Add my name to the list of those who suggest Mastering the French (McDonald) and studying well annotated/commented games for learning the basics and strategies and ideas.

Let me tell how I reached my level of understanding and kowledge of the French:

I am an 1.e4 player.  My scores vs the French left much to be desired.  In retrospect, I hardly understood the positions beyond that which was explained in My System or from experience or opening books.  I saw Mastering the french at a bookstore, opened it and scanned it.  I beheld the explanations, the diagrams with arrows, the plans, everything put at my level.  I studied that book inside and out.  I started playing over games especially from New in Chess (highly recomended) back in the days and the informator (that was challenging in the beginning).   Nothing enlightened me more than that book did.  I went back to reviewing those game but with the new background knowledge of its underlying principles and plans, tactics and strategies.

I was doing all of that to learn how to play vs the French better than I did.  I gained an understanding I never had or thought I would have.  I learned that if White gets and advantage it takes as much skill to keep it as the advantages in the English.  I mean they are subltle and positionally too important.  The closed nature of the game means that maneuvering and piece placement mean a whole lot very early.  I learned the important of development schemes based on play around e6, h4 and h5 squares.  I started to see that for white in many cases it is the same scenarion Black has in the KID.  I mean, White is trying to hold Black's Q side attack (which has a head start) while he hunts Black's Kingside.  In the King's Indian that is what Black is doing.  And in the French White is trying to stifle Black's serious counterplay on d4 and the Q side.
White has to learn the tools and the tricks to protect whatever he has gained and be able to continue his own attack since the danger line is thinner than many patzers may think.  I mean, you could get in trouble as White easier than you may think.  

At this point I am at the level that when confronted with unusual moves or set ups, I know how to navigate and I feel comfortable and, most importantly, I am in greater control than before.

Look at my game vs a FM, which was published by GM McDonald in a rare line which Petrosian used to use.  Without that preparation I would have never been able to come up with g4 !  and let alone follow the scheme I did and hold Black's play on the Q-side.

  By the way, I got my senior member status with this post.  One of my more serious (or somber) post, if not the most serious.  ???

It definitely 'sounds' like a great book. Pity you can't find any GM's to write such a book is these databasedumpdays (or should that be -dumb- ?).

There was a 1975 book that was creatively titled "The French Defence".  The principal writer was Svetozar Gligoric, with contributions from Wolfgang Uhlmann, Mikhail Botvinnik, and Anatoly Karpov.  More than 300 pages, and it covered almost everything, unlike Watson's "Play the French".

- Lost Highway

Quote:

There is a book titled "starting out:  the french" by Byron Jacobs.  Is that the one you mean?  I've skimmed through it, and it's pretty light.  Nothing in any depth, but he does give some useful overviews and opinions about some of the main variations. Even the minor ones, like the Guimard, are covered (he doesn't like it).

Overall, I'd recommend it.  You can get these books dirt cheap on some sites.  I've bought some for $11.

- Lost Highway

Since were talking about french books, has anyone heard of a little pamplet on Nc6 in the tarrash? I am not referring to the schiller one. I thinik I saw something once. If anyone has any info. Thanks.

Oh there is also the pederson book on the french. I hear that in December he is coming out with 2, one on nd2, and the other on the advanced.

I play the french and I have almost all the books you mentioned, man it is really hard to pick one. Watsons, any version, gives you just one book for all white replys. I kind of like how he writes, and a lot of his positions are sharp. I like them all lol.

It is difficult to describe the exact mindset, but I think it is a bit like Ali. You defend when you need to, but always on the lookout for structural faults by white (ie wrecking his centre pawns when he thinks he can attack). You attack if you spot a good opportunity and you wear him out if he hasnt resigned after 25 moves.

While I was writing my last message, Viecroy gave us his decision.  I was going to edit my last message, then decided the more honest thing is to write a separate one.

Congrats on making a decision, Viceroy!  I hope things work out well for you.  Let us know how the books work for you, and of course feel free to discuss any issues that come up in your studies!  They're probably questions that we've either dealt with or are still dealing with ourselves!

Thanks for all the suggestions. This is a very helpful and friendly forum!

Mastering the French: Would love to get it, but it's out of print and way too expensive second hand.

How to Play the French Defence, Taulbut: I've ordered a reasonably priced, second hand copy of this, and I think it should provide what I'm looking for.

Uhlmann's Winning with the French: I'll get that for Christmas.