French Defense: Advance Variation

About this variation

White plays 3. e5 to gain space and cramp Black. Black attacks the pawn chain at its base with ...c5 and often ...Qb6.

The Advance Variation comes from 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5. White gains space and fixes the center, and Black immediately attacks the chain at its base with 3...c5. The usual continuation is 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6, with Black ganging up on d4 with queen, knight and later ...Nge7-f5 or ...cxd4 and ...Nf5.

Every plan follows from the pawn chain. White's pawns on d4 and e5 point towards Black's kingside, so White would like to attack there with ideas such as Bd3, O-O and a later f4-f5, while keeping d4 secure. Black's pawns on d5 and e6 point towards the queenside, so Black plays ...c5, ...Qb6 and ...Bd7, and sometimes strikes at e5 with ...f6 to open the f-file for the rooks.

There are a few tactical points to know. In lines with 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4, Black cannot simply win the d4 pawn with ...Nxd4, because after Nxd4 Qxd4 the check Bb5+ uncovers an attack on the queen. If White lets the pawn go deliberately, that is the Milner-Barry Gambit, a sharp attacking try. 6. a3 prepares b4 to gain space on the queenside and is the most popular modern try. If Black plays passively, White gets a comfortable space advantage with no risk.

The Advance Variation is a good choice for White players who want a clear plan and less theory than the Winawer or Tarrasch. For Black, it is a chance to show how well the French counterattack works when the plans are understood.

A good habit for both sides is to count attackers and defenders of d4 before every capture there. Many short games in the Advance Variation are decided by a miscount, either Black winning the pawn for free or White's pieces suddenly becoming active after an over-eager grab.

It is one of the main lines of the French Defense.