Hoping for a good response on this topic. Have been in the game over 50 years and still have no good line against the French.
Repertoire Suggestions against French
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Saint_Anne wrote:
Hoping for a good response on this topic. Have been in the game over 50 years and still have no good line against the French.
I deep inside believed, Winawer must offer some sort of theoretical advantage, if you've been in game from 50 years, maybe you can explain , probleme white usually face against French, and what you've tried so far against it. It will broaden scope of responses.
Found more responses here.
Do check out, if anyone need.
https://lichess.org/forum/general-chess-discussion/repertoire-suggestions-against-french
I don’t know. I play the French and I think white is good in a lot of lines. If you play 1 c4 because you prefer to delay application of force then maybe you would like a maneuvering style of open like the KIA. I dislike facing the KIA. I dislike the white side also. It’s tedious.
Tarrasch and KIA are what I recommend
Can be tricky for a french defense player especially at this level
Mar 10, 2021
0
#7
Well, before you can succeed, you need to learn how to handle extended centers because that is how fighting the French works.
Studying the Advance would actually be simplest because while 3.Nc3 is theoretically best, in a Steinitz, you play e5. In the classical, you play 5.e5 (5.exd5 gets white ZILCH). In the Winawer, it's 4.e5 or ZERO advantage. In the Tarrasch, if 3...Nf6, it is 4.e5.
So either way you have to deal with the advance center.
Also, comparing the advanced center in the Caro to the advanced center in the French is like comparing limberger cheese to chocolate ice cream. They are nothing alike!
Your best bet is to suck it up buttercup and learn the advance variation. You will learn so much about central control, the blockade, pawn chains, attacks with a closed center, etc.
I saw you messaged me with a link to this thread, but I have no suggestion based on your preconceived issues that are completely invalid, but other lines are either garbage (exchange) or far more complicated (3.Nc3, which knowing just the Steinitz is not enough - gotta know the Winawer, Rubinstein, Fort Knox, etc).
Search for C02 with Nimzowitsch and Sveshnikov playing White.
ThrillerFan wrote:
Well, before you can succeed, you need to learn how to handle extended centers because that is how fighting the French works.
Studying the Advance would actually be simplest because while 3.Nc3 is theoretically best, in a Steinitz, you play e5. In the classical, you play 5.e5 (5.exd5 gets white ZILCH). In the Winawer, it's 4.e5 or ZERO advantage. In the Tarrasch, if 3...Nf6, it is 4.e5.
So either way you have to deal with the advance center.
Also, comparing the advanced center in the Caro to the advanced center in the French is like comparing limberger cheese to chocolate ice cream. They are nothing alike!
Your best bet is to suck it up buttercup and learn the advance variation. You will learn so much about central control, the blockade, pawn chains, attacks with a closed center, etc.
I saw you messaged me with a link to this thread, but I have no suggestion based on your preconceived issues that are completely invalid, but other lines are either garbage (exchange) or far more complicated (3.Nc3, which knowing just the Steinitz is not enough - gotta know the Winawer, Rubinstein, Fort Knox, etc).
Search for C02 with Nimzowitsch and Sveshnikov playing White.
Hi bruh, saw your reply. Forgot to update above, but I'm settled with Steinz, or classical french, and having no big problems for now.
I tried NC3 Nf6 Bg5, Bb4 lines, but didn't like the endgame afterwards and pieces are getting exchanged way too often. Though I'm getting better piece play with Nf6 E5 Nfd7 F4.
Thank you for suggestions, really appreciate it.
Is it me or you "bruh"-ed him for no reason?
Mar 11, 2021
0
#10
The Steinitz is fine for white, BRUH (SMH), but what are you going to do about the Rubinstein and For Knox (3...dxe4) and the Winawer (3...Bb4)? You cannot make Black allow the Steinitz, BRUH!
chamo, "Bruh" is apparently some new references that teenagers use today. It might be ok for in person conversation with the others you find "cool", but on the internet and in public with people you do not know, it is highly inappropriate. It is just as bad, if not worse, than walking into a restaurant, having a male waiter under 25 coming to your table and saying "what can I get you to drink boss man? Coke? Coming right up boss man!" You sound completely stupid when you say that to a customer, especially someone over 20 years your senior.
"bruh" is said after a "bruh" moment these days
aka:-someone says something dumb... and the response starts or ends with "bruh"
which I don't get in this case
Pretty much every book line has good chances against the French...which is why they're book lines vs the French.
I think the reason so many players have trouble vs the French is because the French is pretty much impervious to direct assault, and most attempts at attacking directly will eventually lead to exchanges and a superior end game for Black. Best approach is to play positionally, use White's advantage in space and play to restrict Black's Light Square Bishop. As for specific lines:
1) Exchange Variation. "By the Book", it's very draw-ish, but consider...Black is playing 1...e6 expecting a very Closed game. 3. exd5 creates the opposite to the type of game Black was aiming for, which may create a psychological advantage. Plus, Black probably hasn't studied the Exchange variation very much (since few people play it) which puts you on even footing in terms of Theory.
2) Advance Variation. The most positionally aggressive line, and IMHO the most fun. Black's center is invulnerable, so find the right moment to play b4, claiming space on the Queen side and burying Black's LSB, and Black's position will eventually crack under the pressure. Note: if Black does NOT play c5 before Nc6, you can almost claim the game right there, as Black will likely find himself hopelessly constricted. There are a lot of illustrative games out there showing how Black gets caught in a permanent bind with this vairation. I recommend Nimzowitsch vs Hakansson (1922) and Alpha Zero vs Stockfish 8 (2 games to choose from).
3) If you don't prefer positional play and want to just attack, 2. c4 prevents Black from building a solid center at all. It CAN lead to the Orthoschnapp gambit if you want a trappy opening, but you can use it to simply keep the center from getting locked and play the game more on your own terms.
Mar 12, 2021
0
#13
I was going to suggest the Advanced French until I read the entire comment. However still if you are familiar with it then I suppose you could just as well adapt to playing these systems as White.
KamikazeJohnson wrote:
Pretty much every book line has good chances against the French...which is why they're book lines vs the French.
I think the reason so many players have trouble vs the French is because the French is pretty much impervious to direct assault, and most attempts at attacking directly will eventually lead to exchanges and a superior end game for Black. Best approach is to play positionally, use White's advantage in space and play to restrict Black's Light Square Bishop. As for specific lines:
1) Exchange Variation. "By the Book", it's very draw-ish, but consider...Black is playing 1...e6 expecting a very Closed game. 3. exd5 creates the opposite to the type of game Black was aiming for, which may create a psychological advantage. Plus, Black probably hasn't studied the Exchange variation very much (since few people play it) which puts you on even footing in terms of Theory.
2) Advance Variation. The most positionally aggressive line, and IMHO the most fun. Black's center is invulnerable, so find the right moment to play b4, claiming space on the Queen side and burying Black's LSB, and Black's position will eventually crack under the pressure. Note: if Black does NOT play c5 before Nc6, you can almost claim the game right there, as Black will likely find himself hopelessly constricted. There are a lot of illustrative games out there showing how Black gets caught in a permanent bind with this vairation. I recommend Nimzowitsch vs Hakansson (1922) and Alpha Zero vs Stockfish 8 (2 games to choose from).
3) If you don't prefer positional play and want to just attack, 2. c4 prevents Black from building a solid center at all. It CAN lead to the Orthoschnapp gambit if you want a trappy opening, but you can use it to simply keep the center from getting locked and play the game more on your own terms.
You're not wrong for the most part except for the exchange variation... it's not true that a few people only play it this is soooo common.... Plus it doesn't require much studying from black they just learn a systematic setup with some theory and grind you out easily.
Why did you not mention classical or Tarrasch or KIA?
And the Steiner is not the best unless you play and Ortoschnapp which gives you some kind of psychological advantage... I mean it's a gambit after all (@GINGERGM @EricRosen)
But the mainline is e4 e6 c4 d5! anyway, cxd5 exd5 exd5 and we have an IQP position! we don't even recapture the pawn as Qxd5 just walks into Nc3 and white is just better. Instead, we play Nf6! This is an isolated pawn that can't be defended by another pawn so technically we can capture it whenever it suits us. Then, we play Be7 O-O and take the pawn with a nice solid position and white gets ZILKCH
Mar 12, 2021
0
#15
I will probably get flak for this, but I am very fond of the 6 Qe2+ line in the Exchange French. I basically only get to play that and the Nc6, Bd6, Nge7, Bg4, Qd7, 0-0-0 setup. The latter can be quite exciting, surprisingly for an Exchange French, but without knowledge on typical French structures required.
Mar 12, 2021
0
#16
If we're talking about favorite lines in the French...
Note: no need to take this as advice. What I say is usually not a good advice anyway.
Although down a pawn there is a clear lead in development for White. I've found it strange how Stockfish evaluates this as -1.3, implying that Black is even more up than just the pawn. Played this a few times against downgraded Arena engines, this position felt easier to play than most other theoretical gambits I tried.
I just wrote an article about a simple strategy against the french with 3.Nd2. I guess it can show you a nice way of handling the french structures: https://www.chess.com/blog/SharpCube/beat-the-french-with-the-hodor-strategy
Check it out!
Think a French player would be able to consolidate this @Wilderkaart and I'd love to play that against you... maybe Nf5 Bxf5 transformation is good for black because white gives up the goof light-squared bishop? Would be grateful if you accepted the game and let me try it out
@SharpCube will definitely check it out thanks
chamo2074 wrote:
You're not wrong for the most part except for the exchange variation... it's not true that a few people only play it this is soooo common.... Plus it doesn't require much studying from black they just learn a systematic setup with some theory and grind you out easily.
Clearly your Chess experiences and mine differ greatly 
I've been playing the French as my exclusive response to 1. e4 since about 1990, and over hundreds of games both OTB and online I think I've faced 3. exd5 maybe twice. I guess it depend who your typical opponents are.
I am sorry, twice?????????
Have you played the french 5 times since 1990?
Also how come you only 1300 I guess you don't play chess on this site and just discuss on the forums, probably your real OTB rating is much higher than that
anyway the OP is gonna face the same opponents I do so he is gonna face the groan quite often
I've been a English opening player, most of life and recently switched to E4. I'm looking for reliable opening response, against French.
PS, I avoid advanced variation as white, as I'm a Caro Kann player as well, and psychologically prefer to be on black side in such extended center positions.
I liked Steinz variation, but couldn't understand much about it, as it looked little different than advance, yet still a option.
Burn variation, or Nf6 Bg5 line, I am very interested in playing, but after forced Bb4 E5 H6, I'm not sure of evaluation, any experienced players please enlighten me, as this opening is a foreign territory to me.
(I WILL APPRECIATE IF YOU SUGGEST LINES PLAYABLE IN CLASSICAL, RATHER THAN A TRICKY GAMBIT LINE, which White can be better only if black totally misplays position. )
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE