1983B-Boy wrote:
it effing drives me nuts! I hate it!
Nobody cares! If you hate it, don't play it!
Why would anyone play the French defense?
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Please note my low skill level, however, from my point of view whatever ruy lopez berlin wall hermit variations don’t seem appealing with only looking to draw. In the sicilian the pawn structure with e6 and d6 if you play d5 you have the french pawn structure anyway and if you play e5 you have backwards pawn. I guess it doesn’t matter if you have equal or good position but it seems counterintuitive. Also, just with a quick glance of some of the lines of the dragon seem scary for black.
Kaon_497 написал:
Please note my low skill level, however, from my point of view whatever ruy lopez berlin wall hermit variations don’t seem appealing with only looking to draw. In the sicilian the pawn structure with e6 and d6 if you play d5 you have the french pawn structure anyway and if you play e5 you have backwards pawn. I guess it doesn’t matter if you have equal or good position but it seems counterintuitive. Also, just with a quick glance of some of the lines of the dragon seem scary for black.
It's cause they are.
Crispysrisp wrote:
In a topic with this many responses, doubtless it's all been said already, but I'll put in my two cents anyway.
The thing is that every black defense to 1. e4 involves compromise and concessions to White. It doesn't matter if you play 1...e5 or 1...c5 or whatever. If White plays to apply maximum pressure you're likely going to end up doing things you'd rather not or end up in structures you'd rather not. Maybe you'll end up with a half center, or a small center, or a weak d-pawn, or having to lock in your KB with d6. Or maybe (in the Sicilian) you'll lock in your QB w/ e6 anyway... There's no free lunch.
The thing with French players is they understand Black has to make concessions and they've decided on making those concessions on their own terms. They'll do it in a way where they know all about the positions they're getting into. They know the French's strengths and its weaknesses and they've seen games where the QB zig-zags its way to freedom on the kingside and where the king walks its way to safety on the queenside. They're betting they'll beat you with familiarity and with knowledge of how to maximize the defense's strengths and how to mitigate its weaknesses.