Ponderchess / Openings
Read a pawn chain and attack its foundation.
...e6 and ...d5 challenge White's centre.
In the Advance, White gains space with e5.
...c5 attacks the base of White's chain on d4.
Play the guided film, or select a scene to pause and study its position.
Opening
The French Advance in 3D
The French Defence: Black allows White more space, then attacks White's pawn chain.
Rebuild the sequence yourself. The board responds to each move, and hints are available.
Click or drag to move · Arrow keys + Enter to play
Your turn · white to play
Select a piece, then its destination. Switch to 2D for a clear overhead view or rotate the 3D board to explore the position.
A locked centre, a pawn chain, and how to attack its base.
The white pieces
Use your extra space on the kingside. Attacks with Qg4, h4 or f4-f5 are common.
The black pieces
Hit the pawn chain with ...c5 and ...f6, and pressure d4 with ...Nc6, ...Qb6 and ...Nge7-f5.
Look a little deeper · 01
After 3.e5 (the Advance) or in many main lines, the centre locks. Black then attacks the base of White's pawn chain with ...c5 and the head with ...f6.
Look a little deeper · 02
Main lines: the Winawer (3.Nc3 Bb4), the Classical (3.Nc3 Nf6), the Tarrasch (3.Nd2), the Advance (3.e5) and the Exchange (3.exd5).
Look a little deeper · 03
The bishop on c8 is Black's problem piece. Plans such as ...b6 and ...Ba6, or ...Bd7-b5, try to trade it or bring it outside the pawn chain.
A locked centre, a pawn chain, and how to attack its base.
Keyboard: Space pauses, the arrow keys step. Gold arrows are White's moves, violet are Black's, red rays are threats, green shows support, blue shows plans.
Make the idea yours
No timer. No score. Just a moment to check your understanding.
