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French Defence: Winawer Variation

Black pins the knight and gives up the bishop to double White's pawns. White gets the bishop pair and attacks g7 at once. Very sharp!

Advanced · Other answers to 1.e4 · 15 steps. On Chess Castles, Chess Guru reads each step aloud in English, Hindi or Marathi while the moves play on the board, and you can practise any position against the engine.

Step 1

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position

French Defence: Winawer Variation (C18). You play Black. Black pins the knight and gives up the bishop to double White's pawns. White gets the bishop pair and attacks g7 at once. Very sharp!

Step 2

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 1.e4

White plays pawn to e4. It takes a centre square (e4). It opens a line for the queen on d1. It opens a line for the bishop on f1. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 46% of 3.9 million games.

Step 3

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 1...e6

Black plays pawn to e6. It controls the centre (d5). It opens a line for the queen on d8. It opens a line for the bishop on f8. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 13% of 1.8 million games.

Step 4

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 2.d4

White plays pawn to d4. It takes a centre square (d4). It opens a line for the bishop on c1. It opens a line for the queen on d1. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 86% of 231k games.

Step 5

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 2...d5

Black plays pawn to d5. It takes a centre square (d5). It opens a line for the queen on d8. It challenges the opponent's pawns. It attacks the pawn on e4. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 98% of 202k games.

Step 6

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 3.Nc3

White plays knight to c3. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 45% of 200k games.

Step 7

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 3...Bb4

Black plays bishop to b4. It develops the bishop into the game. It pins the knight on c3. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 47% of 89k games.

Step 8

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 4.e5

White plays pawn to e5. It takes a centre square (e5). It gains space. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 73% of 43k games.

Step 9

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 4...c5

Black plays pawn to c5. It controls the centre (d4). It opens a line for the queen on d8. It challenges the opponent's pawns. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 67% of 31k games.

Step 10

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 5.a3

White plays pawn to a3. It attacks the bishop on b4. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 84% of 21k games.

Step 11

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 5...Bxc3+

Black plays bishop takes c3. It captures the knight on c3. It controls the centre (d4). It pins the pawn on b2. It gives check. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 87% of 17k games.

Step 12

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 6.bxc3

White plays pawn takes c3. It captures the bishop on c3. It controls the centre (d4). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 100% of 15k games.

Step 13

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 6...Ne7

Black plays knight to e7. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (d5). Now castling is possible. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 59% of 15k games.

Step 14

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 7.Qg4

White plays queen to g4. It controls the centre (d4, e4). It attacks the pawn on g7. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 56% of 12k games.

Step 15

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♛︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position

This is the main position of the French Defence: Winawer Variation. Now practise it against the engine: choose a strength and play on from here.

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