French Defence

It's better to play Nc3 and e5

That answers nothing.  He said he likes to play the BLACK side of the advance.

Here is the key to the whole thing.  It is all about attacking d4 as fast as humanly possible.  The moral of the story, DO NOT touch that light-squared Bishop early!

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 (The "main line" is 4...Nc6, which we will transpose to in a moment, but if you are going to play the 5...Qb6 line, which I HIGHLY suggest, this move order avoids the sideline 5.Be3 and 6.Qd2, due to 5...Qxb2) 5.Nf3 Nc6 and now White has a choice:

A) 6.a3 (best), against which Black must choose between 6...c4, playing a more positional line, or 6...Nh6 7.b4 cxd4 8.cxd4 Nf5 9.Bb2 (9.Be3 is inferior - 9...Bd7 10.Bd3 [10.Nc3?? Nxb4!! 11.axb4 Bxb4 -+] 10...Nxe3 11.fxe3 is equal) and now Black has 2 options, both of which lead to a miniscule edge for White if he knows his stuff, but neither are scary:

A1) 9...Bd7 (my preference) and White's only move is 10.g4! With a tiny edge.  Anything else, like 10.Be2, is too slow.  Black can secure his knight's outpost with 10...h5!.  The point behind 9...Bd7 is to make 10.Bd3 impossible (10...Nfxd4 wins a pawn for Black)

A2) 9...Be7, making 10.g4?! Ineffective because 10...Nh4 is a desirable trade for Black.  Here, White should play 10.Bd3! Intending 11.Bxf5.  Note that 10...Nfxd4 now loses a piece to 11.Nxd4 since 11...Nxd4 12.Bxd4 Qxd4?? 13.Bb5+ drops the Queen.

B) 6.Be2 cxd4! 7.cxd4 Nh6 and now 8.O-O fails to 8...Nf5 and White cannot protect d4 and b2.  So 8.Nc3 is forced, and after 8...Nf5 9.Na4 Qa5+ (the check is critical!) 10.Bd2 Bb4 11.Bc3 (11.Bxb4? Qxb4+ is check and Black is winning) 11...b5! 12.a3 Bxc3+ 13.Nxc3 b4 14.axb4 Qxb4 =/+ (Black has the more active position)

C) 6.Bd3 - this is one of those lines you just have to study and know.  It is not very good for White, but you must just flat out know it!

Now, here is the problem with moving the Bishop early:

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bd7?! 6.Be2! f6 (it is too late for 6...cxd4 7.cxd4 Qb6 as now 8.O-O Nh6 9.Nc3 Nf5 10.Na4 Qa5 is no longer check.  After 10.Bd2 Bb4, white is better after 11.Bxb4! Since the recapture is not check, giving White the vital tempo he needs to get castled and not have his position fall apart.  Some will argue 7...Nge7 instead of 7...Qb6, but it still is too slow.

Hope this helps.

I like the french too. I usually go c4, I believe it's called the Marshall attack

There is no Marshall Attack in the French.

And are you talking in the Exchange Variation?  Or the diemer-duhm gambit? (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.c4?!)

Play the Caro-Kann

I am also curious about the French, was watching some of the agadmator videos on French Defense. Winawer variation looks fun.

Yes. Hangs head in shame 🤣

I occasionally play the french, usually when I'm trying to mess around with the hippo but move my d pawn two squares instead of one. Basically black attacks d4 with all his pieces - Nc6, Qb3, and Ne7-f4 sometimes. Then, he should prevent white from playing b4 (ever), get a knight onto c4 or something, and invade down the c file.

fun fact I've only played against the winawer variation once as white

probably because I don't play the Nc3 french, rip

i like to play the qb6 thing

it makes it difficult for white to develop their queenside imo

this probably arent the best moves but these are what i get most of the time when i play the french advance