MaxJudd wrote on 06/02/18 at 15:59:37:


Really?  Why not? 

No. I personally find the 3.Nc3 main lines the easiest move to play against the French both otb and in corr..The amount of theory never bothered be a lot because almost always moves I think intuitive are good moves. The exception again is the Burn Variation.
Let me give you an example. One of the strongest Surinamese players, Roger Matoewi, once invited the Winawer Poisoned Pawn. Instead I played Geller's 8.Bd3 and won easily by simply marching the h-pawn. As Black I've tried to Poisoned Pawn myself twice. Theoreticall I was supposed to be OK, but I lost because of that very same h-pawn ....

Stigma wrote on 04/16/18 at 16:41:16:

For me it was the other way round. The French used to be my bogey opening as White until I started to play 4.e5 against the Winawer and 5.e5 against the MacCutcheon.
However the Burn Variation remains a pima. Fortunately I've met it quite rarely.
As I wrote a white ago I've given up the French as Black because of 3.Nc3, after playing it for more than 15 yeqrs in both corr. and otb games. I am unbeaten against everything but 3.Nc3. So I've no idea what you guys are taliking about .....  . 

Stigma wrote on 06/01/18 at 12:33:33:


I've used the 3. Nf3 approach for decades, planning to get a tempo on the Queen with c4. 

3. Nc3 might be the best play for advantage, but you need to know how to deal with all the different Queen moves and would be facing Black players on their home turf where they have spent most time studying.

Another side line for White is to play a d3 based system (recommended in  "A Simple Chess Opening Repertoire for White" by Sam Collins), leaving Black players in their shell wondering what to do with no d4 pawn to attack whilst you develop your bits and crack them open with a later f4-f5. 

Black would be equal with best play against this, but then players capable of best play wouldn't aren't likely to be playing the Scandinavian 

Used to be a part of the "French is annoying" squad; had okayish results with 2.d3 it was never really something I *wanted* to play. 
I kept trying to learn 3.Nc3 both on my own and later with the Negi GM Rep and never got anywhere. Haven't looked back since switching to the Advance; just much less effort and much more understandable positions to me.
My first OTB game with it then also turned into a very one-sided crush, which provided me with the last tidbits of confidence needed 
I might eventually look into this stuff http://www.spraggettonchess.com/the-french-exchange-variation/ as a 2ndary variation, but for now I'm quite happy with what I got.

My only real 'bogey opening' left appears to be the Scandinavian.. 
It just seems to be an opening so silly that I have a hard time motivating myself to look at it seriously, and then I never understand in what kind of position it's good to go for the d4-d5 break and when it's not; 
So I waste endless amounts of time attempting to calculate it on every turn, never actually dare to do it, and just end up moving pieces around randomly until my opponent has finished his development and there isn't a semblance of an advantage left, with my d4 pawn getting weaker on every turn 
I just seem unable to figure out when d4-d5 causes me to be left over with a clearly superior position thanks to piece acivity etc, and when it merely gives away my space advantage while inviting several piece trades, ending up in a rather dead position.

I hate playing vs. the nimzo indian as white.  I also love playing it as black.   I actually avoid the d4, c4, nc3 setup as white vs. the ...e6 and ...nf6 setup only due to not wanting to deal with the nimzo indian.   

Been playing english and London system of late to avoid those lines.

RdC wrote on 04/10/18 at 07:30:34:



These are all very interesting! Thanks! I used to be interested in the exchange variation with c4 against the French, and I had no idea that you could get the same position from all those other lines you mentioned. I think I'll try them out in blitz. I remember reading somewhere that you're playing a certain line of the Queen's Gambit Accepted a tempo down, but it maybe it doesn't matter all that much.