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You ever play a game where you’re kind of cruising along through the opening and suddenly you realize that something has gone very wrong?
Historically that’s me on many lines on the White side of the French.
Here’s a position from a game in the 2018 Russian Junior Championship where a semi-sideline of the Caro has been played by White. It’s Black to move, and Black plays…
15…Nd7?
It seems like Black is putting the knight on d7 to try to exchange some pieces, which makes sense, but then after 16.Bf4
Black needs to admit his mistake and just go back to f6. But of course it’s hard to grasp that during a game.
Personally I think I would have played 15…Nxe4 16.Qxe4 Bf6
Instead, Black just gets steamrolled by White.
Here’s the game.
Til Next Time,
Chris Wainscott