Here we are, together on this page, both interested in the French Defence with 3.Nc3 Bb4. Before telling you what you can learn from this opening, let me tell you a little story about my journey in the French. I started playing the French after reading John Watson’s Play the French, which improved my play a lot. I learned that the French is a positional yet concrete opening, and many of my young opponents couldn’t grasp its subtleties. Moreover, many opponents were far less prepared against 1 ... e6 than against 1 ... c5 or 1 ... e5. Unfortunately those days would end.
During the 2008 Dutch Youth Championships (U20), I understood that everyone would throw 7.Qg4 in the Winawer at me. In that respect, my opening preparation was simple: I’d study the Winawer for Black very intensively and the problem would be solved. In reality, I faced many difficulties. Novelties I’d find in the evenings were promptly refuted by the engine the next morning; I was constantly thinking about the French, but I couldn’t quite make it work. There was this strange, inexplicable feeling in my stomach, some might call “butterflies”. I had fallen in love with a chess line! Despite my two losses in the crucial games, I still believed I had a great repertoire with countless novelties to show for it.
Content
004 Key to Symbols & Bibliography
007 Preface
011 PART I - Deviations Before Move Seven
013 Chapter 1 - 4.Qg4?! (The Impatient Queen)
021 Chapter 2 - 4.Qd3 (The Clever Queen)
033 Chapter 3 - 4.a3 (Doubled Pawn Warfare)
043 Chapter 4 - 4.Ne2 (Knights Before Bishops)
057 Chapter 5 - 4.exd5 (The Winawer Exchange Variation)
067 Chapter 6 - 4.e5 Ne7 5.Qg4 (The Slightly Less Impatient Queen)
075 Chapter 7 - 5.Bd2 b6! (Breaking The Pin)
081 Chapter 8 - 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 b6 (Bad Bishop Incoming)
099 PART II -The Main Lines
101 Chapter 9 - 7.Nf3?! & Other 7th Moves (Tutti Frutti)
109 Chapter 10 - 7.a4 (Dark Square Ambition)
127 Chapter 11 - 7.h4 (The Edgy-Edge Pawn)
143 Chapter 12 - 7.Qg4 Qc7 8.Bd3 (Poison? No, Thanks!)
163 Chapter 13 - 10th Move Alternatives & 10.Kd1 (Max Euwe’s Move)
179 Chapter 14 - 10.Ne2 dxc3 11th & 12th Move Options (Nxc3 Systems)
213 Chapter 15 - 12.h4!? (The Bazooka Line)
237 Chapter 16 - 12.Qd3 (Old Town, New Playground)
During the 2008 Dutch Youth Championships (U20), I understood that everyone would throw 7.Qg4 in the Winawer at me. In that respect, my opening preparation was simple: I’d study the Winawer for Black very intensively and the problem would be solved. In reality, I faced many difficulties. Novelties I’d find in the evenings were promptly refuted by the engine the next morning; I was constantly thinking about the French, but I couldn’t quite make it work. There was this strange, inexplicable feeling in my stomach, some might call “butterflies”. I had fallen in love with a chess line! Despite my two losses in the crucial games, I still believed I had a great repertoire with countless novelties to show for it.
Content
004 Key to Symbols & Bibliography
007 Preface
011 PART I - Deviations Before Move Seven
013 Chapter 1 - 4.Qg4?! (The Impatient Queen)
021 Chapter 2 - 4.Qd3 (The Clever Queen)
033 Chapter 3 - 4.a3 (Doubled Pawn Warfare)
043 Chapter 4 - 4.Ne2 (Knights Before Bishops)
057 Chapter 5 - 4.exd5 (The Winawer Exchange Variation)
067 Chapter 6 - 4.e5 Ne7 5.Qg4 (The Slightly Less Impatient Queen)
075 Chapter 7 - 5.Bd2 b6! (Breaking The Pin)
081 Chapter 8 - 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 b6 (Bad Bishop Incoming)
099 PART II -The Main Lines
101 Chapter 9 - 7.Nf3?! & Other 7th Moves (Tutti Frutti)
109 Chapter 10 - 7.a4 (Dark Square Ambition)
127 Chapter 11 - 7.h4 (The Edgy-Edge Pawn)
143 Chapter 12 - 7.Qg4 Qc7 8.Bd3 (Poison? No, Thanks!)
163 Chapter 13 - 10th Move Alternatives & 10.Kd1 (Max Euwe’s Move)
179 Chapter 14 - 10.Ne2 dxc3 11th & 12th Move Options (Nxc3 Systems)
213 Chapter 15 - 12.h4!? (The Bazooka Line)
237 Chapter 16 - 12.Qd3 (Old Town, New Playground)