This opening is defined by the position shown on the board below. The moves displayed are a typical sequence that leads to it, but different sequences can reach the same position and still carry the same opening name.
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Bogoljubov Variation
The line begins with the moves 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. Bd2. This variation is a nuanced approach within the Winawer, where White challenges Black's pin on the knight by developing the bishop to d2 instead of immediately capturing or retreating.
Characteristic of the move 5. Bd2: This move aims to break Black's pin on the knight at c3 in a subtle way, preparing to undermine Black’s pressure on the center while avoiding immediate exchanges. It also keeps options open for White’s central and queenside play.
Attacking or Defensive: From White’s perspective, this move is somewhat defensive, aiming to solidify the center and reduce Black’s attacking chances on the knight. Black continues active counterplay by attacking White’s center with ...c5, so Black’s play remains largely aggressive.
Center Control: The opening continues to focus on controlling the center. White’s pawn on e5 restricts Black’s central pawn breaks, while Black’s c5 challenges White’s d4 pawn. Thus, both sides are actively contesting the center.
Practice puzzles and train your tactics with real positions from games that used the French Defense: Winawer Variation, Bogoljubov Variation, and sharpen your opening mastery.
Puzzle 1 of 2 - Move #9 black
You can also discover how top players used French Defense: Winawer Variation, Bogoljubov Variation to leverage key strategies to secure victories in these classic matchups.