Ding Liren's Legendary French Defense

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Ding Liren is a Chinese chess grandmaster who was the 17th World Chess Champion. The French has a reputation for solidity and resilience, although some lines such as the Winawer Variation can lead to sharp complications. Black's position is often somewhat cramped in the early game; in particular, the pawn on e6 can impede the development of the bishop on c8.

Game 1: Zhang Pengxiang (2638) vs Ding Liren (2458), Xinghua, May 30 2009
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Nbd7 6. Nf3 h6 7. Nxf6+ Nxf6 8. Be3 Nd5 9. Bd3 Nxe3 10. fxe3 Bd6 11. e4 c5 12. e5 Be7 13. Qe2 Qa5+ 14. c3 Bd7 15. O-O Qb6 16. Kh1 a5 17. Nd2 cxd4 18. Nc4 Qc7 19. cxd4 Bc6 20. Qg4 O-O 21. Rae1 b5 22. Nd2 Rad8 23. Ne4 Rxd4 24. Nf6+ Bxf6 25. Qxd4 Rd8 26. Qg4 Bxe5 27. Bg6 Rd4 28. Qh3 Bf6 29. Rc1 Qd6 30. Bb1 Rh4 31. Rxc6 Qxc6 32. Qd3 Rg4 33. Rg1 g6 34. h3 Rd4 35. Qe3 Qd5 36. Bc2 Rd2 37. Be4 Qg5 38. Qa7 Qf4 39. Qxa5 Be5 40. Qa8+ Kg7 41. g3 Qf2 0-1

Game 2: Lu Shanglei (2349) vs Ding Liren (2547), Xinghua, June 1 2010
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Be7 4. Bd3 c5 5. dxc5 Nf6 6. Qe2 O-O 7. Ngf3 a5 8. O-O Na6 9. e5 Nd7 10. c3 Naxc5 11. Bc2 b6 12. Re1 f6 13. b4 axb4 14. cxb4 Na6 15. exf6 Nxf6 16. b5 Nc5 17. Bb2 Qe8 18. Ne5 Bb7 19. f3 Bd6 20. Nd3 Qxb5 21. Bd4 Qc6 22. Nxc5 Bxc5 23. Nb3 Rfe8 24. Rac1 Qd6 25. Kh1 Ba6 26. Qe3 Nd7 27. f4 Bc4 28. Qh3 h6 29. Qg4 Bxd4 30. Nxd4 Nf6 31. Qh3 Qxf4 32. Nxe6 Qg4 33. Qxg4 Nxg4 34. Bg6 Re7 35. Nd4 Ne5 36. Bb1 Rf8 37. g3 Ree8 38. Kg2 Ng4 39. Bg6 Ne3+ 40. Kg1 Re5 41. Rc3 Ng4 42. Rxe5 Nxe5 43. Bf5 Kf7 44. Ra3 Kf6 45. Kg2 g6 46. Bc2 Ke7 47. Ra7+ Kd6 48. a4 Bf1+ 49. Kg1 Bh3 0-1

Game 3: Gao Rui (2424) vs Ding Liren (2659), Qinhuangdao Open, October 3 2011
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 a6 8. Qd2 b5 9. a3 Rb8 10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Bxc5 Nxc5 12. b4 Nd7 13. Bd3 Qb6 14. Qf2 f6 15. exf6 Qxf2+ 16. Kxf2 gxf6 17. f5 Nde5 18. Rhe1 O-O 19. fxe6 Bxe6 20. Ne2 Bf7 21. Ned4 Nxd4 22. Nxd4 Rfc8 23. Nb3 Rc3 24. Nc5 Bg6 25. Bxg6 hxg6 26. Re2 Ng4+ 27. Kg1 Ne3 28. Ra2 Rc8 29. a4 d4 30. Rd2 bxa4 31. Nxa4 Rxc2 32. Nc5 Rc1+ 33. Kf2 a5 34. Nb3 R1c3 35. Nxa5 Ng4+ 36. Kf1 d3 37. g3 Rc1+ 38. Kg2 R8c2 39. Nb3 Rb1 40. Nc5 Rd1 41. Rdxc2 dxc2 42. Nb3 Rb1 43. Kh3 Ne3 44. Ra8+ Kh7 0-1

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