French Advance for white

Having spent about a year now on my own studying tactics and endgames, I have decided to start trying to learn a few openings. I really admire the likes of Tal and Fischer and other aggressive players and want to play a similar style game. I found an article on aggressive openings for white. A lot of them make sense, but one that had confused me is playing the advance against the French defense. The article claims it's not the best choice for the French if the opponent really knows what they are doing, but that it is still sound and presents many opportunities for attacking the black king. After studying it a bit, however, I've noticed that in almost all of the lines, white is not attacking but trying to defend his d4 e5 pawn chain. Is there something I am missing about why this variation is good for aggressive play, or am I right and the article is just misleading?

That is why I don't play the advance variation, because black can put a lot of pressure on your pawns and get good good queenside play.  I just play the exchange variation and try to get in the middlegame ASAP.  

As a former French player for 10 years, here's my take, worst to best:

Exchange - Utter cr*p and White gets aboslutely NOTHING!

Tarrasch - White gets absolutely nothing better than sheer equality after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5! 4.exd5 (4.Ngf3 Nf6 leads to the Korchnoi Gambit, which is overhyped - White gets nothing out of it if Black plays it right) exd5 5.Ngf3 (5.Bb5+ Bd7 is completely equal) Nf6! (Stronger than the old 5...Nc6) and Black has achieved full equality already and we are only 5 moves in!

King's Indian Attack - This line is probably best played against the French.  Second best is Sicilian.  But to just pre-meditate the KIA against everything other than 1...d5 is not smart.  Slim advantage for White with correct play against the French

Advance - There are many, many, MANY ideas that came out of this opening in the mid-2000s that have caused MAJOR headaches for Black, all of which come from the a3-lines, like 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.a3!  Sveshnikov wrote a pair of excellent books on this subject, and is the second best line for White (and the line I play usually)

3.Nc3 Variations - This is the strongest move against the French, but it is also highly theoretical.  If you are going to play these lines, I'd recommend some heavy studying first!

exchange isn't utter crap lol, it's just drawish

The reason White players go for the advance is to hold that pawn center without having to make a "concessional" move like 3.Nc3 (blocking the c pawn which can support d4) and 3.Nd2 (Retaining the option of advancing the c pawn, but placing the knight on a somewhat awkward square). And yes, I see your point that white commonly is just trying to hold the center, but should he successfully do so, white has the means to drive black's pieces back (e.g., g4 against a black knight on f5 should it be appropriate) and launch an attack. Of course, the Advance also has it's downisde, namely allowing black to launch rather quick queenside counterplay, but overall, it's definitely worth taking a look at while you begin building your opening repertoire (probably the best choice in fact when building a repertoire from the start, as it teaches basic French structures without forcing upon you the Winawer, which leads to more unorthrodox plans from both sides).

25382 games. only %37 draws :) 

I think the advanced french might be the best try by white for long-term advantage against 1...e6.  Black might have many natural moves for counterplay on the queenside but white can hold his space advantage with accurate play.  Check out Grischuk's games for ideas in the advanced french as white.  

Uhm, yes, the exchange variation is utter cr*p.

Just check out the online database at www.newinchess.com.  FR 1.4 thru FR 1.6.  Take any line where Black doesn't play Bb4, and White is scoring a mere 45%.  Against Bb4, he scores 52%.

Those numbers equate to "utter cr*p" in my book when you are talking White.  If Black scores that, fine, that's normal.

it has high potential to be drawish

Does this database factor in inaccuracies or blunders in the middlegame or endgame or even in the later opening?  Database use is meta-analysis and not real analysis.  It is not an actual evaluation of a position.  Real analysis is done over the board by masters and they use individual games by masters as examples with maybe a bit of computer analysis.  Exchange French isn't utter crap, it is very playable but just drawish and not very ambitious as white.  It aims to keep the position simple and get into the middlegame.  

Openings are overrated anyway.  Look at how Carlsen can dominate the game without being the best opening player.

Hahaha, when have the French ever advanced?

Just a gentle reminder that the exchange variation isn't the topic of the thread, although I would be more than happy to make such a thread if a medium through which to discuss the subject is needed. As for the advance, why does a3 cause headaches? It seems easily countered by a5 it seems.

And what happened..?

And what happened..?

Napoleon ADVANCED into Russia and was defeated soon after.

YES!

ok?  you asked if the French ever advanced.  I gave you an example.  Losing a war is a different topic entirely.  That was cute of you to try to change subjects though. gg. better luck trolling next time  

I wasny trolling cheeky!