French Defense Advance Variation: How Black Wins In 7 Moves

December 30, 2015

French Defense Advance Variation - White loses in 7
White needs to take care when playing the advance variation of the French Defense.

If you are playing Black, and White opens with “e4” (also known as the King’s Pawn Opening, or P-K4 in the old notation), one solid response that I prefer is to reply with “e6” – i.e. move your own King’s Pawn one space forward.

White’s second move is typically “d4” – i.e. moving the Queen’s pawn forward two spaces next to the King’s pawn. Black then plays “d5”, advancing his Queen’s pawn two spaces forward. Those are the opening moves of the French Defense (or French Defence in British English):

  1. e4 e6
  2. d4 d5

The Advance Variation of the French Defense

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Stalemate In Chess: Grabbing a Draw from the Jaws of Defeat!

December 23, 2015

Stalemate in chess happens when it is your turn to move and your King is not in check, but you cannot move except into check. Here is a photograph of the conclusion of one of my recent games. I am Black and have just managed to secure a draw by inducing stalemate.

stalemate
Black to move… Stalemate!

Honestly speaking, I was a little surprised that my ruse worked. After all, stalemate in chess is relatively rare.  Indeed, I had been about to resign because the situation seemed hopeless. I was left with just the King and a pawn against a promoted Queen and four pawns…

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Chess Endgame Training: White Knight or Poisoned Gift?

December 15, 2015

whiteknightpoisonedgiftIn this one-point chess endgame training article, I want to show you the importance of keeping the end in mind rather than keeping material on the board, especially when you reach the endgame with a material advantage.

In the illustration White has arrived at the endgame with a clear material advantage. White is ahead by a knight and a pawn. However, Black is threatening to promote his pawn and his king is attacking the white knight.

What should White do?

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