When to play ...f6 in the French Defense??

I know that ...c5 and ...f6 breaks are how black tries to undermine white's space gaining pawn structure in the centre. The ...c5 break comes naturally to me, but ...f6 is the problem. Could anyone give me a guideline or rule of thumb as to when ...f6 should be played? ( Note : I play the classical lines with Nf6 and not the Winawer).

i dont know ur lines but lets try to find this system

its cool

@Abhi, thank you. I will definitely try it out.

why not buying a book?

there are too much situations...

Im says buying a book.its worse bec chessbase is the best program to study openings with latest updates

chessbase doesnt give ideas, as in a book...

First a book, then u can see games on chessbase.

oh re u kidding sir

i am using chessabse nd if u can try to view five or six games u can easily get the ideas nd plans

i can get easily 

i m sure u can also bec u re too strong

i use chesbase for opening studies 

@IM poucin, I have a book called " Winning with the French " by Wolffgang Uhlmann. I have read through the chapter on 3. Nc3 but he plays the Winawer. The tarrasch has the ...f6 as a book move, so that I dont worry about it there. But in the Bg5 lines, I find myself playing ...f6 at the wrong time, following which sometimes my e6 pawn falls or else White plays Qh5+ and gets a good position.I also have access to an older chessbase.

i have chessabse 2015 databse nd its enough for me t understand

Watson is the best author for french 

i have his lates edition too

I don't play french but I usually get CRUSHED against it.

Alekhine-Capablanca
Amsterdam, 11/19/1938 (Capablanca's 50th birthday)
AVRO Tournament Round 9
French Defense [C06]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ne2 Qb6 8. Nf3 cxd4 9. cxd4 Bb4+?! [9. ... f6 is better. - Kasparov] 10. Kf1!? [This leads to more spirited play, whereas after 10. Bd2 Black can force the exchange of queens. - Alekhine] Be7 [10. ... f6; Spielmann-Stolz 1930] 11. a3 Nf8 [11. ... O-O 12. h4! - Euwe; 11. ... a5!? - ECO] 12. b4 Bd7 13. Be3 Nd8?! [13. ... Rc8 - Panov; 13. ... f5 - Kotov] 14. Nc3 a5 [Kasparov and Alekhine give this move a ?! but suggest nothing better. ECO also provides no alternative move here.] 15. Na4! Qa7 16. b5 b6 17. g3 f5 18. Kg2 [±, ECO] Nf7 19. Qd2! h6 20. h4 Nh7 21. h5! Nfg5 22. Nh4 Ne5 23. Qb2 Kf7?! [23. ... O-O - Kotov] 24. f3 Neg5 25. g4 fxg4 26. Bg6+! Kg8 27. f4! Nf3 28. Bxh7+! Rxh7 29. Ng6 Bd8 30. Rac1! Be8 31. Kg3! Qf7 32. Kxg4 Nh4 33. Nxh4 Qxh5+ 34. Kg3 Qf7 35. Nf3. In this lost position, Capablanca lost on time. [Capa was clearly getting slower as he aged; the only other occasion on which he ever lost on time was in Moscow 1935.]

When the White king is threatened and the center is unsustainable as such.

I only play the French and I still have practically no idea what I'm doing. My kingside always feels so exposed and it's usually because I mess up with my f pawn.

try to follow mine favourate system mentioned above

nd then no need to play f6

You have shown her/him the Steintz/Boleslavsky line and I have shown her/him what to do in case of White playing the Tarrasch Variation.

Two different variations, White is the one choosing, not Black.

Tarrasch Variation - 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3.Nd2

After 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 (6...b6 intends ...Ba6 next to get rid of Black's "bad" light-square bishop, a recurring idea in the French) 7. Ne2 (leaving f3 open for the queen's knight) 7... cxd4 8. cxd4 f6 9. exf6 Nxf6 10. Nf3 Bd6 Black has freed his pieces at the cost of having a backward pawn on e6. White may also choose to preserve his pawn on e5 by playing 4. e5 Nfd7 5. c3 c5 6. f4 Nc6 7. Ndf3, but his development is slowed as a result, and Black will gain dynamic chances if he can open the position to advantage.

Steinitz Variation - 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3

4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 (the most common but White has other options: 5.Nce2, the Shirov–Anand Variation), White gets ready to bolster his centre with c2–c3 and f2–f4. Or 5.Nf3 (aiming for piece play) 5... c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 (7.Nce2 transposes to the Shirov–Anand Variation; a trap is 7.Be2 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Ndxe5! 9.fxe5 Qh4+ winning a pawn), Black has several options. He may step up pressure on d4 by playing 7...Qb6 or 7...cxd4 8.Nxd4 Qb6, or choose to complete his development, either beginning with the kingside by playing 7...cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5, or with the queenside by playing 7...a6 8.Qd2 b5.

against Nd2 i would like to play this variation

its not popular alot but its very sharp system

@ Abhi_Mary : no need to learn variations if u dont see 12.Nf5?? Qxd1 and exf5 0-1...

That's a very risky line. Aagard's "Play the French" covers lines with Qc7 and Bd6, which is sounder. Also some ideas, and lines which weren't in databases, at least when first came out. 

Also in the stenitz var as well as the the a6, b5 line mentioned looks at be7 , then 0.0 when playing f6 is a possibility. Also covers the classical bg5 line, so most of the OP's concerns. There are so many decent French books, you can pick one to explain ideas, then use databases or whatever to see how more theoretical lines in rep change.

i am sorry master in speed i missed it

i am sorry

Look, it's always me getting stoned in the end. The story of my life.