Beating the French Winawer: The h4 Ram

Whip the Winawer with The Ram! The French Defense is one of the most popular responses by Black to 1.e4. And the Winawer is the most popular variation of the French. In this book, the authors advocate an early advance of the h-pawn – The Ram – and plans related to it. This move was first used in the game Pilnik-Ståhlberg, Mar del Plata 1946. Argentine grandmaster Hermann Pilnik would go on to win many games with the Ram. The major tabiya of this line arises after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7. While 7.Qg4 – leading to a direct attack against the black king – has been played many times in this position, it leads to well-known forced lines. But book is devoted to 7.h2-h4, a more positional method of attacking. More strategic considerations become pivotal – getting the “feel” for the position, becoming familiar with general plans, the best squares for the pieces, etc. Mastering the typical motives and ideas will in fact give you the opportunity to continue positionally or to pursue an attack directed against the black king. The authors heartily recommend The Ram for all chessplayers who strive for an energetic struggle, rich in possibilities in their quest to get an advantage as White in the French Winawer. About the Authors Greek Grandmaster Vassilios Kotronias, has won the championship of Greece ten times and has represented his country many times in team competitions. He is one of the most respected opening analysts in the world today. Russian-Serbian Grandmaster Mikhail Ivanov has been successful in many European tournaments, including the 2002 Neckar Open. He is a respected chess coach and trainer. He has co-authored several books with GM Kotronias for Russell Enterprises. Andrei Obodchuk Russian international master Andrei Obodchuk is an eleven-time Russian champion, eight-time world champion, participant of six World Chess Olympiads, and one of the most experienced and titled participants of the 4th FIDE World Chess Championship for People with Disabilities. This is his first book for Russell Enterprises.