The French Winawer (Black)
Giddins' sharp, principled answer to 1.e4: ...e6, ...d5 and the pin ...Bb4. Trade on c3 to saddle White with doubled pawns, then hammer the d4-base with ...c5. Unbalanced, combative, deeply sound.
Step through the main line
The lines
Poisoned Pawn Main Line: 7.Qg4
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 Qc7 8. Qxg7 Rg8 9. Qxh7 cxd4
Positional Main Line: 7.Nf3 and a4
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Nf3 Bd7 8. a4 Qa5 9. Bd2 Nbc6
7.Qg4 with ...O-O
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 O-O 8. Bd3 Nbc6 9. Qh5 Ng6
Exchange Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. exd5 exd5 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Ne2 Nge7 7. O-O Bg4 8. f3 Bh5
Main Line with 7.h4
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. h4 Qc7 8. h5 h6 9. Nf3 Nbc6
vs the Tarrasch (3.Nd2)
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Ngf3 Nc6 6. Bb5 Bd6 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. O-O Nge7
vs the Advance (3.e5)
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. a3 Nh6 7. b4 cxd4 8. cxd4 Nf5
How this guide is made: the lines and explanations come from the authored Strong Squares repertoire curriculum. Automated checks verify legal move sequences and required teaching fields. Independent chess-editor approval remains a private-preview release gate. Read the teaching method.