Fromper wrote:

And one general word of advice that applies to most normal French lines (including the Advance): Never play Bb5 as white. That bishop is usually best placed at d3. Putting it on b5 gives black a reason to put his bad bishop on d7. The fact that the c8 bishop is blocked in is black's biggest weakness in the French, so by giving black a reason to put it on d7, you're giving that worthless bishop a purpose. Not only that, but this often leads to black trading his bad bishop for white's good one. 

 

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 I'll second that advice. I cannot remember how many times a White bishop on b5 has given me a tactic whereby I win a center pawn, and go on to win the endgame.

White should take advantage of the cramped position of the Black position and build up a blistering attack on the kingside. Of course, Black can sometimes castle long or find security for the king in the center. 

queenie wrote: jona004 wrote: I'll leave this topic, it wasn't what i thought it was.:(

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What did you think it was?

 

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A topic where we English can berate people from other cultures and countries. Don't want to upset the sensitive politically correct lot do we:)

Ziryab wrote: Fromper wrote:

And one general word of advice that applies to most normal French lines (including the Advance): Never play Bb5 as white. That bishop is usually best placed at d3. Putting it on b5 gives black a reason to put his bad bishop on d7. The fact that the c8 bishop is blocked in is black's biggest weakness in the French, so by giving black a reason to put it on d7, you're giving that worthless bishop a purpose. Not only that, but this often leads to black trading his bad bishop for white's good one. 

 

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 I'll second that advice. I cannot remember how many times a White bishop on b5 has given me a tactic whereby I win a center pawn, and go on to win the endgame.

White should take advantage of the cramped position of the Black position and build up a blistering attack on the kingside. Of course, Black can sometimes castle long or find security for the king in the center. 

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Agreed. White's bishop on b5 often leads to tactics that let black win white's e5 pawn in the Advance variation.

 

As a French player as black, I've found that castling king side tends to be a bad idea in many standard lines. As long as black's pawns are on e6 and d5, and white's pawns are on e5 and d4, the center pawn structure is so locked up that the black king is perfectly safe behind it. Castling allows white to attack on the king side, and often allows the typical Greek Gift Bxh7 sacrifice. Especially in the Advance, I often end up with my king on e7.

 

--Fromper 

i agree with fromper, but how else would you bring the h rook over on the queenside? Or should you even? i've always struggled with that in the French. any suggestions would be helpful

I have played the french for years when I dont want to play my usual sicilians for some reason but now I am thinking of adopting a different opening as backup to sicilian as I hate the exchange french when I am black! Perhaps I will take up the caro kann or just play 1....e5, decisions, decisions.

jonnyp wrote: i agree with fromper, but how else would you bring the h rook over on the queenside? 

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 Fromper said his king often winds up on e7. So I think the rook can move to the queenside on the cleared 8th rank.

 jonnyp wrote: i agree with fromper, but how else would you bring the h rook over on the queenside? 

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 "Fromper said his king often winds up on e7. So I think the rook can move to the queenside on the cleared 8th rank. "

 

ahh, didn't see that, thanks

Loomis wrote: jonnyp wrote: i agree with fromper, but how else would you bring the h rook over on the queenside? 

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 Fromper said his king often winds up on e7. So I think the rook can move to the queenside on the cleared 8th rank.

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 That's one possibility. Other options include putting your rook on f8 and pushing the pawn to f6 to challenge the white e5 pawn. Or you can push the h pawn and launch a king side attack. Depends on the circumstances.

 

--Fromper 

Beware the ides of march! no but really, don't play it if you don't like it. You don't necessarily have to go according to popular opening lines.