French Advance for Black: Gumularz's Forgotten Mainline Revival
The 5...Bd7 system in the French Advance has long operated in the shadow of the sharper 5...Qb6, despite offering Black a stable strategic position. While modern theory gravitates toward immediate confrontation, Polish Grandmaster Szymon Gumularz recognized that White's improved understanding of the 6.a3 mainline warranted another approach—one that avoids the forcing lines after 5...Qb6 6.a3 without sacrificing Black's counterplay.
Working with GM Pier Luigi Basso, Gumularz demonstrates that the classical 5...Bd7 6.Be2 Nge7 system isn't outdated at all; it's simply been waiting for the right moment to return. This course presents a complete repertoire built on the concept that strategic solidity, when combined with concrete preparation, creates lasting practical value.
A System Built on Precision
Gumularz's approach centers on the critical position after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bd7. Unlike 5...Qb6, which leads to forcing theoretical debates, this setup preserves flexibility while maintaining all the strategic tension characteristic of the French structure.
The course addresses every significant White try, covering the alternatives and leading to the main options after 6.Be2 Nge7—7.Na3 (the statistical favorite), 7.0-0 (the modern choice of elite players), rare but dangerous sidelines like 7.h4, and the immediate 7.dxc5. Basso's annotations reveal the hidden resources in lines once considered "solved" for White, including a powerful novelty in the 7.h4 cxd4 system that neutralizes White's most forcing attempts.
Variation Map:
The Main Position Arises After: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5
- 4.Nf3 and sidelines → Chapter 11
4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bd7
White's 6th Move Options:
- 6.g3 (Niemann's tricky modern try) → Chapter 8
- 6.a3 (Bd7 proves useful against b4 plans) → Chapter 9
- 6.Bd3 (French Gambit) → Chapter 10
After 6.Be2 Nge7 — White's 7th Move Options:
- White’s 7th move sidelines (7.h4, 7.dxc5) → Chapter 1
- 7.Na3 (statistical mainline) → Black solves problems systematically → Chapters 5 to 7
- 7.0-0 Ng6 (elite players' preference) → Gumularz revives the old mainline → Chapters 2 to 4
- 7...Nf5 (modern alternative)
- 7...cxd4 8.cxd4 Nf5 (recent strong player choice)
Course Structure
- 11 Chapters
- 20 Test Positions
- Memory Booster
- To Go Version of every chapter
- Video instruction
- Multilingual PGN availability (English, German, French, Spanish)
For those building a complete French repertoire for Black, this course pairs naturally with GM Baadur Jobava and GM Basso's treatment of the Tarrasch in French Defense for Black - 3...h6 against the Tarrasch Variation, as well as the comprehensive two-part series on the Winawer: Part 1 and Part 2.
Explore the course and discover why the French Advance with 5...Bd7 deserves reconsideration in modern practice.