Monday, April 9, 2007

French Defense, Classical Variation

Jim West (USCF 2270) - Jerry Simon (USCF 2259), New Jersey 30/30 Championship 1989

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Bxe7 Qxe7 7.f4 O-O 8.Nf3 c5 9.Bd3 cxd4


10.Bxh7+ Kxh7 11.Ng5+ Qxg5 12.fxg5 dxc3 13.Qh5+ Kg8 14.O-O Nxe5 15.Rae1 Nbc6 16.Re3 Rd8


On 16...g6 17.Qh4 Rd8, White has 18.Qf4 cxb2 19.Rxe5 Nxe5 20.Qxe5 followed by 21.Qxb2 and 22.Rf3.

17.Rh3

Stronger is 17.Rxc3 g6 18.Qh6 Ng4 19.Qh4 Nge5 20.Qf4 with the winning threat of 21.Rxc6 bxc6 22.Qxe5 since both 20...Rd7 and 20...Rf8 fail to 21.Rh3 with either 22.Qf6 or 22.Qh4 to follow.

17...Kf8 18.Qh8+ Ke7 19.Qxg7 Bd7


A better try is 19...cxb2 20.Rb3. Now 20...Rf8 21.Rxb2 Nc4 22.g6 is strong for White.

For example, 22...Nxb2 23.Rxf7+ Rxf7 24.gxf7. Or 22...N6e5 23.Qf6+ Kd6 24.g7 Rg8 25.Re1. Finally 22...Nd8 23.Qf6+ Kd7 24.g7 Rg8 25.Rb3 Nd2 26.Rh3 Nxf1 27.Rh8.

But the position is far from clear after 20...b6 21.g6 Ba6 22.gxf7 Rf8.

20.Rxc3 Kd6 21.Qf6 Rac8 22.Qf4 d4 23.Rb3 b6 24.Rb5 a6


25.Rxe5 Nxe5 26.Qxd4+ Kc6 27.Qxe5 Be8 28.Qe4+ Kc7 29.Rf3 Kb8


No better is 29...Rd1+ 30.Kf2 Kb8 31.Qe5+ Ka8 32.Rc3 Rcd8 33.Rc7.

30.Rd3 Rxd3 31.Qxd3 Kb7 32.h4 Bc6 33.c4 e5 34.Qd6 e4 35.h5 Re8 36.Qf6 e3 37.Qxf7+ Ka8 38.Kf1 Re4 39.h6, Black resigns.



{This article originally appeared in Atlantic Chess News in 1990}