Play against the french and sicilian

Hi, I'm a lower rated user on chess.com. I usually open with 1.e4. Besides ...e5 I see c5 the sicilian and e6 the french a LOT. I have tried the smith-morra but it dosen't work well for me. And I do not know the best lines against the french. Maybe after1.e4 e6 2. d4 d5 should I play nd2 ? because I hate the winawer or whatever. please help

looking at your recent games you lost, you lost because you blundered. Your blunders usually weren't even in the beginning of the game, but came in the endgame. This isn't a reason to switch openings, since you need to work on tactics and endgames. If you work on openings you'll likely run into the same problems.

The goal of the opening is to get a playable position, which you do. There's no point in learning to play openings more accurately when you can't use whatever little edge you may get.

If you want a really simple system play the exchange french e4 e6 d4 d5 exd5 exd5 and then develop normally. Against the sicilian you shouldn't have trouble finding decent development since you usually are the one with a pawn in the center.

Also play slow games, since you'll actually have time to think about your moves. You won't fall into opening traps as easily if you're that worried about it.

Yes I will use your advice. I can't think straight in the endgame when I play bullet or blitz. You are very helpful

Against, the Sicillian . . . I have no neat line. Typically the stronger player wins, because both sides should be familiar with it and there is TONS of theory on it. That's why I play d4.

On the other hand, I still get Frenches with 1.d4, so I do have a tricky line that I've never seen anyone else use. If you are a tactical player that likes gambits, this one is very sound--but if you are a positional player, you should probably just stick to some of the closed variations. Here is what I play (but I forgot the name of it).

This surprising line is NOT what Frenchies like to see, and if you want a tactical opening without running into the sicillian, try the Veresov. Seriously though, most books put it in the d4 section because that is the first move, but say that it really belongs in the e4 section because of the type of game that arises. Hope this helps! (and in a Veresov, you don't see endgames very much. Typically, one of you has lost in the middlegame or opening.)

Thank you very much. That variation seems very interesting.  Where does the queen retreat usually after 8.Qd3 or does black develop with his knight?

This is called the Aljechin-Chatard...i usually play the Blackmar-Diemer-Gambit, but when my opponent forces me into the French, this is my favorite variation.

But 8.Qd3? is not the correct move...it blocks your white bishop and the queen usually goes to g4 or h5.

@Dark falcon- what is the blackmar-Diemer-Gambit? Thanks a lot

I humbly suggest the French Advance for French and The Alapin against the Sicilian.

1.d4 d5 2.e4

I got started with the veresov from Blackmar-Diemer. It's a very fun opening, which I still like better than the Veresov, but BDG will not work in higher level play. IM Justin Gardner started off with the BDG, it got him from 1200 to 1800 in a year, but he had to reasses his openings after that point.

Hope this helps! And about the Aljechin-Chatard, I've never actually played it. I just saw it a few days ago, and wanted to share my joy. I haven't gotten into a french game since I found the line . All I know comes from the book A Ferocious Opening Repertoire by Cyrus Lakdawala. He says, "The Alekhine-Chatard Gambit is for those thrill-seekers who don't want to grind their opponents and win by one tempo in 80 move. In case you are under the impression that this is an unsound gambit, it scores a hefty 59% for White according to my database. . . 8.Qd3! White played Nh3 and Qg4 in the old days. Qd3 is an improved version."

Hope this helps! By the way, if anyone knows a line like this against the caro-kann . . .

Thanks everybody!

Ok, sorry...i never met 8.Qd3...whats the idea behind it? Maybe i will try the book youve mentioned...

Dark Falcon, the puzzle doesn't load. Just wondering