Answers.Body: <p><code>3...Be7</code> is mainly an attempt to side-step some of the other well-known theoretical variations, while making white to first commit another developing move before deciding how to continue. For instance, the usual <code>3...Nf6</code> often leads to <code>4.e5 Nfd7</code> and black has already committed the knight to <code>d7</code> while white has all three attractive options of <code>Bd3,</code> <code>f4</code> (further discussed in the 2nd diagram) and <code>Ngf3.</code> Instead with <code>3...Be7</code> first, many more alternatives survive, such as:</p>
  
  <p><em>All diagrams contain annotations.</em></p>
  
  <pre><code> [title "3...Be7 possible follow-ups in Tarrasch variation"]
   [fen "rnbqk1nr/ppp1bppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPPN1PPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 2 4"]
  
   4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Nfd7 {You see by simply having delayed Nf6 by one move and kept an option such as Nh6 open, white's choice of 4.e5 5.f4 is already less attractive} (4.e5 Nh6 {taking advantage of the early Nd2 blinding the h6 square for white so the knight can now re-route via h6-f5. This maneuver is also often employed in f4 variations of the French.} 5.Bd3 c5) (4.Bd3 c5 5.c3 cxd4 6.cxd4 dxe4 7.Nxe4 Nf6) (4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Ne4)
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>So in the above side-lines not only has black kept some additional options open with <code>3...Be7</code> but it has also made a couple of key variations less attractive for white, such the usual <code>f4</code> lines in the Tarrasch (which is also briefly touched upon on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Defence#Tarrasch_Variation:_3.Nd2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">wikipedia page of French Defense</a>), for example:</p>
  
  <pre><code> [title "classical 3...Nf6 and the f4 variation - compared to 3...Be7 :"]
   [fen "rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPPN1PPP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 1 3"]
  
   3...Nf6 (3...Be7 4.e5 c5 5.c3 Nc6 {You see the difference now more clearly: 4.e5 is no longer with tempo, thus allowing black to start undermining the central pawn chain with c5 one move earlier, followed by Nc6, practically never allowing white an easy route towards the previously mentioned main variation.}) 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 {notice the knight's already on d7} c5 6.c3 {nothing really challenged white's f4 play}
  </code></pre>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-01-30T21:08:49.977Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2018-01-30T21:08:49.977Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ellie
Answers.Body: <p>I'm away from my books right now, but John Watson, in (I think) the third edition of Play The French, describes it as "a high class waiting move". You want White to commit a little bit more before deciding whether to play ...c5 (as you might after 4. e5 or 4. Bd3) or ...Nf6 (as you might after 4. Ngf3). </p>
  
  <p>This is a nice game I played on the Black side.</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://chesstempo.com/gamedb/game/3500004" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://chesstempo.com/gamedb/game/3500004</a></p>
  
  <p><a href="http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.com.es/2013/08/penarth-2013-last-round-drama.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.com.es/2013/08/penarth-2013-last-round-drama.html</a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-01-30T20:47:02.173Z
Answers.Text: Just curious, how do you develop the knight after 4. e5? Via h6? Also, what if white plays Qg4 at some point?
Answers.UserDisplayName: user1583209
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2018-01-30T21:21:28.070Z
Answers.Text: @user1583209 Regarding `Nh6`: often yes, see e.g. [Kamsky vs Nakamura 2013](https://lichess.org/3AcObdrr). Specially in the `f4` variations `Nh6` is very natural, and alternatively, the knight may stay on `g8` for an `f6` break, e.g.: `3...Be7 4.e5 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.Ngf3 f6` or `3...Be7 4.e5 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Qb6 8.Ndf3 f6`. See my answer for some additional points.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ellie
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
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Answers.LastActivityDate: 2018-01-30T20:24:20.190Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Justin Horton
Body: <p>What is the main idea of the Morozevich variation in the French vs. the Tarrasch variation? </p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Be7</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>In other words, how can Black benefit from the slightly unusual development of the Bishop before the Knight?  </p>
  
Tags: <opening><french-defense>
Title: What is the main idea of the Morozevich variation in the French vs. the Tarrasch?
ThreadText: # What is the main idea of the Morozevich variation in the French vs. the Tarrasch?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2018-01-30)
  
  What is the main idea of the Morozevich variation in the French vs. the Tarrasch variation?
  
  > 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Be7
  
  In username_0 words, how can Black benefit from the slightly unusual development of the Bishop before the Knight?
  
  **Tags:** opening, french-defense
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2018-01-30. Score: 2 | Accepted answer
  
  `3...Be7` is mainly an attempt to side-step some of the username_0 well-known theoretical variations, while making white to first commit another developing move before deciding how to continue. For instance, the usual `3...Nf6` often leads to `4.e5 Nfd7` and black has already committed the knight to `d7` while white has all three attractive options of `Bd3,` `f4` (further discussed in the 2nd diagram) and `Ngf3.` Instead with `3...Be7` first, many more alternatives survive, such as:
  
  *All diagrams contain annotations.*
  
  ```
   [title "3...Be7 possible follow-ups in Tarrasch variation"]
   [fen "rnbqk1nr/ppp1bppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPPN1PPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 2 4"]
  
   4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Nfd7 {You see by simply having delayed Nf6 by one move and kept an option such as Nh6 open, white's choice of 4.e5 5.f4 is already less attractive} (4.e5 Nh6 {taking advantage of the early Nd2 blinding the h6 square for white so the knight can now re-route via h6-f5. This maneuver is also often employed in f4 variations of the French.} 5.Bd3 c5) (4.Bd3 c5 5.c3 cxd4 6.cxd4 dxe4 7.Nxe4 Nf6) (4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Ne4)
  
  ```
  
  So in the above side-lines not only has black kept some additional options open with `3...Be7` but it has also made a couple of key variations less attractive for white, such the usual `f4` lines in the Tarrasch (which is also briefly touched upon on the [wikipedia page of French Defense](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Defence#Tarrasch_Variation:_3.Nd2)), for example:
  
  ```
   [title "classical 3...Nf6 and the f4 variation - compared to 3...Be7 :"]
   [fen "rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/3PP3/8/PPPN1PPP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 1 3"]
  
   3...Nf6 (3...Be7 4.e5 c5 5.c3 Nc6 {You see the difference now more clearly: 4.e5 is no longer with tempo, thus allowing black to start undermining the central pawn chain with c5 one move earlier, followed by Nc6, practically never allowing white an easy route towards the previously mentioned main variation.}) 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 {notice the knight's already on d7} c5 6.c3 {nothing really challenged white's f4 play}
  
  ```
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2018-01-30. Score: 1
  
  I'm away from my books right now, but John Watson, in (I think) the third edition of Play The French, describes it as "a high class waiting move". You want White to commit a little bit more before deciding whether to play ...c5 (as you might after 4. e5 or 4. Bd3) or ...Nf6 (as you might after 4. Ngf3).
  
  This is a nice game I played on the Black side.
  
  <https://chesstempo.com/gamedb/game/3500004>
  
  <http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.com.es/2013/08/penarth-2013-last-round-drama.html>
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_3**: Just curious, how do you develop the knight after 4. e5? Via h6? Also, what if white plays Qg4 at some point?  
  > **username_1**: @username_3 Regarding `Nh6`: often yes, see e.g. [Kamsky vs Nakamura 2013](https://lichess.org/3AcObdrr). Specially in the `f4` variations `Nh6` is very natural, and alternatively, the knight may stay on `g8` for an `f6` break, e.g.: `3...Be7 4.e5 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.Ngf3 f6` or `3...Be7 4.e5 c5 5.c3 Nc6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Qb6 8.Ndf3 f6`. See my answer for some additional points.  
  
  ---
  
  