80/20 Tactics – French Defense (Advanced)

GM Mihail Marin

Question 1.

How to continue with Black?

Question 2.

Can you find White’s best

move?

1
Question 3.

Can you find White’s best

move?

Question 4.

How to continue with Black?

2
Question 5.

Can you find White’s best

move?

Question 6.

What should Black play?

3
Question 7.

Should Black capture on d4 or

not?

Question 8.

Can you find Black’s best

move?

4
Question 9.

Can you find Black’s best

move?

Question 10.

Can you find Black’s best

move?

5
 Solutions

1 Black has the strong continuation 1...Rxf3 2.gxf3 Qh4+ 3.Kf1 (3.Ng3
Qxd4 -+) 3…Qh3+ 4.Kf2 Ndxe5! 5.dxe5 Nxe5 with a crushing
attack.

2 White has the strong continuation 1.Rb1 Qxa2 (1…Qa3 2.Rb3 Qa4
3.Bb5 Qxa2 4.Nc1 +-) 2.Nc1 Qa3 3.Rb3 +-. The White queen is
trapped.

3 White should play 1.Bg5 Bb4 (1…hxg5 2.hxg5 with a double threat
against the rook on h8 and the Black queen on f6) 2.Ke2! Black has to
give up his queen.

4 Black has the strong continuation 1…Nxd4 2.Bxd4 b5 3.Nc5 Nxc5

4.b4 Qb6 with a clear advantage.

5 White wins after 1.Nf4 Nf8 (1…Nb6 2.Ng6 +-) 2.Ncxd5 +-.

6 Black plays 1…exd5 2.Nxd5 Nb6! and remains a piece ahead.

7 Black should not capture on d4. 1…Nxd4 2.Nxd4 Qc3+ 3.Qd2! Qxa1
(3…Qxd4 4.Bb5+) 4.c3 and the queen is trapped in the corner.

8 Black should play 1…Ndxe5 2.Bxe5 Nxe5 3.Nxe5 Bxc3 4.bxc3 Qb2
5.Qc1 Qf2+ 6.Kd1 Qxf1+ 7.Rxf1 Rxf1+ followed by …Rxd1 and
Black is on top.

9 1…Bxc5 2.dxc5 Nh4 3.Bg5 Bxf3 4.gxf3 Re1+ 5.Qxe1 Nxf3+ wins
the queen.

10 1…Rxf3! 2.gxf3 Bf4 3.Qd3 Bxd2 4.Qxd2 Nxd4 followed by 5…Nf3.

If 3.gxf4 Black plays 3…gxf4+ and White loses his queen.