I am not a french player, but i would play the exchange variation any day. Easy equality
Any other French Defense players here face the exchange variation far too often? How to stay motivat
You probably need to find players who play 1.e4 as White, but typically respond to it with the French when they are Black.
1.e4 players typically hate the French Defence precisely because of the closed positions that derive from it, therefore they play the Exchange... instant hole in the middle of the board.
It has the worst win percentage for White of any major French reply. So I suggest you learn it and make them sorry they played it.
It has the worst win percentage for White of any major French reply. So I suggest you learn it and make them sorry they played it.
I agree. As a player of the French I am very happy to see 3. exd5. It means I am already equal, and my QB has freedom. It also suggests that White is not:
a) up for a proper fight and
b) aware of Blacks many good winning atempts against it
Lol. My theory was right, French players like to get mated.
I wouldnt mind drawing with Black specially when White has so many dangerous lines againts Black, and if I have to play for a win, well, I dont play 1...e6
Even Jonh Patzorlomewh has accepted that there are lines that give problems for Black...
Patzer? Funny considering John is IM.
It's very rare to have an opening where you like every variation. I've played virtually every opening there is, and I swear, every time I think I find the one opening that I'll use forever, the next game I get a dull position that makes my eyes bleed. It's not the openings are refuted, but simply that the positions aren't very fun to play. For me, it's playing against Colle and London systems as Black when I've played d5. Makes me sad.
On one hand, I tell myself that playing positions I don't like will make me a better player, but on the other hand, why play chess if you're not enjoying it? Once in a while, I'll just do something crazy: castle Queenside, pawnstorms, sac an exchange, whatever. The French exchange allows you to do this as early as the third move: taking with the Queen instead of the pawn, or offering a gambit with 3...Nf6.
Being able to play sub-optimal but fun moves, leading to completely different middlegames, is what keeps my interest up in those less tasty opening variations.
What's the difference between these two positions ?
Both sides have lost a pawn and their respective queen's pawns are on queen four. The first position is full of possibility or is it boring ? What about the second ? There are fewer possibilities but for human purposes a number of possibilities that couldn't be exhausted over several life times...
The board one for our club is strong and plays the French. He routinely beats exchangers as black. White's extra move is not necessarily an advantage; black has the informational edge. after Eg 1e4 e6 2d4 d5 3ed ed 4Bd3 I like c5 for black but one move earlier I have come to have a lower regard for 4c4. I believe black's c5 is better because of white's bishop on d3 . I like to have faith in the notion that black can be the 'punisher' of bad white moves.
Yisus Craist, you guys need to mature as chess players, stop playing and craving for cavemen chess and learn what positional chess, and playing like a European is.
As someone who used to play the french but swapped to the caro-kann in part because of the exchange variation, I play the exchange variation as white precisely because having played on the black side and I'm well aware it will usually annoy black. The way I see it being a tempo up and having a small psychological advantage gives white a good game if he's familiar with the ins and outs of the position.
As for the black side, if you really despise it and want to keep playing the french 2...c5 may be worth a look, though it might not lead to the same positions you enjoy. Otherwise the only option is reading up on it really. C5 breaks are something cool to look at as they lead to more combatitive imbalanced IQP positions.
As someone who used to play the french but swapped to the caro-kann in part because of the exchange variation, I play the exchange variation as white precisely because having played on the black side and I'm well aware it will usually annoy black. The way I see it being a tempo up and having a small psychological advantage gives white a good game if he's familiar with the ins and outs of the position.
As for the black side, if you really despise it and want to keep playing the french 2...c5 may be worth a look, though it might not lead to the same positions you enjoy. Otherwise the only option is reading up on it really. C5 breaks are something cool to look at as they lead to more combatitive imbalanced IQP positions.
Be careful buddy, Im the retard here, not you.
Hey Everyone,
For the last month or so I have been trying to get back into chess seriously, studying and playing a lot (though only online these days). Being notorious for switching too frequently between various defenses without mastering them, I decided to pick just one against 1.e4 and 1.d4. Fond of the rather closed but sharp positions that can occur via the Winawer and Advanced varations of the French, I decided to take it up again.
However, after playing for a while on live chess, I remembered why I was discouraged from it in the first place -- the exchange variation simply happens FAR too often. I am pretty sure I get it in about 60% of my games against 1.e4, and it is simply discouraging because, as any French player knows, we don't choose 1...e6 because of our love for the exchange variation. Now this post isn't about how to play against it or imbalance the game; I'm well aware of different approaches I can take, and probably win against it more than I lose (at my level [between 1950 and 2000 in live 10 minute games on this site] it is not drawish, and the better player usually wins), but rather, it is about how to stay motivated when playing the French defense, as it can be tough when you seldom get the type of position you want.
Anyone else find this variation incredibly popular? Stronger, equal, and weaker players alike play it against me, and usually they aren't aiming to draw. Why is it so popular at club level? Is white really that fearful of the closed positions that arise in the mainlines? How do you stay motivated with the French as black (Sicilian players could compare it to getting anti-sicilians every game and almost never being allowed to play their favourite Open Sicilian)?
It would be interesting to hear your opinions and experiences.
Cheers!