Cutting Edge Theory in the C00 French, Chigorin variation

‘Back in the day’ this writer tried everything against the French defense, and it was like banging your head against a brick wall. I particularly recall losing several games to NM Rex Blalock, who if I recall correctly, came from France (not really, but it sure seemed that way). Memory fails, but I probably played 2 Qe2 versus his French at least once, and it was probably a loss. Nevertheless, it was my preferred method of playing against the venerable French defense, always a tough nut to crack, and theresults were much better than with more common lines. There was some success with the line 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bd3 cxd4 6. O-O, the C02 French, advance, Nimzovich system, which was used as a surprise weapon when first beginning play. The first time the move 2 Qe2 versus the French defense appeared on the AWDAR it was found appealing. What can I say? I love the offbeat. During the Stein Club daze I went into a Qe2 versus any and everything period.

After 1 e4 e6 one finds the most often played move, 2 d4, has scored 56% in 118490 games according to the ChessBaseDataBase (https://database.chessbase.com/). The move 2 c4 has been played in only 902 games, and is the only move to outscore 2 d4, showing a 57% rate of success. In 2122 games the move of the Queen to e2 has also scored 56%. What did Chigorin know and when did he know it?

Antique Soviet Chess Book Chigorin.Vintage Russian chess books (https://crealandia.com/shop/antique-soviet-chess-book-chigorin-chess-ussr/)

An article entitled, French Defense Chigorin Attack, by misterbasic, published Jul 10, 2016 (https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-openings/french-defense-chigorin-attack) begins: “When someone plays French Defense (1.e4 e6), they always have something prepared and I know nothing about that opening, so I have started playing the Chigorin Attack, which is the move 2.Qe2.” The first comment was by the aggressivesociopath: “Your opponents are rather militant about avoiding the critical lines. If this is to be a serious discussion, then you should focus on 2..c5 3. g3 Nc6 4. Nf3 g6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. O-O Nge7.” The “aggressivesociopath” must have meant 5. Bg2, the move played by passivesociopaths.

Position after 1. e4 e6 2. Qe2 c5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O Nge7

This is a key position not only in the Chigorin French, but in any opening in which black has developed the Bishop to g7 and the King Knight to e7. In the main game being presented the player with the white pieces essayed the most often played move according to 365Chess.com, 7 d3, the preferred move of Deep Fritz 13, according to the CBDB. Yet Stockfish 10 shows a predilection for 7 c3, as does Stockfish 14+NNUE at lichess.com. From the position it is obvious the dark squared prelate on g7 is exerting HUGE pressure on the white position. The move 7 c3 blunts the projected force. In addition, the move prepares the possible move of the pawn move d2-d4. But wait, there’s more! After playing 7 c3 white can now develop the Queen Knight to a3, possibly followed by again moving that Knight to c2 in preparation for the move of the d pawn. What’s not to like?!

FM Austin Mei vs GM Joshua Sheng
Winter 1000GM Bay Area IM Norm Invitational Rd 7
French Defense: Chigorin Variation

1. e4 e6 2. Qe2 c5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O Nge7 7. d3 O-O 8. h4 e5 9. Be3 d6 10. Nc3 f5 11. exf5 gxf5 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bxe7 Nxe7 14. Nd2 d5 15. f4 e4 16. dxe4 fxe4 17. Rad1 Qe8 18. Nb3 Bxc3 19. bxc3 Qg6 20. Qe1 Bg4 21. Rd2 Rae8 22. Nxc5 Qb6 23. Qf2 Rc8 24. Nxe4 dxe4 25. Qxb6 axb6 26. Bxe4 Rxc3 27. Kh2 Nf5 28. Rb1 Rxg3 29. Rxb6 Rh3+ 30. Kg1 Bf3 31. Bxf5 Rxf5 32. Rxh6 Rxf4 33. Rg6+ Kf7 34. Rg5 Bc6 35. Rh2 Rxh2 36. Kxh2 Rxh4+ 37. Kg3 Rc4 38. Ra5 Rxc2 39. Kf4 Ke6 40. Ke3 Rc4 41. Kd3 Ra4 42. Rxa4 Bxa4 43. Kc4 Kd6 44. Kb4 b5 45. Ka3 Kc5 46. Kb2 Kb4 47. Ka1 Kc3 48. Kb1 Bc2+ 49. Ka1 b4 50. a3 b3 0-1 (https://lichess.org/study/twjlOJV6/oI2GlI9W)

The game was downloaded and, to my surprise, there were annotations, the first time I can recall anything but the game moves being found after clicking on “import.”

1. e4 e6 2. Qe2 c5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O Nge7 7. d3 O-O 8. h4 e5 9. Be3 d6 10. Nc3 f5 11. exf5 (11. Qd2) 11… gxf5 12. Bg5 h6 13. Bxe7 Nxe7 14. Nd2 d5 15. f4 e4 16. dxe4 fxe4 17. Rad1 Qe8 18. Nb3 Bxc3 19. bxc3 Qg6 20. Qe1 Bg4 21. Rd2 Rae8 22. Nxc5 (22. c4 Nf5) 22… Qb6 23. Qf2 Rc8 (23… Nf5 24. Rxd5 e3 25. Qe1 e2 26. Rf2 Ne3 27. Nd3 Nxc2 28. Qd2 Qb1+ 29. Kh2 Qd1 30. Rxe2) 24. Nxe4 dxe4 25. Qxb6 axb6 26. Bxe4 Rxc3 27. Kh2 Nf5 28. Rb1 (28. Re1) 28… Rxg3 29. Rxb6 Rh3+ 30. Kg1 Bf3 31. Bxf5 (31. Bxf3 Rxf3 32. Rf2 Rc3 33. Rxb7 Nxh4 34. a4 Ra3 35. c4 Rxa4 36. Rc7 Rf7 37. Rxf7 Kxf7) 31… Rxf5 32. Rxh6 Rxf4 33. Rg6+ Kf7 34. Rg5 Bc6 35. Rh2 Rxh2 36. Kxh2 Rxh4+ 37. Kg3 Rc4 38. Ra5 Rxc2 39. Kf4 Ke6 40. Ke3 Rc4 41. Kd3 Ra4 42. Rxa4 (42. Rh5 Kd6 43. Kc3 Rxa2 44. Kb3 Re2 45. Kc3 Re4 46. Rh8 Kc5 47. Rh7 b5 48. Rc7 Rf4) 42… Bxa4 43. Kc4 Kd6 44. Kb4 b5 45. Ka3 Kc5 46. Kb2 Kb4 47. Ka1 (47. Kb1 Kc3 48. Kc1 Bc2 49. a3 Ba4 50. Kb1 Bb3 51. a4 b4 52. a5 Bc2+ 53. Ka2 b3+) 47… Kc3 48. Kb1 Bc2+ 49. Ka1 b4 50. a3 b3 0-1

1 e4 e6 2 Qe2 (OK, we all know the Fish sets Stock in 2 d4, but where is the fun in that?) 2…c5 (According to the Stockfish program 14+ NNUE at depth 47 at lichess.com the move should be 2…e5, but the Stockfish 15 program at the CBDB at depth 51 plays 2…c5) 3 Nf3 (Stockfish 14+ NNUE at depth 48 plays 3 g3, with 396 games in the CBDB. With 1030 games the move played in the game has been played three times as often as 3 g3. SF 15 at depth 46 will play 3 d3, as have only 19 other players in the CBDB. Then there is Stockfish 061022 which will play 3 b3, as have 84 human players) 3…Nc6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 (Nge7) 6. O-O Nge7 (e5) 7. d3 (c3) O-O (d6) 8. h4 (c3) e5

Fjodor Zugaj (2180) vs Pregarac, V.
Event: Portoroz op
Site: Portoroz Date: ??/??/1996
Round: ?
ECO: C00 French, Chigorin variation
1.e4 e6 2.Qe2 c5 3.g3 Nc6 4.Nf3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.O-O Nge7 7.d3 O-O 8.h4 h6 9.Re1 d6 10.c3 b6 11.Nbd2 Ba6 12.Nf1 Ne5 13.Rd1 Qd7 14.Ne3 Nxf3+ 15.Bxf3 Nc6 16.Bg2 b5 17.Ng4 h5 18.Nh2 Qe7 19.Bg5 Bf6 20.Be3 Rac8 21.d4 c4 22.Bf3 Kg7 23.Bd2 Qc7 24.Kg2 b4 25.Qe3 Rh8 26.Be2 d5 27.e5 Be7 28.Nf3 bxc3 29.bxc3 Rb8 30.Re1 Qa5 31.Ng5 Rb2 32.Qf3 Nd8 33.Red1 Rxa2 34.Rxa2 Qxa2 35.Nh3 Bb5 36.Bg5 Bxg5 37.Nxg5 Qc2 38.Qf6+ Kh6 39.Qxh8# 1-0
https://www.365chess.com/game.php?back=1&gid=1371482&m=17

The three games below were all found at the CBDB, meaning your writer had to transcribe each and every one of them. Enjoy.

Haik M Martirosyan 2633 ARM vs Conrad Holt 2553 USA
Titled Tuesday intern open 22nd Feb Late

1. e4 e6 2. Qe2 c5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O Nge7 7. d3 O-O 8. h4 e5 9. h5 d5 10. hxg6 hxg6 11. exd5 Nxd5 12. Nc3 Bg4 13. Nxd5 Qxd5 14. Qe3 Qd7 15. Bd2 Rac8 16. Rfe1 Rfe8 17. Qg5 e4 18. dxe4 Bxb2 19. Rab1 Bg7 20. e5 b6 21. Bf4 Qf5 22. Qh4 Bxf3 23. Bxf3 Nd4 24. Bg4 Qxc2 25. Rbd1 Rcd8 26. Bg5 Rd5 27. Bf6 Qxa2 28. Kg2 Nf5 29. Bxf5 Rxd1 30. Rxd1 Bxf6 31. exf6 Qe2 32. Qh6 1-0

SF prefers 25 Qh1!

FM Ricardo B Franca 2278 BRA vs IM Kirill Shubin 2429 RUS
Titled Tuesday intern op 25th AUG

1. e4 e6 2. Qe2 c5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O Nge7 7. d3 O-O 8. h4 e5 9. h5 d6 10. hxg6 fxg6 11. Nh4 Nd4 12. Qd1 Bf6 13. c3 Ne6 14. Bh6 Rf7 15. Bh3 Bxh4 16. gxh4 Nf4 17. Bxc8 Qxc8 18. Qf3 Nh3+ 0-1

GM Evgeni Janev 2487 BUL vs FM Joao Francisco ANG
Loures YM 9th

1. e4 e6 2. d3 c5 3. Qe2 g6 4. g3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bg7 6. Bg2 Nge7 7. O-O O-O 8. h4 e5 9. c3 d6 10. Nh2 f5 11. exf5 gxf5 12. f4 Kh8 13. Na3 Be6 14. Nf3 Qd7 15. fxe5 dxe5 16. Nc4 Bxc4 17. dxc4 h6 18. Nh2 Qd6 19. Be3 e4 20. Bf4 Ne5 21. Bh3 N7g6 22. Be3 Nxc4 23. Kh1 Qxg3 24. Bxc5 Qxh3 25. Bxf8 Rxf8 26. Qxc4 Be5 27. Rf2 Nxh4 28. Qf1 Qg3 29. Qg1 e3 30. Re2 Qxg1+ 31. Rxg1 Bf4 32. Rf1 Bg5 33. Ng4 Re8 34. Nf2 f4 35. Nd3 Nf5 36. Kg2 Ng3 37. Rfe1 Nxe2 38. Rxe2 Rd8 39. Ne5 Rd2 40. Kf3 Rxe2 41. Kxe2 Kg7 42. Kf3 Kf6 43. Nc4 h5 0-1

picclick.com

IM Edward Song vs IM Arthur Guo and Non-Stop Chess

Edward Song (2383)

https://chessstream.com/profile/edward-song-5760

vs Arthur Guo (2432)

https://www.chess.com/member/arthurguo

New York Spring Invitational GM A 2022
C28 Vienna game

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Na5 5. Bb3 Be7 6. f4 Nxb3 7. axb3 d6 8. Nf3
   exf4 9. Bxf4 O-O 10. O-O c6 11. h3 d5 12. e5 Ne8 13. Qd2 Nc7 14. Ne2 Ne6 15. Be3
   c5 16. d4 b6 17. Ng3 f5 18. exf6 Rxf6 19. Nh5 Rf8 20. Nf4 Nxf4 21. Bxf4 Bf5 22.
   Ne5 Bf6 23. c3 Be4 24. Ng4 Bh4 25. Be5 Qe7 26. Qe2 h5 27. Nf2 Bg6 28. Nd3 Bg3
2. Qd2 Bxd3 30. Rxf8+ Rxf8 31. Bxg3 Be4 32. Be5 Qf7 33. Qe2 a5 34. dxc5 bxc5
3. Bd6 Rc8 36. Rxa5 Rc6 37. Bxc5 Bxg2 38. Ra8+ Kh7 39. Rf8 Qg6 40. Qxg2 Qxg2+
4. Kxg2 Rxc5 42. b4 Rb5 43. Rf5 Kg6 44. Re5 Kf6 45. Rxh5 g6 46. Rh4 Rb8 47. Kf3
   Ke5 48. Ke3 Ra8 49. b5 g5 50. Rg4 Kf5 51. Kf3 Rh8 52. Kg2 Rb8 53. Rb4 Rb6 54.
   Kf3 Rh6 55. Kg3 Rb6 56. b3 1-0
   https://lichess.org/broadcast/2022-new-york-april-invitational–gm-a/round-1/dMxkwdNQ

1.e4 e5 2. Nc3 (C25 Vienna game) 2…Nc6 (You will not be surprised to learn Stockfish 14.1 plays 2…Nf6. For what it’s worth, Deep Fritz 13 will play the game move… This move makes it a C25 Vienna game, Max Lange defence) 3. Bc4 Nf6 (Now it has become the C28 Vienna game) 4. d3 (According to 365Chess the opening is still the C28 Vienna game but ‘back in the day’ it was called a “Bishop’s Opening”) 4…Na5 (Stockfish 14 preferred 4…Bb4, but SF 14.1 plays the move made in the game) 5. Bb3 (For 5 Qf3 and a discussion of the position see the recent post: Esipenko vs Nakamura Bishops Opening Battle https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2022/03/31/esipenko-vs-nakamura-bishops-opening-battle/) 5…Be7? (I was surprised to learn this move has been attempted in 16 games, with White to score 66%. There are 126 games contained in the ChessBaseDataBase in which 5…Nxb3 was played culminating in a 50% score. There are only 47 games in which other moves have been attempted with White scoring 60+%. Arthur’s move is very passive. It is one thing to play a move taking your opponent out of book, but this move is another thing entirely) 6. f4 Nxb3 (The programs all prefer 6…d6) 7. axb3 d6 8. Nf3 (The programs all prefer 8 fxe5, yet the move made in the game is the only move shown at the CBDB!) 8…exf4 9. Bxf4 O-O 10. O-O c6 11. h3 (Although SF 14.1 will, given the chance, play this move, no human has yet to make it over the board so that makes 11 h3 a THEORETICAL NOVELTY! Or is it? A game featuring the move was located at 365Chess.com. Unfortunately the player sitting behind the Black pieces needed ten points to break the Master level of 2200…but wait! The player who actually made the TN move of 11 h3 WAS A RATED MASTER! Therefore, Arthur’s move of 11…d5 is the THEORETICAL NOVELTY!

Michael Schulz (2222) vs Juergen Schmidt (2190)
Event: Berlin-ch op
Site: Berlin Date: ??/??/1999
Round: 8
ECO: C30 King’s gambit
1.e4 e5 2.f4 d6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Be7 5.O-O Nf6 6.d3 O-O 7.Nc3 exf4 8.Bxf4 Na5 9.Bb3 Nxb3 10.axb3 c6 11.h3 Nh5 12.Bh2 g6 13.Qd2 Be6 14.Kh1 d5 15.exd5 Bxd5 16.Nxd5 Qxd5 17.Ra5 Qd8 18.g4 Ng7 19.Be5 f6 20.Bc3 b6 21.Ra6 Qc8 22.Rfa1 Qb7 23.Qf4 Rf7 24.Qc4 h5 25.Kg2 hxg4 26.hxg4 Bd6 27.b4 Bb8 28.Bxf6 Ne8 29.g5 Nxf6 30.gxf6 Qc7 31.Qh4 Qf4 32.Rxb6 Qxf6 33.Qxf6 Rxf6 34.b5 Bd6 35.Rxc6 g5 36.Nd2 Rh6 37.Rh1 1-0
https://www.365chess.com/game.php?back=1&gid=721235&m=22

It was a back and forth kinda game until Arthur Guo let go…of the rope, that is, when blundering horribly with his 37th move, which was so bad Arthur could have resigned on the spot after his opponent made his next move. Instead, he made his opponent “play it out,” while no doubt suffering with each and every move made…

In addition to the picture, the following was found at Chess.com:

Hi, I’m Arthur Guo. I just turned 14 and I’m an IM. I’m a three-time National Chess Champion. I won 2018 National Junior High (K-9) Championship as a 6th grader and won 2016 National Elementary (K-6) Championship as a 4th grader. I’m also a three-time International Youth/Junior Chess Tournament Gold Medalist/Co-Champion for Team USA. I was the Co-Champion for 2018 Pan American Junior U20, Champion for Pan American Youth U12 and U8. I placed 4th place (tied for 2nd) in 2018 World Cadets Chess Championship in Spain. I also love playing golf.
https://www.chess.com/member/arthurguo

Arthur Guo is still a child. He is a teenager, but still too young to obtain the learner’s permit to drive a car. He has recently been playing non-stop Chess. Back in the days before Bobby Fischer

https://fightingmonarch.com/2019/12/03/bobby-fischer-targeted-by-the-new-world-order/

seats at the board were taken by grown men. Chess has changed so drastically that now the few men who occupy those seats are facing boys young enough to be their sons, or grandsons. After two years of the Covid pandemic things have changed and there has been an explosion of Chess activity. Things have reached a point where sixteen year old phenom Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa

© Provided by Free Press Journal R Praggnanandhaa

went from winning the Reykjavik Open in Iceland to playing THE NEXT DAY at the La Roda International Open in Spain! Now that Chess has become one continuous tournament with no time between tournaments to rest, relax, and review the games played, a question must be asked. Is this good for the children and younger players, or will it be deleterious to their mental health?

In a little over one month young Mr. Guo has participated in three Chess tournaments: SPRING 2022 CCCSA GM/IM NORM INVITATIONAL (NC); 2022 NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIP (TN); and the NEW YORK SPRING INVITATIONALS (NY) (http://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlTnmtHst.php?14772092). Arthur played nine games in winning the first event; seven in winning the second event; and nine more in the last event, for a total of 25 games between March 16 until April 18. The quality of the moves made by Arthur Guo dropped dramatically in the last tournament, as should be expected. Arthur played what appeared to be “tired Chess.”

Burnout in Chess has been a problem for decades but it has now become exponentially more dangerous for the young(er) players. Organizers need to ask themselves, “What the fork are we doing?”