Studying the French is certainly useful knowledge that can transfer to other openings and positions. I don't think you'll ever encounter a strong player who doesn't possess some knowledge of the French.
It's practically mandatory study, especially since so many other openings involve a fixed e6/d5 center.
But, like you discovered, once you get too deep into specific lines, the knowledge isn't really useful anymore, except in that line. For that reason, I recommend not going too deeply into your line studies. 10 to 15 moves at most.
Spend the rest of your opening study time exploring other lines and/or openings.
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.
Thanks for quoting me twice in a row w/out any comment, Amrendergill. The way I see it, I can't be quoted enough!