Enigma of the French

Originally posted by Tengu
I do agree. The standard classical is too good for black.

But you then give black the option to dictate the direction of the game. They can move into the Burn/Rubenstein with dxe4 or continue with be7.

The McCutcheon can be fun, too

There was an interesting French yesterday in Linares:

Peter Leko (2749) - Alexander Morozevich (2741)

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. bxc3 Ne4 8. Qg4 g6 9. Bd3 Nxd2 10. Kxd2 c5 11. h4 Qa5 12. Nf3 Nd7 13. Rhb1 cxd4 14. Qxd4 a6 15. Rb4 Qc7 16. c4 a5 17. Rb3 dxc4 18. Qxc4 Nc5 19. Rc3 b6 20. Qf4 Bb7 21. Nd4 Qd8 22. f3 g5 23. Qe3 gxh4 24. Nb5 Kf8 25. Nd6 Bd5 26. Rb1 Qg5 27. Bf1 Qxe3+ 28. Rxe3 Rb8 29. Bc4 Rg8 30. Re2 Bxc4 31. Nxc4 h3 32. gxh3 Rg3 33. Ke3 Na4 34. Kf4 Rg5 35. Rb3 Ke7 36. h4 Rf5+ 37. Kg3 Rg8+ 38. Kf2 Rf4 39. Nxb6 Rxh4 40. Nxa4 Rxa4 41. Rb7+ 1/2-1/2

Black looked a lot worse, to me - a non-French player - out of the opening.

Also I mentionned before the French seems to be getting in trouble in London League games, and so I decided to blog some examples here:

http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.com/2007/02/beating-french.html

Originally posted by TommyC
There was an interesting French yesterday in Linares:

Peter Leko (2749) - Alexander Morozevich (2741)

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. bxc3 Ne4 8. Qg4 g6 9. Bd3 Nxd2 10. Kxd2 c5 11. h4 Qa5 12. Nf3 Nd7 13. Rhb1 cxd4 14. Qxd4 a6 15. Rb4 Qc7 16. c4 a5 17. Rb3 dxc4 18. Qxc4 Nc5 19. Rc3 b6 20. Qf4 Bb7 21. Nd4 Qd8 22. f3 g5 23. ...[text shortened]... log some examples here:

http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.com/2007/02/beating-french.html

Black always looks worse in the McCutcheon, but concrete evaluation often tells another tale. Clearly Leko could not find anything from his apparent advantage.

Originally posted by Wulebgr
Black always [b]looks worse in the McCutcheon, but concrete evaluation often tells another tale. Clearly Leko could not find anything from his apparent advantage.[/b]

Fair enough - you think black was equal out of the opening then? The endgame did actually seem slightly better for him, so maybe white's optical advantage was only that.

But as you say - concrete evaluation would be needed to know for sure, either way.

Originally posted by TommyC
Fair enough - you think black was equal out of the opening then? The endgame did actually seem slightly better for him, so maybe white's optical advantage was only that.

But as you say - concrete evaluation would be needed to know for sure, either way.

I liked black's position, although after two key losses I've all but abandoned the McCutcheon myself. 8...g6 may be better than my Kf8--both moves have been played at the highest levels--in Game 1287333, although even there I was okay until my blunder on move 20.

Also I mentionned before the French seems to be getting in trouble in London League games, and so I decided to blog some examples here:

http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.com/2007/02/beating-french.html[/b]

I've had a quick look at the 2 games featured and a few brief points before Im dragged away from the computer.

1) After blacks 10th I challenge anyone to believe that there isnt equality. Both sides have poor bishops and if anything whites pawn structure is the poorer.

Its up to black not to sqaunder that position and I think there was perhaps too much kingside "faffing" although Im not saying I would have done better OTB

2) If you are going to play poisoned pawn winawer you cant afford to step out of theory. 16...Kb8 is a novelty according to my book ( I may be wrong) and personally I think the book move of 15...f6 is better.

Just a quick post!

fyi Dennis Monokroussos agrees with you Wulebgr, he blogged that: "Leko-Morozevich was a McCutcheon French with a new move by Black in a known position. Black's position soon looked precarious, but in truth he was in good shape, and Leko had to sweat a while before achieving the draw."

Originally posted by TommyC
fyi Dennis Monokroussos agrees with you Wulebgr, he blogged that: "Leko-Morozevich was a McCutcheon French with a new move by Black in a known position. Black's position soon looked precarious, but in truth he was in good shape, and Leko had to sweat a while before achieving the draw."

I'll have a look at his blog, thanks.

I ran analysis with Fritz 9, which finds a slight advantage for white after move 16, and suggests 26.Rg1 (instead of Rb1 as played) to maintain the advantage. Fritz sees a slight advantage for black for a few moves after 26.Rb1.