The Bulletproof French Defense

GM Fabien Libiszewski

1. How can Black get at

White’s important d-
pawn?

2. White has fallen

behind in the race to
attack.

What should Black play?

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3. How should Black
respond to White’s
defensive Bf5?

4. White has fallen

behind in development.

How can Black take

advantage?

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5. We always have to
take care when moving
pawns in front of our
king.

How can Black punish

h3?

6. Black’s queen is under

attack and Nxb3 hangs
the a4 knight.

What should Black play?

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7. How should Black deal
with Bf2, attacking the
rook?

8. Black is a piece up but

faces a mate threat on
g8.

What should Black do

about this?

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9. What is the best move
for Black here?

10. How should White

respond to …Nxd4?

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11. One of the problems
in the Advance
Variation, is that White
weakens his kingside too
early.

How can Black exploit

this?

12. In the Advance

Variation it’s always
important to overprotect
d4 and keep the dark
squares covered.

How can Black punish

Be2?

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13. How can White
exploit the light-square
weaknesses in Black's
camp?

14. The blockading

bishop on e6 has had to
move to d7.

What next for White?

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15. Can you spot the
finishing blow for White
here?

16. Black is pinned down

to defense.

How can White make

progress?

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17. How can White
capitalize on his strong
passed pawn?

18. Can you show White

how to continue this
attack?

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19. Black plays …Bxb4,
intending to win a pawn
or more.

What should White do?

20. Can you spot the

decisive blow for White?

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 Solutions

1 1...Rxf3! 2.gxf3 Bf4 3.Qd3 Bxd2 4.Qxd2 Nxd4 followed by 5...Nf3 recovering the
exchange. If 3.gxf4 then gxf4+ loses the queen.
2 1...Bf3! winning the exchange on g2 or taking on f4 leaving White even worse!

3 1...Re2! 2.Nd4 Nxd4 3.cxd4 Bxd4 4.Ne4 Nxe4 5.Qxe2 Bxf5 winning a piece.
4 1....Bxc5 2.dxc5 Nh4 3. Bg5 Bxf3 4.gxf3 Re1+ 5.Qxe1 Nxf3+ winning the queen.

5 1...Re2! 2.Qxe2 Nxd4 3.Qe4 Nxf3+ 4.gxf3 Nf6 5.Qf4 Bh3 6. Rd1 Bd6 and Black's queen,
knight and Bbshop pair is too much for White handle.

6 1...Nxd2 2.Bxd2 Qxd4 3.Qxa4 Qxd2 4.Rd1 Qf2 and White won't survive very long.
7 1...Bc4+ 2.Kd2 Rd5+ 3.Kc1 Bf4+ 4.Kc2 Rd2+ winning the hanging bishop.
8 1....Qd1+ 2.Kf2 Qc2+ 3.Kf3 Rxf4+ 4.Bxf4 Qe4+ 5.Kg4 RxB+ followed by mate in 2.
9 1...Qb4!! exploiting the back-rank weakness, White is unable to protect everything.
10 1.Qh5+ Ke7 2.Ng6+ hxg6 Qxh8 If 1....g6 then 2.Bxg6 hxg6 3.Nxg6+ winning the rook.
11 1...Ndxe5 2.Bxe5 Nxe5 3.Nxe5 Bxc3 4.bxc3 Qb2 5.Qc1 Qf2+ 6.Kd1 Qxf1+ 7.Rxf1 Rxf1+
followed by ...Rxd1 and Black stands better.
12 1...cxd4 2. Nxd4 Ndxe5! 3.fxe5 Qh4+ regaining the material.

13 1.Rxb7+! Kxb7 2.Qxd5+ Kb8 3.Qg8+ Kb7 4.Bf3+ and White has a winning position.
14 1.Qxb7+ Qxb7 2. Rxb7 Kxb7 3.Bxd5+ winning two pawns.
15 1.Bh5+ Kd8 2.Bg6 Rh8 3.Nf7+ Kc7 4.Bxe7 winning a piece.
16 1.Rb8 Bc8 2.h7 Kxh7 3.Rxc8 Qxf6 4.Rb7+ Kh8 5.Rxg8+ winning the queen.
17 1.Bxc5 Bxc5 2.e7 Re8 3.Rd1 Bxe7 4.Re1 followed by Bf2 winning either the exchange or
the bishop.
18 1.Qh4 Kg7 2.Bxg6 fxg6 3.Rxf8 Qxf8 4.Rxf8 Bxf8 and two pieces for the queen won't be
enough to win.
19 1.Nc4! Qd5 2.Bxf6 Qxg2 3.Rf1 and White is a piece up.
20 1. Bxg6! Rb8 2.Bxf7+ Kh8 3.Qe4 and White, with two extra pawns, stands better.

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