I play 1.e4 as an opening. Usually, at my level (high school play) I get the usual 1.e5. But, today someone played the French (1.e6) against me. I know the general parts of this opening, such as 2.d4 then ...d5. I was nervous with this opening (it was my first live game playing against it) so I did not want to do 2.d4. Instead, I played Nc3. Is this response viable? If you want to see the game, it is in my blog. However, my position was very cramped in the begining.

 

So, can anyone tell me how to play against the French, and if 2.Nc3 is viable. Thanks!

2.Nc3 is not so good.

2. d4 3. Nc3 on the other hand is white's best response. 

If you want a simple response to the french I suggest the advance variation with 3. e5, it is an easy, non-theoretical response and it definitely has some venom in it. (Anand and Shirov play it as white)

 

 

here is how the advance variation might look...

  

 

 

 

 

With 2. d4 in the French, you're fighting for control of the center immediately, as you should be trying to do in any opening. Another reason to play it is that you've opened up lines for both of your bishops to get out. There's a reason it is BY FAR the most popular second move for white after 1. e4 e6. As ericmittens said, 2. d4 and 3. Nc3 is a good response.

 

I disagree with his recommendation of the advance variation (3. e5) at low/intermediate levels of play for one simple reason: French players expect it. I play the French, and playing against other intermediate level players, I see the advance variation more often than all other variations combined. Needless to say, I know how to play it very well, just because that's the line where I have the most experience. I ALWAYS come out of the opening with an extra pawn in the Advance variation, partially because I know how to play it so well, but mostly because the opponents who play that line usually think it's an easy line that doesn't require really learning the French, so they don't know how to play it well. I just throw the kitchen sink at their d4 pawn, and somehow I always seem to end up winning a pawn on d4, b2, and/or e5. I don't always win the resulting middle games, but I'm certainly winning coming out of the opening in those games.

 

I'd say that if you haven't studied the French enough to have a real plan against it, go for the exchange variation: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5. You'll get an open, tactical game with chances for both sides. More importantly, most French players hate that variation, because it gets away from the stereotypical French lines that they really want to be playing. Just make a point of avoiding symmetry with your opponent's piece placement (4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bd3 Bd6, 6. 0-0 0-0, etc). That way leads to draws.

 

--Fromper 

I agree with Fromper. I play the French, and I really hate the exchange variation.

Yes, I agree.  The exchange and 3. Nc3 are the best ways to go.  If you hate an opening, study it.  Soon it'll be a tactical bomb in YOUR arsenal, not theirs.

3. Nc3 is swell against B players. But against the truly sophisticated, it is more subtle to play the Tarrasch variation, 3. Nd2. Here the knight is not subject to the pin 3. ... Bb4 because the c-pawn can interpose.

I just dont want to recommend the exchange as I play the french as well. :P

 

I still say that 3.e5 is a good way to go because its very simple and thematic. There are some nasty tactics for white to avoid but if one can get a grip on that it should be a fine choice. 

I agree with Fromper. I play the french a lot, is my favourite opening as black. i´m happy when my opponent plays the advance (90% of times I come out the opening better than white). I don´t like play agains the exchange varation, is not ambitius for white but is boring for black is some simple system without complications (is some tipe of draw game). Sorry for my poor english

Nc3 is considered better than Nd2 by many players, and is good right to the top of the game.  The knight is much better placed on c3 than d2, and if black captures the knight with the bishop, white wins black's best piece, and gets a nice half open file for his rook, and gets 2 bishops pointing at the black kingside, all for a doubled pawn.  Playing Nd2 seems to be a desperate attempt to avoid something that doesnt need to be avoided.  I guess what you get out of Nd2 is a slightly less familiar position for your opponent.  That and personal preference, of course

If you are always winning a pawn as black in the advance french the guy playing white doesnt know the lines very well, unless ofcourse he is gambiting the pawn as the milner barry gambit does. Some whites fear the winawer so dont play 3Nc3 but they shouldnt fear it. I have played both sides of the winawer for years and white tends to do better in my experience but its an interesting game win, lose or draw.

That was kind of my point, Reb.

 

I find that most people playing the Advance variation at the intermediate level are players who are afraid of the French because they've never really learned much about it. I know the feeling, because I used to play the Advance variation as white for exactly the same reason. I thought that because I was playing a forcing line and taking away black's choices, I was better off than letting them play their pet line. Since starting to play the French as black myself, which I originally did just to learn how to play against it, I've realized that the Advance IS the pet line for most French players. So when people play it against me, I know what I'm doing, and they don't, so I just always seem to end up winning at least one pawn coming out of the opening.

 

Only once have I ever faced an opponent who was intentionally playing the Milner-Barry Gambit. I like facing that gambit just as much as other French Advance lines. The keys to that gambit are just to know that you have to play Bd7 before taking the d-pawn, and don't get greedy in your pawn grabbing once you're ahead by a pawn. In other words, don't take the "free" e-pawn after getting the d-pawn. Letting white keep it actually works well for black, because that pawn gets in the way of white's attacking pieces more than it helps them. Besides, black ends up giving back that extra pawn most of the time, so black still only has a one pawn advantage, not two.

 

--Fromper 

Just FYI, I posted some detailed comments about the original poster's game on his blog, in case anyone cares:  http://blog.chess.com/Ajfonty/my-game-today

 

 --Fromper

Fischer played the Winawar Advance Variation to a bit of success.  My motto in chess is to follow his lead.  The typical move order is...

 

1. e4 e6

2. d4 d5

3. Nc3 Bb4

4. e5 Bxc3

5. bxc3 ...