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Tim Sawyer - Chess Opening Combinations and Checkmates 04 - French Tactics (Sawyer Pub 2020)
Tim Sawyer - Chess Opening Combinations and Checkmates 04 - French Tactics (Sawyer Pub 2020)
Tim Sawyer - Chess Opening Combinations and Checkmates 04 - French Tactics (Sawyer Pub 2020)
Tim Sawyer
French Tactics: Chess Opening Combinations and Checkmates
Copyright © 2020 by Sawyer Publications
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction
How to use this book
C00 – 1.e4 e6 2.f4 d5
C00 – 2.b3 d5
C00 – 2.c4 d5
C00 – 2.Qe2
C00 – 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3
C00 – 2.Nf3 d5 3.e5
C00 – 2.d3 d5 3.Qe2
C00 – 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2
C00 – 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 c5
C00 – 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6
C01 – 2.d4 d5
C01 – 3.Bd3
C01 – 3.Be3 Nf6
C01 – 3.Be3 dxe4
C01 – 3.exd5 Qxd5
C01 – 3.exd5 exd5
C01 – 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nc3
C01 – 3.exd5 exd5 4.c4
C01 – 3.exd5 exd5 4.Bd3
C01 – 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3
C02 – 3.e5
C02 – 3.e5 c5
C02 – 3.e5 c5 4.c3
C02 – 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6
C03 – 3.Nd2
C04 – 3.Nd2 Nc6
C05 – 3.Nd2 Nf6
C05 – 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7
C06 – 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3
C07 – 3.Nd2 c5
C07 – 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 Qxd5
C08 – 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 exd5
C09 – 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 exd5 5.Ngf3 Nc6
C10 – 3.Nc3
C10 – 3.Nc3 Nc6
C10 – 3.Nc3 dxe4
C10 – 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4
C10 – 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bd7
C10 – 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7
C11 – 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bd3
C11 – 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.exd5
C11 – 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Ng8
C11 – 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Ne4
C11 – 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nce2
C11 – 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nf3
C11 – 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4
C12 – 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4
C12 – 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4 5.e5
C13 – 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4
C13 – 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4
C14 – 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Bxf6
C14 – 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Ng8
C14 – 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Ne4
C14 – 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Nfd7
C15 – 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qg4
C15 – 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qd3
C15 – 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd2
C15 – 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd3
C15 – 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3
C15 – 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nge2
C16 – 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5
C16 – 4.e5 Qd7
C16 – 4.e5 b6
C16 – 4.e5 Ne7
C17 – 4.e5 c5 5.Nf3
C17 – 4.e5 c5 5.dxc5
C17 – 4.e5 c5 5.Qg4
C17 – 4.e5 c5 5.Bd2
C17 – 4.e5 c5 5.a3 cxd4
C17 – 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Ba5
C18 – 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Nc6
C18 – 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qc7
C18 – 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qa5
C19 – 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.h4
C19 – 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.a4
C19 – 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Nf3
C19 – 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4
Before You Go
Introduction
French Tactics gives you 500 positions from actual games that use combinations and checkmates in
this popular opening.
French Defence chess games begin 1.e4 e6 and often 2.d4 d5. Many masters play the French most of
the time. Covered are the Winawer 3.Nc3 Bb4, the Classical 3.Nc3 Nf6, the Steinitz 4.e5, the
Rubinstein 3.Nc3 dxe4, and the Tarrasch 3.Nd2. Bishop moves 3.Bd3 and 3.Be3 are included along
with early offbeat second move options 2.f4, 2.b3, 2.c4, 2.Qe2, 2.Nc3, and 2.d3.
The French encourages you to turn strategical advantages into tactical victories. When you run
toward tactics, you run toward success. Tactics help you to attack and defend accurately. This book
shows winning positions played by masters throughout chess history with dozens of games that were
played in 2020.
If you’re good at tactics, you’re good at chess. Opening theory may help you start well. Endgame
knowledge may help you finish well. Tactical skill helps you win games and avoid losses.
Tactics include pins, forks, removing the defender, attacking two pieces at the same time, and
threatening to mate your opponent.
The easiest path to tactical success is to recognize patterns that occur frequently in your favorite
chess openings. Grandmasters know tactics and can easily slide from one opening to another.
Everyone knows a few positions. Here’s 500 in the French.
Tactical knowledge helps you to improve your winning chances. Take your opponent’s pieces. Pick
off the pawns. Mate the king!
Don’t rely on dumb luck. How can “dumb luck” allow you to win? You can win a few games when
your opponent makes dumb moves. That’s when your opponent gives up a piece for nothing. You’re
lucky when your opponent fails to defend a mate in one. To advance, you need more than dumb luck.
You need tactics.
I faced the French 1300 times as White after 1.e4 e6, or 1.d4 d5 2.e4 e6, or 1.Nc3 d5 2.e4 e6. Also I
played it 300 times as Black.
How to use this book
The purpose of this book is to illustrate and teach the French Tactics. I assume you can read algebraic
chess notation. The White pieces are positioned at the bottom of each diagram.
Above each diagram note who can move and win. It’s either White to play a tactical move or Black
to play a tactical move.
Some moves are simple and easy. Others are subtle and tricky. That’s chess – lots of obvious moves
and lots of sneaky moves.
Look at each diagram. It’s a key position ready for a tactical win. The final moves are in bold with a
brief analysis or comment. Chess engines were used to ensure the accuracy of analysis.
Follow the moves in your mind. The skill to visualize each new position without moving pieces
improves your tactical strength.
The solid French Defence provides reliable development for the Black pieces after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5.
White may close the center with 3.e5 or 4.e5 but it rarely stays closed. Strategy indicates the c-file or
the f-file can be pried open to increase winning chances.
Black attacks against e5, d4, and c3. White uses extra space to threaten the weak points or sacrifice
material to win. This book demonstrates strong moves after 1.e4 e6 with a brief comment.
Players may sacrifice a pawn, a piece, or the Exchange to speed up the attack. You make life more
difficult for all your opponents when you think tactically about how to attack their weak points.
Games are arranged by ECO (Encyclopedia of Chess Openings) coding (C00 to C19) from less
popular to more popular moves.
ECO update their 500 codes. A few variations move from one code to another to account for changes
in popularity. I tried to be consistent with my Chess Training Repertoire Moves 4 book.
Ideas in this book come from the French Defence, but take note: These same tactical patterns work in
other chess openings too. Some champions will play the French Defence from both sides.
C00 – 1.e4 e6 2.f4 d5
Diagram 1 – Black to play
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