French Rubinstein by GM Magesh and GM Arun
In recent times this variation has gotten the attention of many strong Grandmasters and has become one of the solid systems against 1.e4. Some people consider this variation to be passive for Black, but in reality it is not so easy for white to get a convincing edge. Black's idea is simple, he maintains a healthy pawn structure, exchanges the pieces and the endgame is pleasant for Black. This is the outline of the Rubinstein system Black is aiming for.
Our first game is between Vachier-Lagrave Maxime-Meier,G World Cup Khanty Mansiysk 2009. Black managed to equalize pretty easily and we can even say that he was never really in any trouble.
Vachier Lagrave, Maxime (2718) vs. Meier, Georg (2653)
World Cup | Khanty Mansiysk | Round 2.5| 26 Nov 2009 | ECO: C10 | 1/2-1/2
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 ( 5. Bd3 ) ( 5. g3 ) 5... Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ ( 6. Bd3 ) ( 6. Bg5 ) 6... Nxf6 7. g3 ( 7. Bd3 ) ( 7. Bg5 ) ( 7. c3 ) ( 7. Be3 ) ( 7. Ne5 ) ( 7. Bc4 ) ( 7. Be2 ) 7... b6 8. Bb5+ ( 8. Bg2 Bb7 9. O-O Be7 10. c4 O-O 11. b3 a5 12. Bb2 a4 13. Qe2 Ra6 14. Rfd1 Re8 15. Bc3 Ne4 16. Be1 axb3 17. axb3 Rxa1 18. Rxa1 Bf6 19. Rd1 Qa8 ) 8... Bd7 9. Be2 Bc6 10. O-O Bd6 ( 10... Bb7?! 11. Ne5 a6 12. c4 Bd6 13. Bf3 ( 13. Qa4+!? ) 13... Qc8 14. Bc6+ Bxc6 15. Nxc6 O-O 16. Qf3 Re8 17. Bg5 Nd7 18. Rfe1 f6 19. Be3 ) 11. Ne5 Bxe5 12. dxe5 Qxd1 ( 12... Qd5 13. Qxd5 Nxd5 14. Bd2 a5 15. f3 O-O-O 16. Rfd1 h6 17. a3 Ne7 18. Kf2 Rd5 19. f4 h5 20. b3 Rhd8 21. Be1 Rxd1 22. Rxd1 Rxd1 23. Bxd1 g6 24. c4 Nf5 25. h3 Be4 26. g4 hxg4 27. hxg4 Ne7 28. Ke3 Bh1 29. Bh4 Kd7 ) 13. Rxd1 Nd7 14. f4 O-O-O 15. Be3 Nb8 16. Rxd8+ ( 16. Bd3 Bf3 17. Rd2 Bg4 18. c3 h5 19. Bf1 Rxd2 20. Bxd2 Rd8 21. Be3 Nc6 22. h3 Rd1 23. Rxd1 Bxd1 24. Bb5 Kb7 25. Kf2 a6 26. Bf1 Ne7 27. Bg2+ Kc8 28. Ke1 Bc2 29. Bf3 g6 30. Be2 a5 31. c4 c5 ) 16... Rxd8 17. Rd1 Be4 18. Rxd8+ Kxd8 19. c3 Nc6 20. h4 g6 21. g4 Ne7 22. b4 Nd5 23. Bd2 f5 24. c4 Ne7 25. g5 Kd7 26. Be3 a6 27. Kf2 Nc6 28. a3 Ne7 29. Ke1 Ng8 30. Kd2 Ne7 31. Kc3 Kc6 32. h5 gxh5 33. Bxh5 Ng6 34. a4 Kb7 35. Kd2 Bc6 36. Bd1 Ne7 37. Ke1 Kc8 38. Kf2 Kd7 39. Kg3 Ng6 40. b5 axb5 41. axb5 Be4 42. c5 bxc5 43. Bxc5 Bd3 44. Ba4 Kd8 45. Kf3 Bf1 46. Ke3 Bc4 47. Ba3 Bd5 48. Bc1 Ke7 49. Kd4 Kd8 50. Bd2 Nf8 51. Be3 Ng6 52. Kc5 Nf8 53. Kb4 Ng6 54. Ka5 Bc4 55. b6 cxb6+ 56. Kxb6 Bd5 57. Ka7 Bc4 58. Kb8 Bd5 59. Bb5 Bb3 60. Bb6+ Ke7 61. Bc5+ Kd8 62. Bb6+ Ke7 63. Be3 Kd8 64. Kb7 Bd5+ 65. Kb6 Be4 66. Bc4 Kd7 67. Bb5+
As we said in the introduction Black maintained a healthy pawn chain. Exchanged pieces and managed to draw the endgame without any difficulty. Our next game is Anand-Bareev Monte Carlo 2004. In the beginning it was looking dangerous for Black in this game since White completed his development pretty fast but Black never completed his development. But still his position was pretty solid and soon he managed to create enough counterplay and again he was not in danger.
Anand, Viswanathan (2766) vs. Bareev, Evgeny (2714)
Amber-blindfold 13th | Monte Carlo | Round 5| 25 Mar 2004 | ECO: C10 | 1/2-1/2
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. c3 c5 8. Ne5 a6 9. Be3 Qc7 10. Qa4+ Nd7 11. O-O-O ( 11. Bb5 ) 11... cxd4 12. Nxd7 ( 12. Bxd4 Bd6 13. Nxd7 Bxd7 14. Qc4 Qxc4 15. Bxc4 Rc8 16. Bb3 Bc6 17. f3 O-O 18. Bb6 Bf4+ 19. Kb1 h5 20. Rhe1 h4 ) 12... Bxd7 ( 12... Qxd7 13. Qc2 Bc5 14. Bxd4 Bxd4 15. Rxd4 Qc7 16. Bd3 Bd7 17. g3 h6 18. Rd1 O-O-O 19. Rc4 Bc6 20. Be4 Rxd1+ 21. Qxd1 Rd8 22. Qf3 Rd6 23. h4 Kb8 24. Bxc6 Rxc6 25. Rxc6 bxc6 26. h5! ) 13. Qxd4 Bc6 ( 13... e5 14. Qb6 Qxb6 15. Bxb6 Rc8 16. Be2 Bc5 17. Bxc5 Rxc5 18. Bf3 Rc7 19. Rd6 Ke7 20. Rb6 Rb8 21. Re1 f6 22. Re4 Rc6 23. Reb4 Rxb6 24. Rxb6 Bc8 25. a4 ) 14. Bc4 Rd8 ( 14... b5?! 15. Bb3 Bxg2 16. Rhe1 Bf3 17. Bg5 Bxd1 18. Bxe6 fxe6 19. Rxe6+ Be7 20. Rxe7+ Qxe7 21. Bxe7 Kxe7 22. Qxg7+ Ke6 23. Kxd1 ) 15. Qg4 h5! ( 15... Bd7? 16. Bb3 Qa5 17. Bg5 Rc8 18. Rhe1 h5 19. Bxe6 ) 16. Rxd8+ ( 16. Qg5 Rxd1+ 17. Rxd1 g6 18. Qf6 ( 18. Bf4 Qxf4+! 19. Qxf4 Bh6 ) 19... Rh7 19. g3 Be7 20. Qd4 Bf3 21. Bf4 Qc6 22. Rd2 h4 23. Qe5 Kf8 24. Qb8+ Kg7 25. Be5+ f6 26. Qc7 Kf7 27. Qxc6 Bxc6 28. Bd6 hxg3 29. hxg3 Rh1+ 30. Kc2 b5 ) 16... Qxd8 17. Qg3 Qd6 18. f4 h4 19. Qg4 Be4 20. Rd1 Qc6 21. Bb3 Bf5 22. Qf3 Be4 23. Qf2 Rh5 24. g4 hxg3 25. hxg3
The endgame with a 3:3 pawn (queenside: kingside) structure for White and a 4:2 for Black often occurs in this system and is considered to be slightly favourable for Black under normal circumstances. That is the endgame Black is aiming for and the exchange of pieces should be done without tampering with the pawn structure. It is good to have a minor piece and a Rook in such positions to play for a win. Our next game is between Judit Polgar and Loek Van Wely, from Hoogeveen 2001. This game was much more complicated than the previous ones but again Black had a good game.
Polgar, Judit (2686) vs. Van Wely, Loek (2714)
Hoogeveen Essent Crown | Hoogeveen | Round 1| 14 Oct 2001 | ECO: C10 | 1/2-1/2
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Bd3 c5 7. O-O Nxe4 ( 7... cxd4 8. Nxd4 Nxe4 9. Bxe4 Nf6 10. Bf3 Be7 11. Bf4! O-O 12. c3 a6 13. Re1 Ra7 14. a4 Bd7 15. Qb3 Qc8 16. a5 Bc5 17. Rad1 Bxd4 18. Rxd4 Bc6 19. Qb6 ) 8. Bxe4 Nf6 9. Bg5 cxd4 10. Nxd4 ( 10. Qe2 Qb6 11. Bxf6 gxf6 12. Rad1 Bg7 13. Nxd4 O-O 14. c3 f5 15. Bb1 Rd8 16. Rd3 Bd7 17. Rfd1 Bc6 ) 10... Be7 ( 10... h6?! 11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. Qd3 a6 13. Rad1 Be7 14. Nc6 e5 15. Nxe7 Qxe7 16. f4 exf4?? 17. Bxb7 ) 11. Bf3 ( 11. Bd3 O-O 12. c3 Qd5! 13. Nf3 Rd8 14. Bc2 Qxd1 15. Raxd1 Bd7 ) 11... O-O 12. Re1 ( 12. c4 Qc7 13. Qc1 a6 14. Re1 e5 15. Nc2 Qxc4 16. Rxe5 Be6 17. Ne3 Qxc1+ 18. Rxc1 Rac8 19. Rxc8 Rxc8 20. Bxb7 Rb8 21. Bxa6 Rxb2 22. a4 h6 23. Bh4 Rb4 24. Bg3 ) ( 12. Qd3 Qc7 13. Bh4 Ng4! 14. Bg3 Ne5 15. Bxe5 Qxe5 16. Rad1 a6 17. Qc4 Rb8 18. Rfe1 Qa5 19. Nb3 Qb6 20. a4 Bd6 21. g3 Qc7 22. Qxc7 Bxc7 ) ( 12. c3 Qc7 13. Bh4 Bd6 14. g3 Bd7 15. Qb3 Rab8 16. Nb5 Bxb5 17. Qxb5 h6 18. Bxf6 gxf6 19. Rad1 Rfd8 20. Rd3 a6 21. Qa4 Bc5 22. Rfd1 Rxd3 23. Rxd3 Rd8 24. Qg4+ Kf8 25. Qf4 Qb6 26. Rxd8+ Qxd8 27. Bxb7 Qb6 28. Be4 f5 29. b4 Bxf2+ 30. Qxf2 Qxf2+ 31. Kxf2 fxe4 32. h4 f5 33. h5 Ke7 34. Ke3 e5 35. c4 Kd6 36. a3 Kc6 37. Kd2 Kb6 38. Kc3 a5 39. Kd2 axb4 40. axb4 Kc6 41. Ke3 ) ( 12. a4 a6 13. Re1 Qc7 14. c3 Rd8 15. g3 Nd5 16. Bxe7 Nxe7 17. Qe2 Bd7 18. a5 Rab8 19. Qe3 h6 20. Bg2 Rbc8 21. f4 Be8 22. Qe5 Qxe5 23. Rxe5 Nc6 24. Rc5 Nxd4 25. Rxc8 Rxc8 26. cxd4 Rc7 27. d5 ) 12... Qb6 13. Nb3 ( 13. Nf5 exf5 14. Rxe7 Ne4 15. Bxe4 fxe4 16. Qd5 Qxb2 17. Rc1 Be6 18. Qxe4 Qxa2 19. Qxb7 Rac8 20. Qxa7 Rxc2 ) 13... Rd8 14. Qe2 Bd7 ( 14... a5 15. Rad1 ( 15. Be3 Qc7 16. c4 Bd7 17. Bd4 a4 18. Be5 Bd6 19. Bxd6 Qxd6 20. Rad1 Qb6 21. Nd4 Be8 ) 15... Bd7 16. Be3 Qc7 17. Nd4 Bc5 18. g3 Be8 19. c3 h6 20. Nb5 Bxb5 21. Rxd8+ Rxd8 22. Qxb5 Bxe3 23. Rxe3 b6 ) 15. Bd2 ( 15. Be3 Qc7 ) 15... Bb4 16. c3 ( 16. Be3 Qc7 17. c3 Bd6 ) 16... Bd6 17. c4 a5 18. Rac1 ( 18. c5 Bxc5 19. Nxc5 Qxc5 20. Rac1 Qf5 21. Bxb7 Rab8 22. Rc7 Bb5 23. Qe3 Rd3 ) 18... a4 19. c5 Bxh2+ 20. Kh1 ( 20. Kxh2 Qc7+ 21. Kg1 ( 21. Qe5 Qxe5+ 22. Rxe5 axb3 23. axb3 Bc6 ) ( 21. g3 axb3 22. Bf4 Qc8 23. axb3 Bc6 ) 22... axb3 22. axb3 Bc6 ) 20... Qc7 21. Na5 ( 21. Ba5? Qf4 22. Bxd8 Rxd8 23. g3 Qh6 24. Kg2 e5 ) ( 21. Nd4 Bf4 22. Bxf4 Qxf4 23. Bxb7 Rab8 24. c6 Qxd4 25. c7 Qh4+ 26. Kg1 Ng4 ) 21... Bb5 22. Qxb5 Rxd2 23. Nc4 Rxf2 24. Qxb7 Rb8 ( 24... Ra7 25. Qxc7 Bxc7 26. Kg1 Bg3 ) 25. Qxc7 Bxc7 26. Kg1 Bg3 27. c6 Ne8 28. Red1 ( 28. Re3! ) 28... a3 29. bxa3 Rxa2 30. Rd7 g6 31. Rb7 Rd8 32. Rd7 Rc8 33. Rb7 Rd8 34. Rd7 Rc8 35. Rf1 Nf6 36. Rb7 Rc7 37. Rd1 Kg7? ( 37... Nd5! 38. Rxc7 ( 38. Bxd5 Rxb7 39. cxb7 exd5 40. Ne3 ( 40. Rxd5 Ra1+ ) 41... Rb2 ) 38... Nxc7 39. Rd2 Rxd2 40. Nxd2 f5 41. a4 Kf7 ) 38. Nd6 Bxd6 39. Rxd6 Rc8 40. Rxe6 Rxa3 41. Ree7 Rf8 42. Kf2 Rc3 43. Rb5 Ra8 44. Rbb7 Rf8 45. Rb5 Re8 46. Rxe8 Nxe8 47. Ke2 Nd6 48. Rb1 Kf6 49. Kd2 Rc5 50. Kd3 Nb5 51. Bg4 Nc7 52. Bd7 Ke7 53. Rb8 h5 54. Rc8 Nb5 55. Re8+ Kd6 56. Rf8 Ke7 57. Re8+ Kf6 58. Rb8 Nd6 59. Rb1 Ke7 60. Rb8 Rg5 61. Rb2 Kd8 62. Kd4 Kc7 63. Ra2 Nb5+ 64. Ke3 Re5+ 65. Kd3 Kd6 66. Kc4 Rc5+ 67. Kd3 Nc7 68. Ke4 Re5+ 69. Kf3 g5 70. Rb2 Nb5 71. Kf2 Rd5 72. Be8 Rf5+ 73. Kg3 Ke7 74. Re2+ Kf6 75. Rd2 Ke7 76. Re2+ Kd6 77. Rd2+ Ke7 78. Re2+
Both the players missed their chances and agreed to a draw in the end. But the outcome of the opening was successful for Black which is our main concern. Black has a solid structure most of the White players feel that they have a better position and keep trying for a win without agreeing to a draw. Soon, before they understand the position, it becomes beyond salvation.That is how the Rubinstein French works for so many Black players. White has so many options against this super solid structure. It is not possible to cover everything in one article but we have analyzed some of the main variations and all the alternatives are given in the first game. To study this system deeply we suggest the readers to follow the games of Meier,G who is using this sytem successfully as his main weapon against 1.e4
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