Hi

For general inspiration I like Shorts games (187 on chessgames.com). I dont know about his theoretical contributions but i simply enjoy his middlegame ideas.

Nepomniachtch might be added to ReneDescartes list as a modern practitioner of the McCutcheon.

best,
Larsen_fan

Tarrasch (who relied on non-Tarrasch versions of the French in many important tournament and  match games), Nimzovich (for the exchange Winawer and some ideas about occupying the center with pieces), Botvinnik (who created the modern Winawer), Uhlmann (contributions everywhere), Petrosian (for slow nonagressive lines), Korchnoi (many double-edged lines with Black piece activity), Vaganian, Mikhail Gurevich, Bareev (for the Burn variation); Morozevich (for the ...Be7 Tarrasch).

Some current players who rely very heavily on the French: Emmanuel Berg, Vitiugov, Volkov, Shulman, Akobian.

Additionally, almost all the current top players have played a few Black French games in recent years.

Hello All:

Would like to start with the French Defense first. Who are the best practitioners on the black side? Uhlmann and Uiblin (sp?) are two I think. Who else should I be looking at?

Looking for players that have a more positional nature.

Thanks in advance.

Gerry