly absorbing White’s initiative before counter-punching with …f6 and …e5.
Fun Facts
- Bogoljubow famously quipped “When I’m White I win because I am White; when I’m Black I win because I am Bogoljubow.” His namesake variation tries to prove the second half of that boast.
- The line can transpose into positions that resemble the Classical French, giving Winawer players a built-in “secondary opening” without learning extra theory.
Sequence 5…Ne7 6.Nb5 in the Winawer (C15)
Where It Arises
The move-pair belongs to the “early a3” Winawer: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 Ne7 6. Nb5. By playing 4.a3 before committing the e-pawn, White forces the exchange on c3, gains the bishop pair, and then hops the remaining knight to b5 aiming at the sensitive d6 and c7 squares.
Strategic Significance
- Outpost on d6 – After Nb5 White may follow up with Bf4 or a quick c4, increasing the pressure on the dark squares.
- Flexible Centre – Because e4–e5 has not yet been played, White can choose between maintaining the central tension with e4-e5 or striking at once with c4.
- Black’s Plan – …c5, …Qa5+ and …b6 seek counterplay; …a6 is almost obligatory to evict the b5-knight but weakens b6 and b7.
Theory Snapshot
After 6…a6 7.Qg4 (or 7.e5), both sides enter sharp, relatively under-explored territory compared with the better-known 4.e5 lines. Engines rate the position as roughly equal but extremely dynamic.
Model Example
Aronian–Adams, Wijk aan Zee 2006, is a textbook case: White’s knight infiltrated d6, tying Black down, and the bishop pair eventually opened the position after c4–d5.
Mini-sample:
Interesting Tidbits
- The move 6.Nb5 was popularised by Latvian and Armenian grandmasters in the early 2000s, earning the informal nickname “Armenian Gambit” in some databases.
- Because the knight has leapt to the rim, beginners sometimes misjudge it as a waste of time; in reality it forces concrete concessions from Black.