Yevseev, Fighting the French - A new concept

GM Yevseev suggests a new concept of combating the French. White plays 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 and then he deploys his pieces according to the scheme Ngf3, Bd3, c3, 0 0, against almost anything that Black may play. This will usually lead to exchanges in the centre and the appearance of an isolated queen s pawn for White.

Contents

Preface

Part 1. The Rubinstein Variation: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4

1) Various; 4...Nf6
2) 4...Bd7
3) 4...Nd7

Part 2. All Other Black Replies: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2

4) 3...g6; 3...b6; 3...Ne7
5) 3...Nc6
6) 3...Be7
7) 3...h6; 3...a6
8) 3...c5
9) 3...Nf6

Part 3. The Isolated Queen's Pawn

i1) 3... Nf6 4.Bd3 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.Ngf3 cxd4 7.cxd4 dxe4 8.Nxe4 Be7 9.0-0 0-0
i2) 3... Nf6 4.Bd3 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.Ngf3 cxd4 7.cxd4 dxe4 8.Nxe4 Bb4+ 9.Nc3 0-0 10.0-0 b6 11.a3 Be7 12.Re1 Bb7 13.Bc2
3) 3... c5 4.c3 cxd4 5.cxd4 dxe4 6.Nxe4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Bd3 0-0 9.Nf3 b6 10.0-0 Bb7 11.Re1
i4) 3...a6 4.Ngf3 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4 dxe4 8.Nxe4 Bb4+ 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.0-0 0-0 11.a3 Be7
i5) 3...a6 4.Ngf3 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4 dxe4 8.Nxe4 Be7 9.0-0 Nf6
i6) 3...a6 4.Ngf3 c5 5.c3 cxd4 6.cxd4 dxe4 7.Nxe4 Nd7 8.Bd3 Ngf6 9.0-0 Be7
i7) 3...c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Ngf3 cxd4 6.cxd4 dxe4 7.Nxe4 Bb4+ 9.Nc3 Nge7 10.Bd3 Nd5