Anti-French Defense?

I need some tips to fight v/s the French Defense, I have come across some interesting lines that can lead to two-sided positions

Any tips on how to play these lines? Or any other line you want to recommend?

Hi, there was a 6 part vidéo séries about the Réti Gambit here the first one

i had these games as example too

The last game from Sebastien Mazé is the only Papa Ticulat Gambit , as far as i know

As one that has played the French for over 25 years from both sides, I can safely tell you that trying to short cut your study time or to "trick" an experienced French player beyond bullet or fast blitz is not going to happen.

1.e4 e6 2.b3 d5 3.Bb2 dxe4 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Qe2 Be7 6.Nxe4 Nbd7 (or 6...O-O) and Black has already equalized.  White has no advantage.  His Queen is misplaced blocking the Bishop.  Both sides have 1 central pawn.  Black is totally safe

1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e5 c5 4.b4?! d4! 5.bxc5 Bxc5 6.Ba3 Qa5 7.Bxc5 Qxc5 8.c3 Nc6 9.cxd4 Nxd4 10.Qa4+ Bd7!! 11.Qxd4 Qc1+ 12.Ke2 Bb5+ 13.Ke3 Bxf1 and it is White that has to find all the right moves just to draw.

As a long time French player (including in computer-assisted Correspondence), I can tell you the hardest lines to defend:

7.h4 in the Winawer - 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 Ne7 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 and now 7.h4! Instead of 7.Qg4, which is easy to defend if you know the lines, like for example, 7...Qc7 8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 cxd4 10.Ne2 Nbc6 11.f4 dxc3 12.Qd3 d4 13.Nxd4 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 Bd7 15.Rg1 Nf5 16.Qf2 Qc6 17.Bd3 Qd5 18.Be3 Nxe3 19.Qxe3 Rxg2 20.Rxg2 Qxg2 21.Be4 Qxh2 22.O-O-O Bc6 23.Bxc6 bxc6 24.Qd4 a5! 25.f5 and now 25...Qh6+ and 25...exf5 both lead to a draw.

7.h4 is a lot harder to defend.

If you are more of a positional player, 3.e5, and study the games of Nimzowitsch and Sveshnikov.  The Advance has been giving Black headaches since 2007.  And now, there are additional ideas for White that may even put 6...Nh6 to bed and 6...c4 will be Black's only option after 5...Qb6 6.a3.

Maybe you can try the guillotine

Ok ok bye

I am looking for weapons that give a sharp and two-sided position

Daniel Naroditsky has suggested the KIA to get some fresh positions (not for an advantage).

The video: https://youtu.be/knRe3EsANdg

 Why not just play the Nc3 main lines then? Against the classical, play the Alekhine-Chatard gambit and go for either the Qg4 or h4 lines against the winawer.

Well then, you ought to be able to identify the correct route by simply reading.

I said if you are more of a positional player, play 3.e5 instead.

You say you want something sharp, so clearly you want the NON-Positional answer.  If I said 3.e5 is the more positional answer and gave you 2 options, which one do you think is the sharp answer?  Seriously?

Actually make use of your brain for once!

The 7.h4 Winawer is a very sharp line!

SMH!

KIA is fairly easy to defend.

1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.Ngf3 c5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 Be7 7.O-O O-O 8.Re1 b5 9.e5 Nd7 10.Nf1 a5 11.h4 Ba6 12.N1h2 b4 and now:

A) 13.Bf4 a4 where now 14.a3 is forced, then 14...bxa3 and Black gets queenside counterplay 

B) 13.Ng4 Nd4! (13...a4 is also possible) and now White must take on d4 where Black plugs up central squares and exposes the c2-weakness.  If White ignores the Knight, then 14...Nf5 and White has nothing.  His kingside is virtually paralyzed.

C) 13.Ng5 Qe8! 14.Qh5 h6 with ...f5 soon to come when en passing is not possible as the Queen would hang.  Queen's get traded and Black is totally safe.

I recall KIA was considered to be better against the Caro than the French, because black has played c6 and needs c5.

@op you should try King's Indian Attack , as others have mentioned. Although some french player have a system for that too, But if you just dislike the position resulting from main french, then I will recommend KIA

Also KIA is anti-following-black's-steps . In both caro kann and french, white follows blacks plan, like "yea you attack my pawn and I will defend it, then you do this, then i will do that" , KIA goes against that

No, actually, the KIA is best against the French and 2...e6-Sicilian (LSB hemmed in).  It is just that if Black's knows the theory, it is dynamically equal.  Not the same as a simple draw, like the exchange.  Just no theoretical advantage for White like 3.Nc3 has.

In the Caro, Black plays c6, d5, and e5 against the KIA.

How about the Tarrasch? Can White hope for an advantage here?

I wouldn't recommend these gambits for White since they're not that great. KIA is a fine way to play. Sure, if Black knows the absolute best moves (which I doubt would be the case at the OP's level) then Black is probably okay.

But really anything that isn't too ridiculous will give you playable positions.

Main lines are main lines for a reason.

Honestly, I want some non-mainline stuff

Agreed, I guess it depends on what each individual is looking for.

Personally, I used to play the Exchange French, which does not promise anything by any stretch of imagination, but hey, it got me to expert level.

If you're looking to obtain an opening advantage then for sure main lines, but it will require pretty serious study, which not everyone wants to do.

The only anti-French defense I know of is you play d4 as white.