Some Problems in the French

This position has arisen perhaps a dozen times in master play.

Black to move

The most recent instance of this position was in Lu,M.--Svane,F., Wijk aan Zee 2025. Svane played 10...dxc4. In ChessBase Mega 2024, Black has played this move seven times, limiting White's score to 42.9%.

10...c6 is more common and was suggested as better by Milos Perunovic in Chess Informant 163/104.

10...Bf4 appears four times in CB Mega, including in a blitz game, Topalov,V.--Nepomniachtchi,I., Zagreb 2022, which was drawn in 70 moves. In none of these games did White play 11.cxd5, which Stockfish 17 recommends.

This position appears in 35 games in ChessBase Mega 2024.

Black to move

The most popular replies have been:

a) 10...Bd7
b) 10...Qb6
c) 10...O-O

Black has not done well with Stockfish's top choice.

This position occurs with some frequency.

Black to move

Black has two ways to capture the pawn on c5, or the capture can be postponed. What are the merits of each of the main options?

a) 9...Bxc5
b) 9...Nxc5
c) 9...Qa5

Bonus Positions

What would you play?

Black to move

From Gukesh,D.--Harikrishna,P., Wijk aan Zee 2025, CI 163/105

Black to move

From Tabatabaei,M.--Mamedyarov,S., Deutschland 2025, CI 163/108