Classical French
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Re: Classical French
As a French defence player for many years, I'd tend to agree with Roger and Joey; there is more to it than meets the eye, you can get opposite side castling in either direction, and it avoids all the theory. On the other hand I don't mind it when weaker players do it as a drawing try, because they tend to under-estimate the complexities ( they also forget the Chess for Tigers rule).
Of course I'm only talking about club level chess, I guess at master level it would be 95% draws?
Of course I'm only talking about club level chess, I guess at master level it would be 95% draws?
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Re: Classical French
Looks like 50% say gone wrong at move 5 & 50% wrong at move 3.
Even Bobby Fischer had trouble with the French.
Even Bobby Fischer had trouble with the French.
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Re: Classical French
Believe that if you want, it's one of the points of playing it that the assertions of authors wishing to sell books on the French are not completely correct.Brian Towers wrote: Come on, it's a bit of a passion killer and gives black complete equality.
There is a line which I suspect leads to sterile equality. Players rated a hundred points or more higher might be reluctant to employ it.
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Re: Classical French
Please share!Roger de Coverly wrote:There is a line which I suspect leads to sterile equality.
Ah, but I was so much older then. I'm younger than that now.
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Re: Classical French
The main strategy with the exchange French is to bore your opponent to sleep during the game isn't it?
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Re: Classical French
Play the lines with c4 and it's an IQP game, similar in some respects to the Panov line in the Caro. I get around 60% with it.MJMcCready wrote:The main strategy with the exchange French is to bore your opponent to sleep during the game isn't it?
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Re: Classical French
The thread has moved in a rather interesting direction.
On "almost" though. Some of us are ploughing a lonely furrow. You’re quite right, it’s a genuine winning attempt for White if played with winning intentions. Morphy (edited) played it after all. It can’t be that bad.
Joey - just like he was last time he said it - is quite wrong. French players really don’t tend to hate the exchange. I’m sure there are a lot of ex-players who hate the exchange but that’s a rather different thing.
With regard to the early c2-c4 lines, they are also similar to a line of the Queen’s Gambit Accepted except that by waiting for Be2 or Bd3 before playing ... exd4 Black gains a tempo. For that reason alone the line must be technically inferior (and I suspect the pawn on c7 rather than e7 favours Black compared to the panov-botvinnik) but these are minor differences at club level.
Roger de Coverly wrote:Authors are almost always disparaging to the Exchange French.Joey Stewart wrote:I prefer 3. exd5 - french players will hate you for ruining all their theory
On "almost" though. Some of us are ploughing a lonely furrow. You’re quite right, it’s a genuine winning attempt for White if played with winning intentions. Morphy (edited) played it after all. It can’t be that bad.
Joey - just like he was last time he said it - is quite wrong. French players really don’t tend to hate the exchange. I’m sure there are a lot of ex-players who hate the exchange but that’s a rather different thing.
With regard to the early c2-c4 lines, they are also similar to a line of the Queen’s Gambit Accepted except that by waiting for Be2 or Bd3 before playing ... exd4 Black gains a tempo. For that reason alone the line must be technically inferior (and I suspect the pawn on c7 rather than e7 favours Black compared to the panov-botvinnik) but these are minor differences at club level.
Last edited by Jonathan Bryant on Sat Feb 06, 2016 11:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The Abysmal Depths of Chess: https://theabysmaldepthsofchess.blogspot.com
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Re: Classical French
Well, I gave up the French because of the Exchange variation around thirty years ago.
My grade has been on a gradual decline ever since. Whether that's because of my inferior choice of the Najdorf as a replacement or because of advancing years I can't really say.
My grade has been on a gradual decline ever since. Whether that's because of my inferior choice of the Najdorf as a replacement or because of advancing years I can't really say.
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Re: Classical French
I have to admit I've not heard of him. Was he Paul Morphy's Irish cousin?Jonathan Bryant wrote: Murphy played it after all. It can’t be that bad.
Ah, but I was so much older then. I'm younger than that now.
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Re: Classical French
To be sure.Brian Towers wrote:I have to admit I've not heard of him. Was he Paul Morphy's Irish cousin?Jonathan Bryant wrote: Murphy played it after all. It can’t be that bad.
The Abysmal Depths of Chess: https://theabysmaldepthsofchess.blogspot.com
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Re: Classical French
Well that’s evidence for half my theory, at least.Mike Truran wrote:Well, I gave up the French because of the Exchange variation around thirty years ago.
TBH, it would be a bit odd to keep playing the French if you hate the exchange - or any other variation that’s very easily available to White for that matter.
The Abysmal Depths of Chess: https://theabysmaldepthsofchess.blogspot.com
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Re: Classical French
It's probably all those anti-Sicilians Mike. At least there's no anti-French to deal with.Mike Truran wrote:Well, I gave up the French because of the Exchange variation around thirty years ago.
My grade has been on a gradual decline ever since. Whether that's because of my inferior choice of the Najdorf as a replacement or because of advancing years I can't really say.
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Re: Classical French
Yes, they certainly didn't help (until I went through some of Gallagher's book, which certainly did help).
But isn't the Exchange French effectively the same thing?
But isn't the Exchange French effectively the same thing?
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Re: Classical French
I have trouble with the French and find that the exchange leads to what can only be described as a 'dull' position. Recently I have had a couple of games beginning 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 h6 . I have tried 7.Qh5 h6 8. Bxe7 Qxe7 9.Qg5 but find the position difficult to play. MCO says 7. Be3 though in a recent game the bishop wasn't doing anything on that square!