kylemeister wrote on 01/23/20 at 21:26:46:


Yes, this is EXACTLY the recommendation against Qd4 line in the "deep dive" DVD.   

In general, for black, i find all this c5+Qxd5 tarrasch lines to be hard to meet against stronger players. White has an easy play witch attacking chances if you missplace some piece and a possible dangerous 3 vs 2 endgame. 

I understand this is the GM line because is very solid but, for amateur level, i have never liked it.

mañico_feroz wrote on 01/22/20 at 11:29:42:


I have the DVD too and agree. He explains something's really well. For instance I usually playf6 vs the advance and got something out of his advanced videos since I do not play those lines. I thought he did an excellent job on that part.

I also would not play Nc6. I have Dangerous weapons french and it is covered, ok maybe I never really went over it, but thought it was ok. Started watching the Nc6 videos and just was turned off. 
I was just expecting something else from the positions (I thought a lot of ooo happens for some reason)

Yes about the tarrash, I know after black plays pawn takes d4 in those qxd5 lines there is an option for white to take with the queen. Every book I read says black has no problem, I would like to see why (btw I hate that so many people are giving qxd5 in the tarrash).

Oh, and how can you do a french defence video with no KIA in it. Like what makes you just forget something like that.

MW wrote on 01/22/20 at 18:46:32:


For a Move by Move book, I think that recommending that instead of the Classical or Winawer would be idiotic. To play that line I think requires knowing a bit about the French in the first place to play this successfully. Not to mention, it is just theoretically inferior to both.

Regarding other Lemos work ...

I have had the chance of studying Lemos DVDs - he has two differente ones, the latest being the "deep dive" - about the french defense and:

PROS: well explained, strategy and concepts are detailed, lines are chosen to be solid, tested and don't require memorization (well, not much).

CONS: always ... there are holes in the repertoire, sometimes he chooses the easiest way or omits some of the sidelines you will end up facing in practice.  Also some important details are missing sometimes.

I think this can be applied to other DVDs (kings indian defense as well, for a start, the Qe8 line given against the mains white setup is a one-shot line basically)

Examples (deep dive french)

- open tarrasch (e4 e6 d4 d5 Nd2 c5): in the main line, no mention for white playing the plan b3+Bb2. What about a few words about the 3vs2 endgames? 

- e4 e6 d4 d5 Nc3 Nc6: i don't imagine myself playing this over and over against 2400 opposition. There is no alternative in deep dive for Nc6. At this point, i would suggest having a look too at his previous DVD, "crash white with the french defense", where other more classic alternatives are given.

- Omission of gambits or sidelines in the advance variation, what about a direct e4 e6 d4 d5 e5 c5 Qg4? What about wing gambit? And so on.

- Omitted KIA and similar stuff (e4 e6 Qe2, e4 e6 b3,...). 

Basically, i see it as a rework of his previous DVD. 

IMHO If you already play the french you will find interesting lines and explainations that can add some light or update your knowledge to your current repertoire (for example in the e4 e6 d4 d5 Bd3 line he suggests a fast Nbd7+e5, good because the main line is complex and this is more intuitive), but this is NOT a repertoire.

It requires reviewing the lines looking for the omitted parts. It for sure requires completing it with other sources.

Anyway, after all, it is worth the time for sure if you are a french addict. The given material will help you to check your repertoire and learn/review some interesting plans as well.

So, in summary, i would expect something int this very line from the new book as well.

Mtal wrote on 01/16/20 at 19:32:24:


This same author also has a recent French Deep Dive DVD for black, 7 hrs+ I think. He is an expert in the french, so unlike a lot of his other stuff this should be useful. 

I do not know much about the guy except that he is fairly well-known in Spanish-speaking chess circles, especially in South America. I think that he played a lot in Argentina a few years ago, but now I have no idea what he does.

I remember having his Fianchetto for White book. I think it was green. I thought that it was just not complete enough for my taste, so not sure how this one will be.

I saw on the everyman website that there is a new French defence move by move coming out by Damian Lemos. Anyone knows what it is one? I believe there already 2, and older one on the winawer and one on the classical. Thanks.