I never really liked the sicilian as black, but I love to play the french defence (especially winawer variation). I have tried the sicilian before, but I didn't like it.
Any Sicilian devotees going French out there?
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Sep 14, 2008
0
#3
I guess this switch is quite rare, and you'll probably find more players going the other way round - ie. from French to Sicilian.
I'm interested to hear what people have to say here.
CzarWithinMoons wrote:
Its a medical fact: Good christian people play 1...e6, satanists play 1...c5. I'm sure we can all at least agree to that.
Not quite sure what your point is, Czar... I play the Sicilian. 
Been trying it out a bit in some of my games. Don't like the bad bishop aspect but it is quite sturdy.
c5 forever......there is only one type of french i like and its not ' the defence'
The people? 
Thanks all for responding.
Elubas - I've been trying the French out on Playchess about 40 tries so far, and thirty three of these were either some 2nd move alternative to 2.d4 or Exchange Variations. Thirty three! Is this normal. I know from my Sicilian experience that 2/3rd's or more of one's Sicilians will be "Anti-" (in fact some of my games against 2.c3 games turned into a French). Now I eventually got to like meeting the anti-sicilians but I can't say the same yet about the french.
Hicetnunc: I have a feeling you're correct about more people making the switch in the other direction, so if anyone reading this thread fits that description this is also interesting to me. Just a bit ago however I read an Amazon book review of Dangerous Weapons: French (I think) and he explained his switch from ...c5 to ...e6. His main reason was time spent in Sicilian theory and he's happy with his decision.
Mad-dog: I don't like it either. I hates it. Tricksy bishop. I have some QGD experience but I had less trouble with the c8-B there at the same stage of experimentation than with the french. It ought not to bother me but I went looking and found the french the idea of 4...Bd7 intending 5...Bc6 (eco C10 aka the "Fort Knox Variation") which is very interesting to me. I found an example of this line with Karpov playing Black from Las Palmas 96, a short draw against Judit Polgar. Seems like a great solution to the problem child for hobbyist/club level players.
I started out with the siclian (played the dragon and sveshnikov) but have since switched to the french. I liked the positions better...not to mention at the level I was at most people played some crap variation against the sicilian. I won most of my games...but it was just so boring.
The french is also easier to learn and more thematic IMO.
Sep 15, 2008
0
#10
CzarWithinMoons wrote:
Its a medical fact: Good christian people play 1...e6, satanists play 1...c5. I'm sure we can all at least agree to that.
This is called humor for those who didn't "GET IT"
immortalgamer wrote:
CzarWithinMoons wrote:
Its a medical fact: Good christian people play 1...e6, satanists play 1...c5. I'm sure we can all at least agree to that. This is called humor for those who didn't "GET IT"
Really? 
(Sarcasm for those that don't "GET IT")
ericmittens wrote:
I started out with the siclian (played the dragon and sveshnikov) but have since switched to the french. I liked the positions better...not to mention at the level I was at most people played some crap variation against the sicilian. I won most of my games...but it was just so boring. The french is also easier to learn and more thematic IMO.
I went through a similar problem facing anti-sicilians until I found dorian rogozenko's anti-sicilian book. I found it mid 2005, so about half of my time spent with 1...c5, and probably I ran into these systems 70% of the time, especially using 2...d6! (actually I had more mainline open systems with 2...e6, aiming for 5...d6 or 4...a6, say). For me at this time there was more worry than boredom with the antis so rogozenko's advice was helpful, i.e., don't worry about these plans - prepare for them but don't worry - because no anti-sicilian promises White any kind of advantage.
My thing is that the french seems to have it's own set of annoying/boring anti-french systems, and since I just started with the french over the weekend, I certainly am not totally prepared.
I know most of the anti-sicilian lines are crap, just like the exchange variation of the french is crap...but they're just so darn boring to play. Even if I have a great record against them I'm not enjoying the positions and therefore not enjoying chess.
I used to play the Najdorf pretty extensively as Black. The problem was that I would be crushed in the ensuing tactics by higher rated players or play against an Anti-Sicilian that wasn't even invented. I now have been a devoted French follower for a while now. Even the exchange gives some winning chances for both sides. I absolutely love the French and play many different variations based on my opponent. Give it a try. I am sure you will fall in love with it like I have.
KillaBeez wrote:
Even the exchange gives some winning chances for both sides.
I don't really see how the Exchange offers winning chances except to say that the stronger, better player will win. In my experience what makes winning chances is favorable imbalances (and the opening has a lot to do with what kinds and how they are created).
Don't get me wrong, I don't really mind playing against the C01 (or for that matter D35) and I see why White might choose such lines: they offer straightforward games and the winner isn't likely to be the one who's all booked up. It will come down to skill, especially endgame skill. I've won a few, lost a few. But it doesn't quite get the adrenaline going, see.
If you know of any master games in which Black can create reasonable imbalances, I'd be interested in seeing them
ericmittens wrote:
I know most of the anti-sicilian lines are crap, just like the exchange variation of the french is crap...but they're just so darn boring to play....I'm not enjoying the positions and therefore not enjoying chess.
I see what you mean... Joe Gallagher in a King's Indian book wrote of those White players who played the exchange should be strung up by the toes or something for playing the KID like this. I understand why White would choose these lines, or at least I think I do, like they are betting on having better endgame skills than you. But I consider those who play the Exchange French (and the anti-Sicilians!) the same.
e6 and c5 can both be played! how crazy is that and they usally will both be played in french or silician
Indeed they may both be played; I believe move order may have something to do with the vast differences, and I don't think it's all so easy
KillaBeez wrote:
Even the exchange gives some winning chances for both sides.
Ok, the only thing I've read so far about the French I found on Wikipedia, and there was mention of c4/...c5 plans, and ...0-0-0 plans to imbalance Exchange positions. Pretty interesting.
The following is a recent personal example of an Exchange; I believe my opponent is one who chooses this line in the hope of a simple game in which the stronger player will win. For good or ill I sought complications with my 13th move, trying to get out of what appeared to me as a pretty static game.
Since checking out Wikipedia (!) and playing this game, my opinion of the variation has changed somewhat. It can be made imbalanced safely for either side... and doesn't NEED to be boring and lifeless.
Just curious to know if there are a lot of you out there. Not looking to hear from the player who tried 1...c5 for a little while and then abandoned it for something else. But if you became a real aficionado, student, and practitioner of it, indeed you loved seeing the anti-Sicilians as well as the chance to use their pet open line -- and then you switched to 1...e6, I am interested in hearing from you.
What led you to switch? What were your Sicilian adventures like? How is the French working for you? What challenges are you running into? What literature, if any, has helped in the transition? Other points?
I have used the Sicilian for more than six years and after some 4000 examples in blitz and correspondence and some OTB, I've become comfortable in a wide range pawn structures and plans, so I've enjoyed playing a Kan as much as a Dragon and even the anti-Sicilians became as much fun for me as the big open lines.
What led me to the Sicilian from 1...e5 was the idea or feeling that my game would improve after taking up new plans and structures. Overall I'd say my tactics and positional sense has improved, and lately I've felt the same and had a tug towards 1...e6, which I have never used seriously. I think it would expose me to new set of positions, plans, lessons, etc.