The deeper question, is are you wasting your life learning and playing chess, or should we all be doing something with a meaningful impact in the world? 
I don't know what hemorrhoids are (god, that is hard to type!) but sounds like something nasty haha
The deeper question, is are you wasting your life learning and playing chess, or should we all be doing something with a meaningful impact in the world?
I don't know what hemorrhoids are (god, that is hard to type!) but sounds like something nasty haha
Something high atop Laskersnephew's preoccupations, apparently.
@OP, some people choose opening by personal preference, some people choose by statistics.
According to Neural Network's statistics, (in her experience in playing millions of games), the statistics go like this. analysis at 536 kilonodes
1. e4 e5 is the best choice (46% )
2. e4 c6 is her 2th choice ( 44%)
3. e4 c5 is her 3rd choice ( 43%)
4. e4 e6 is her 4th choice (42%)
@OP, some people choose opening by personal preference, some people choose by statistics.
According to Neural Network's statistics, (in her experience in playing millions of games), the statistics go like this. analysis at 536 kilonodes
1. e4 e5 is the best choice (46% )
2. e4 c6 is her 2th choice ( 44%)
3. e4 c5 is her 3rd choice ( 43%)
4. e4 e6 is her 4th choice (42%)
Thats really cool, mind telling me her opinion on the alekhine, Owen, and Scandinavian?
As you can see in the picture at 500 kilo nodes analysis which is like longer time control analysis ,
1. e4 Nf6 (Alekhine is 38% )
2. e4 b6 (owen is 35%)
3. e4 d5 (Scandi is 40%)
If you want me detail analysis of specific line you play, then send FEN here, I can do that for you. Btw, you can also install Leela for free.
https://github.com/LeelaChessZero/lc0/wiki/Getting-Started
@OP, some people choose opening by personal preference, some people choose by statistics.
According to Neural Network's statistics, (in her experience in playing millions of games), the statistics go like this. analysis at 536 kilonodes
1. e4 e5 is the best choice (46% )
2. e4 c6 is her 2th choice ( 44%)
3. e4 c5 is her 3rd choice ( 43%)
4. e4 e6 is her 4th choice (42%)
and I don't really mean just numbers, I can see those, but if you have any clue why a6 is preferred over nf6, that'd be nice to know! Thanks in advance
Probably, 1.... Nf6 invite free move for e5, which 1.... a6 doesn't. Leela really hate having white pawn in e5. In her statistics she lost a lot by allowing white for e5 , as white usually put Nf6 later with supported pawn on e5. That Kt sacrifice usually ended an advanced pawn in f6 (which leela usually consider a pawn as valuable as a piece )
Going through Winawer games, particularly the wild games that result from the 7. Qg4 move, gets me familiar with positions that result from that particular opening variation, but with little else, it seems. On the other hand, when I study, say, a Tarrasch QGD game, it leads to familiarity with pawn positions that can arise from any number of openings, and educates me not only as to that opening but also how to steer games arising from any number of different openings into pawn structures that I have some idea how to play with (or against). My question is -- does studying the Fench improve your chess generally, or just allow you to outplay opponents in particular variations you're now familiar with?
I'm interested in accomplished, experienced players' opinions, please don't fill this thread with vapid, uneducated, and downright wrong opinions that start with "The French is a passive opening, blablabla"
Thanks for your thoughts.
Absolutely you are
And you're welcome
Welcome back, IMBBW.
Going through Winawer games, particularly the wild games that result from the 7. Qg4 move, gets me familiar with positions that result from that particular opening variation, but with little else, it seems. On the other hand, when I study, say, a Tarrasch QGD game, it leads to familiarity with pawn positions that can arise from any number of openings, and educates me not only as to that opening but also how to steer games arising from any number of different openings into pawn structures that I have some idea how to play with (or against). My question is -- does studying the Fench improve your chess generally, or just allow you to outplay opponents in particular variations you're now familiar with?
I'm interested in accomplished, experienced players' opinions, please don't fill this thread with vapid, uneducated, and downright wrong opinions that start with "The French is a passive opening, blablabla"
Thanks for your thoughts.
Absolutely you are
And you're welcome
Feedback from the banned community is always welcome.
@OP, some people choose opening by personal preference, some people choose by statistics.
According to Neural Network's statistics, (in her experience in playing millions of games), the statistics go like this. analysis at 536 kilonodes
1. e4 e5 is the best choice (46% )
2. e4 c6 is her 2th choice ( 44%)
3. e4 c5 is her 3rd choice ( 43%)
4. e4 e6 is her 4th choice (42%)
Thats really cool, mind telling me her opinion on the alekhine, Owen, and Scandinavian?
As you can see in the picture at 500 kilo nodes analysis which is like longer time control analysis ,
1. e4 Nf6 (Alekhine is 38% )
2. e4 b6 (owen is 35%)
3. e4 d5 (Scandi is 40%)
If you want me detail analysis of specific line you play, then send FEN here, I can do that for you. Btw, you can also install Leela for free.
Thanks, thats really nice of you. Uh, I don't really understand how to get a FEN, but the lines aren't deep. IM just wondering on whether these early deviations are playable. e4 nf6 e5 ng8. e4 d5 exd5 c6. The Owens is just something I'm overall curious about, but no analysis need there. Thanks!
1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Ng8
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 c6
Same analysis for second variation showing all statistics.
you can say whatever you want mate , many people have left , and some are still here , if you don't know anything do talk ...... , This site has changed , but people haven't , insult me all you can , idc ...so take care
*pats cryybaby on the head for his brave not caring.
Indeed. I have never ever played the French, but I respect the heck out of those who play it exclusively. I have my "Big Boss" line (guess which one heh) and the Caro Kann, that I have to admit; I play more often these days on a practical basis. Over 10+ years worth of experience in both lines. About 5-8 years experience using Spanish lines + DKP stuff off n on (RL Arkhangelsk, Flohr-Zaitsev, and Marshall Attack option blitzes are my favs; Breyer & Chigorin if I'm feeling charitable on few occasions😉). Anyways, in regards to your question, hopefully it wasn't rhetorical... 'cause in some respects studying only one opening these days (and even way way back in my day) was sort of like being in a box. Wasting away is abit dramatic, but hey~if you're quite comfortable being in a steady, familiar lane then soo be it. If just playing is your thing and not playing trendy openings, obscure stuff or romantic I say, cool man! ✌🏽 Because, playin's always the thing with me! Forget everybody! Best wishes 😉
Thanks for the reply, man, although as I pointed out earlier, I don't study only one opening, and the question had nothing to do about studying only a single opening.
On the contrary, the question was clearly about the French's usefulness in understanding OTHER openings. Studying anything in chess, or in life, is useful only to the extent that its lessons spill over to the rest of chess, or of life.
The French is a passive opening
It depends. If you are black and you know how to turn the table (literally) then yeah, you might be fine.
Indeed. I have never ever played the French, but I respect the heck out of those who play it exclusively. I have my "Big Boss" line (guess which one heh) and the Caro Kann, that I have to admit; I play more often these days on a practical basis. Over 10+ years worth of experience in both lines. About 5-8 years experience using Spanish lines + DKP stuff off n on (RL Arkhangelsk, Flohr-Zaitsev, and Marshall Attack option blitzes are my favs; Breyer & Chigorin if I'm feeling charitable on few occasions😉). Anyways, in regards to your question, hopefully it wasn't rhetorical... 'cause in some respects studying only one opening these days (and even way way back in my day) was sort of like being in a box. Wasting away is abit dramatic, but hey~if you're quite comfortable being in a steady, familiar lane then soo be it. If just playing is your thing and not playing trendy openings, obscure stuff or romantic I say, cool man! ✌🏽 Because, playin's always the thing with me! Forget everybody! Best wishes 😉
There is still strength vs weakness among traditional engines Stockfish (AB engines) vs new neural network engines(Leela). In Go, NN engines clearly outplay AB engines.
In chess, it is still toe-to- toe in comparable hardware, Stockfish vs Leela is approx equal strength in TCEC, CCCC.
The strength of NN is they are extremely good at positional evaluation . Even without search, 1 node NN decision of leela alone can play estimated elo 2000-2200 . So strategic play is very good.
However, NN engines are x1000 times slower than AB engines and they have occassional blindspot in tactics. Although Stockfish is estimated to be 1000 elo at depth 1 (without search), millions of nodes search per second turn Stockfish into monster and Stockfish punish any tactical mistake leela made.
That being said, above mentioned Leela analysis is also depend on the number of nodes search. I used a few minutes of Leela search to good decent results.
Who gives a d-mn about what engines say about any opening? So irrelevant to human chessplay.
Back in the 80s and early 90s when i was much more into chess than i am now, i played the French Def. regularly as black and found it can be a tough nut for White to break.
It also can lead to explosive counter play for black.
Best with this defense and keep at it!
Thanks for the reply, man, although as I pointed out earlier, I don't study only one opening, and the question had nothing to do about studying only a single opening.
On the contrary, the question was clearly about the French's usefulness in understanding OTHER openings. Studying anything in chess, or in life, is useful only to the extent that its lessons spill over to the rest of chess, or of life.
Really the relatives to the French are going to be the others with blocked centers and pawn chains:
Classical Kings Indian
Nimzo-Indian Huebner Variation
Czech Benoni
Certain lines of the Ruy Lopez where White plays d5
I posted in another thread, with s sample game, that the French Defense taught me to be like ice in trench warfare
The game itself isn't a French Defense, but typical of the sort of trench warfare certain lines in the French Defense leads to.
I posted in another thread, with s sample game, that the French Defense taught me to be like ice in trench warfare
The game itself isn't a French Defense, but typical of the sort of trench warfare certain lines in the French Defense leads to.
Nice defense in that game by Caesar the Iceman! 
I've been playing the French almost exclusively for many years. Its definatley worth studying and learning. The only drawback I've had with the French is that if white knows what hes doing, then without ample theoretical knowledge of some of the more cut-throat lines (winawer & tarrasch) it's easy to get crushed. However, your opponent wont always play 1.e4 and there are plenty of other defenses you can play to get an overall better understanding of certain positions. I've always preferred 1.d4 (or similar variants) as white, so naturally its nice to play the French because it feels like I can play a unique defense system (almost by force) without spending time learning to play against openings I dont use.
1. Majority of games in Winawer French is a loss for computer chess. In TCEC or Cccc Leela vs Stockfish games , SF lose approx 65- 70% of games by playing black . I mean, if Stockfish cant survive, black can barely survive in winawer theoretically.
2. Not all french lines are bad, there are other solid Ftench lines.
3. You can also play Caro Kan and lead white player into your prepared lines.
Raise your hand if youre playing a 4000 rated opponent?
Statistics are an important factors, Neural Network, Leela, learn chess by using Statistics ( e.g by choosing opening lines with > 55% win rate). I choose engines's statistics to minimize the player's rating influence on outcome of game.
As the game outcome is determined by
1. Player A elo
2. Player B elo
3. Absolute state of position
But if you neglect the third factor, you will likely get bad outcome in long run.