Advanced French Defense Bd3

I want to study the lines after 1. e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 nc6 5.nf3 qb6 6.bd3 cxd5 7. cxd5 and than bd7. 0-0 Seems to be a popular move in this position, but i want to do more study before playing something like this. Do you have some insights on the position that you can share or know any GMs games i can study? Or if you know a good book on these lines could you recommend it? Thanks

You mean for White?

Well, if you don't want to play 8.0-0 in this position, forget about playing 6.Bd3:

Basically, 6.Bd3 is a gambit line where White has pieces activity for the invested pawn (sometimes even two pawns if Black is greedy).

You will need all your pieces to justify the sacrifice of these two pawns, including your h-rook. And in any case, you'll have to castle sooner or later.

What's wrong with 0-0?

Devious clever trap for the queen.  I don't know.  I don't like the advanced variation.  So I don't know much about it.  pfren knows what he's talking about though d3 blocks the central pawns later on in the game those two pawns become targets in that opening.  I don't like Bd7 though.  I would prefer Nd7 instead as it is more typical in the french where black parks his knight on g6 later aiming at the two central pawns.  White is suppose to take with the bishop.  The doubled pawns isn't that big of a deal for black though I don't think.  I could be wrong though.

If you like lines like this where you might eventually lose a pawn or two I would suggest another opening entirely.  e4 e6 d4 d5 e5 c5 Nf3 Nc6 Bd3  that I think is a lot better.  There is a video on chess.com about it.  You should watch it if you are diamond.

I see. Thanks for the advice and material. I will study that. So do you suggest that I don't play Bd3 if I'm not ready to play the gambit lines?

Nothing is wrong is 0-0, I just tend to hestitate playing gambit lines. But you're right, all the games I saw so far with Bd3 and Bd7 seem to lead to gambit lines. They're interesting though. I think I might incorporate this opening to my repertoire as a way to surprise French players. 

Interesting, I think i'll check out that line without c3 too. It's fascinating how these nuances change the position.

Thanks for the input :)

Haha, the annoying hidey hole. I get quite annoyed when i'm planning to force the exchange of my knight for his bishop in c4 by playing na5 at some point, but then my opponent plays a3. Grrrr Haha :) Example:

a2-a3 does have some relevance to the French Defense though. One of the main alternatives to my move Bd3 is actually a3. It's a completely different opening though.

5.Ng5 looks tasty for white in the Bishop's opening diagram. On your original question I think if you play Bd3 you have to play 0-0 and sac the pawn because it costs too much time if you follow it with Bc2 for example. Anecdotally as a French player I am very happy to see the variation you give. If you go a3 instead of Bd3 I would play Nh6 coming with Nf5. Interesting lines.

Indeed, French defense is certainly an interesting opening. 

I'm curious, you say you are happy to play the lines after Bd3, is there any line for white in the French which you aren't very happy to face? 

It is . I just put some random moves on the board getting to the "hidey hole" deoxy was talking about. 

Basically I'm happy against the advance 3.e5 and any continuation after that because I feel like I know what I'm doing! If 3.Nc3 instead of the advance I usually play 3.Bb4 the Winawer, for some reason I have never taken to the classical 3.Nf6. I guess I probably least like to see the lines where white plays Bd2. Here is a game where I was outplayed and lost in this setting. Interestingly white got a position akin to the advance with pawns on c3,d4,e5 but I had no pressure on d4 and my queenside was blown open. This kind of game is not usually what a French player is looking for because the position doesn't remain closed. The game is from white's perspective as you are looking at ideas for white.

Ouch, that was a painful loss. Thanks for sharing it though.

Strangely, some really strong players tell me that 3.e5 is the critical move. But you, a French player, say you know what you're doing in those lines and they don't bother you. Very interesting indeed. Is it that black players know that e5 is the main move, so they prepare for it the most? Quite ironic really

Ha ha yeah maybe Pawiboy. And yes eaguiraud I know I don't have to play the Winawer I just like most of the structures, lines etc with perhaps the exception of Bd2 lines as I said. I still score pretty well with it overall, no point binning a whole variation because of a wrinkle I don't like, I'll just have to learn to play it better! There would be certain lines in the Rubinstein or Fort Knox which I would have difficulty with as well I'm sure.

I found out that e5 is the most difficult variation imo to play against IF white really knows what he is doing. That is why I recently started playing 3.e5. My best results as black are when the opponents play the advance, and my best results as white against the french are when I play the advance.

interesting - i do well against the advanced as black but only because ive studied that line a lot - e5 i think is a good move though that can lead to good kingside pressure if done properly