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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Best practical book on French for black (Read 32643 times)
Jupp53
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Re: Best practical book on French for black
Reply #39 - 08/21/17 at 12:28:06
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Keano wrote on 08/13/17 at 20:50:09:
Jupp53 wrote on 08/12/17 at 18:02:19:
Because it is hard to get - would you please give a short explanation for skipping later editions.


I have all the editions, but the first just captures the spirit of the French for me. In later editions he tried to over-elaborate, not saying those books are no good - there is very interesting stuff there, but as a best practical book definitely look at the first edition.


Tnx
  

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Re: Best practical book on French for black
Reply #38 - 08/21/17 at 06:48:43
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I'd say Eingorn's 'A Rock Solid Repertoire for Black' comes closest to what you are after, although to play the lines at an international level you will need to do some extra work. That said, you may be interested in the independent 1.d4 e6 variations (like 2.c4 Bb4) as a complement to the French.
  

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Keano
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Re: Best practical book on French for black
Reply #37 - 08/13/17 at 20:50:09
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Jupp53 wrote on 08/12/17 at 18:02:19:
Because it is hard to get - would you please give a short explanation for skipping later editions.


I have all the editions, but the first just captures the spirit of the French for me. In later editions he tried to over-elaborate, not saying those books are no good - there is very interesting stuff there, but as a best practical book definitely look at the first edition.
  
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Re: Best practical book on French for black
Reply #36 - 08/13/17 at 20:07:34
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That reminds me of when I tried switching to the Classical Slav about seven years ago.  I played 6 games against 5 different opponents, and 5 of those games was an Exchange Slav. That really took the fun out of wanting to play the Slav, despite my results being just fine.
  
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Re: Best practical book on French for black
Reply #35 - 08/12/17 at 18:19:52
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Now  have played 3 more french games in tournaments , all vs exchange.

One 1,5 hour + 30 seconds per move game that became a draw at swedish championship weekend tournament and two 6 min + 3 second per move in two local club tournaments where both games vs the a  slightly heigher rated opponent new to local club where I won won one  game and lost one game.

And I did not only played chess in all games. I could possible have played opposete sides castling in game that became a draw since opponet play the odd looking h3 and I had not castled.
  
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Jupp53
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Re: Best practical book on French for black
Reply #34 - 08/12/17 at 18:02:19
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Keano wrote on 06/14/17 at 20:39:05:
John Watson - How to Play the French - 1st edition, not any of the later ones.


Because it is hard to get - would you please give a short explanation for skipping later editions.
  

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Keano
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Re: Best practical book on French for black
Reply #33 - 06/14/17 at 20:39:05
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John Watson - How to Play the French - 1st edition, not any of the later ones.
  
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Re: Best practical book on French for black
Reply #32 - 06/11/17 at 20:18:32
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Indeed. In my brief stint as a French player a couple of years ago, some of my most exciting games came in lines traditionally thought of as "boring" (3 exd5 and 3 Nd2 c5 4 exd5 exd5).
  
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Re: Best practical book on French for black
Reply #31 - 06/11/17 at 18:41:48
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About the drawing tendencies of the French Exhange, I don't see that as a problem. I do rather like Watson's ...Nc6 lines in Play the French. Castling on opposite sides can sharpen the play a lot!
  
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bragesjo
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Re: Best practical book on French for black
Reply #30 - 05/28/17 at 09:45:07
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Confused_by_Theory wrote on 05/27/17 at 18:50:02:
Edit:
Posted in wrong thread Tongue

Keep up the french discussion Smiley

Have a nice day.

On topic: Are there not a couple of lines of exchange french where you can at least play a little chess before you shake hands then?


There are some lines in every openings that are drawish or leeds to mass simplifications or even forced draws in the sharper lines. I my experiece this is the case in several anti sicilians and even in many different open sicilians mainlines. The suggestion in this thread about modern or Pirc is based on that the fact that there are more inbalances. One can equaly play 1  .. b6 and argue the same thing.

The Exchange french can be tought win against some one one wants draw.
However I have won a few games including a game in tournament with time handicap and I had less time. I also won a rapid game in a rapidplay team event. In both cases I won by simply playing chess. I have also both won and lost blitz games in exchange vs a hiegher rated player at local club.

I dont play online blitz games anymore so I can not draw any concusions on how drawish the lines is.
  
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Confused_by_Theory
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Re: Best practical book on French for black
Reply #29 - 05/27/17 at 18:50:02
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Edit:
Posted in wrong thread Tongue

Keep up the french discussion Smiley

Have a nice day.

On topic: Are there not a couple of lines of exchange french where you can at least play a little chess before you shake hands then?
  
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Re: Best practical book on French for black
Reply #28 - 05/23/17 at 18:09:57
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Quote:
Classical kills the Pirc ... was musing that perhaps 1...g6 is flexible enough to sate both our needs for blood lust and mayhem.

What was your agenda for after 1 e4 g6 2 d4, Topnotch? Are you thinking the Classical Modern is more unbalancing than the Classical Pirc (and/or that Black's KN might not go to f6), or have you some other system(s) in mind?
  
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Re: Best practical book on French for black
Reply #27 - 05/23/17 at 01:56:27
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TopNotch wrote on 05/23/17 at 01:18:31:
Classical Kills the Pirc and Alapin along with 3.Bb5+ Kills Sicilian. I feel your pain though, and was musing that perhaps 1...g6 is flexible enough to sate both our needs for blood lust and mayhem.

Yes, 1...g6 is a nice invitation to mayhem!

At my level (below 2200), Black can still get winning chances in the Bb5(+) Sicilians. True, I've had some boring draws and even losses against the Classical Pirc, but those opponents were underrated juniors that I should have given more respect.
  

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TopNotch
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Re: Best practical book on French for black
Reply #26 - 05/23/17 at 01:18:31
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Stigma wrote on 05/23/17 at 00:26:27:
My "solution" to this lack of winning chances in the Exchange (and in the Tarrasch, depending on what line you choose) was to only play the French against stronger or roughly equal opponents, and not in must-win games.

i always had at least one other defence ready where it would be harder for White to kill the game completely, like the Pirc and various Sicilians.


Classical Kills the Pirc and Alapin along with 3.Bb5+ Kills Sicilian. I feel your pain though, and was musing that perhaps 1...g6 is flexible enough to sate both our needs for blood lust and mayhem.
  

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Re: Best practical book on French for black
Reply #25 - 05/23/17 at 00:26:27
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My "solution" to this lack of winning chances in the Exchange (and in the Tarrasch, depending on what line you choose) was to only play the French against stronger or roughly equal opponents, and not in must-win games.

i always had at least one other defence ready where it would be harder for White to kill the game completely, like the Pirc and various Sicilians.
  

Improvement begins at the edge of your comfort zone. -Jonathan Rowson
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