HELP. I need defense to 1.d4

I need a new defense to 1.d4 I usually play 1...e6 to try and get into a French Defense but it never works. :'( If someone could give me a quick-and-easy-to-learn opening it would be much appreciated. (Although not 1...d5 please)

So not the queen's gambit declined.  How about the Queen's Indian? 

Budapest is fairly easy, but not everybody's taste.

My guess is if you like the French you'll hate it.

englund gambit    1.d4 e5       winning the psicology battle

budapest gambit  ( fajarowicz variation   , less popular )   1. d4 Nf6 3.c4 e5 4.dxe5 Ne4      winning the psicology battle also but in this case just the 50%  white side will play 3.c4

1.d4 f5   if you have some kind of glasses and you like  study openings

Closed/Czech Benoni might appeal to a French player. You can play the 1. c5 move order to avoid some sidelines if you don't mind White being theoretically better if the best moves are played; similar things can be said for some lines of the French.

Actually, the Nimzo_indian is very similar to the French sometimes, no?

1...Nf6 2...c5 and yolo

I know you dont want to play d5 but the indian defenses are a lot of theory imo. I have learned my 2 young students something simple to start with, it is slow but requires little studying and white cant quickly build up an attack. I want them to focus on their game - not just openings. They are still heavy practicing tactics and endgames - the stuff that really improves your game as a youngster.

Black plays the triangle d5, e6 and c6 - so you can start with e6 if you want to. So here I go with the basic moves for black (white probably plays d4, c4 etc).

d5, c6, Nf6, e6 in no particular order (also depending on white moves but not 1 d4 d5 2 c4 Nf6 3 cxd5 Nxd5 4 e4 which is good for white).

Bd6 or Be7 and castles.

then Nd7, b6, Bb7.

then Qe7 or Qc7 and Re8 or Rc8

then e5 or c5 for breakthrough in centre.

Basically you have payed 11 or so moves and there is not a lot of theory. Use that as basis and then expand on your practice and theory.

Hope it helps!

Indeed. The Nimzo shares many essential ideas & strategy with the French. Some would say they're "sister" openings. Anyways, naturally you would have to learn some lines of the QI, too (as white has the option of transposing via 3. Nf3).

To be honest though, one must eventually learn the QGD at some point. It's easy to learn, and reliable. But that's just my opinion.

Whatever defense you decide to play, keep in mind that the main goal is to equalize first-not enable one to launch an counter-attack and ultimately win as black. Your skill, tactical awareness and your experience will dictate that, not your chosen opening. Best of luck.

ahaha don´t listen to pfren , he is just a frustrated player  which never learned to combine like a romantic player.   If you see the games of Zilbermints , a regular player in this opening , he always get good position against strong players around 2400 FIDE.    So in practice englund gambit is a good choice . 

When I saw "Englund gambit" I was hoping to see IM pfren response.

I'm happy now.

strong username to post content correlation.

I have to second what Rooperi said, try the Budapest. It's what I use and it's a lot of fun. It's not unsound either, GM Mamedyarov uses it at the top levels. The Fajarowicz variation is bad, but the standard Budapest is good and gives you the initiative. At club level the initiative counts for a lot more too since people aren't skilled at defending.

oh no bongcloudftw, I was just saying that you really like to play weird stuff :)

Play the queens gambit declined, just do it.

Love pfren's comments here by the way.

QGDizzle or KIDizzle.  

OP's asking for something quick and easy though. And on top of all the Nimzo theory, you also have to learn QID/Bogo theory and Catalan theory.

I was thinking the same thing!  About the Englund: it can lead into positions with a very king's pawn game feel but where black can't castle:

I wanted to try it out against computer hard but... got 1.d4 instead so I played the Dutch.  It even tried being clever playing 2.Bf4 making 2...g6 seem bad, but I preventing his plan with 2...d6, which I'd play anyway. 

No, just don't. Budapest is the stupidest opening ever, and the most boring. For both sides. Black gives up the bishop pair for absolutely nothing. Black has no plan at all in the Budapest, other than "uh, let's hope that white gets so bored that he offers a draw".