Revolutionary

The French Defence appears to be somewhat cautious in nature but can in fact lead to disruptive middlegame clashes. It was a favourite of such aficionados of counterattack as Aron Nimzowitsch, Mikhail Botvinnik and Viktor Korchnoi. One of my favourite lines was espoused by world champion Tigran Petrosian, for example in the following win against a world championship candidate. Notes to the following game are based on those in Opening Repertoire: The French Defence by Cyrus Lakdawala (published by Everyman Chess).
 
Olafsson-Petrosian: Bled 1961; French Defence
 
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 Qd7 5 Qg4 White engages his queen, going for the soft spot on g7. 5 … f5 6 Qg3 b6 7 h4 Bb7 8 Bd3 This is logical now that Black has committed his bishop to b7. If Black now plays … Ba6, he will have lost a full tempo. 8 … Nc6 9 Nge2 0-0-0 10 Bd2 Nh6 11 a3 Be7 12 Bb5 Rdg8 (see diagram 1) Petrosian intends to generate kingside play with the plan … Nf7, … g7-g6, … h7-h6 and eventually … g6-g5.