Improve Your Chess: Rare French Sideline Leads to Instructive Game

Improve Your Chess: Rare French Sideline Leads to Instructive Game

Opening: C10: French Defense: Classical 3...Nc6

Player(s):

Black varies with 3...Nc6 in a Classical French and the game takes an original turn. White errs by allowing Black more central pawns but still could retain a slight advantage with perfect play. Instead both sides make minor errors which result in a big kingside attack for Black. White defends poorly and Black gets a winning attack, but misplays it slightly and White could hang on. Instead White chooses the wrong time to play passively and Black just ends up ahead a pawn with a better game. White finally blunders a piece and does not resign, so eventually Black ends up with a trivially winning queen and pawn endgame.