Article: 8924 of rec.games.chess.misc
Newsgroups: rec.games.chess.misc
Path: info!dregis
From: dregis@exeter.ac.uk (D.Regis)
Subject: Re: Best books on French defence?
Message-ID: <Drut6p.44z@exeter.ac.uk>
Organization: University of Exeter, UK.
References: <4nipps$761@news-f.iadfw.net>
Date: Thu, 23 May 1996 10:30:25 GMT

In article <4nipps$761@news-f.iadfw.net> canright@airmail.net
 (Robert Canright) writes:
>
>If I were to buy just 1 or 2 books on the french defence, what would
>you recommend?

Hi Rob

It depends a bit on what you've got.  I'd recommend reading a good
general treatment in a book like

 - Fine,R: The Ideas Behind the Chess Openings
 - Euwe,M & Kramer,W: The Middle Game, vol.1

 - There's also some stuff on my web pages.

After that, there is a decent introduction in:

 - Taulbut,S: How to play the French Defence

If you want to play seriously you'll need a book on the variations, and from
Black's point of view the new edition of 

 - Watson,J: The French Defence

is attracting the same rave reviews as the earlier editions.  There was
an old RHM title by Botvinnik and others which I enjoyed, but it's been
out of print for yonks.

For a more general coverage there are books with all the variations in
by Psakhis and Suetin, and both seem to me to be good at first look -
comprehensive and with some explanatory chat. 


>Also, the French locks in the Q-bishop while you can get it out in
>some variations of the Caro-Kann.  So why would one play the French
>Defence instead of the Caro-Kann?  More dynamic?  Better pawn
>structure?

Some of it depends on your style, but I offer some thoughts:


In the French, after the natural 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3, Black has
3...Nf6 and 3...Bb4, both of which are likely to provoke e4-e5.  

This will lead to blocked, unbalanced positions in which Black has
some clear goals, like playing for ...c5 and ...Nc6.  If you like,
Black has sacrificed the activity of the Bc8 in order to get White to
make a commitment in the centre, after which Black can organise around
it.  This is a good way of playing for a win as Black. 

After 3. Nd2 Black can reply 3...Nf6 with similar ideas; after 3. exd5
exd5 Black has no problems and this is rarely played.  3. e5 for White
leads to positions with familiar ideas (3...c5 is automatic). 


In the Caro-Kann, after the natural 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3, Black
really has only 3...dxe4 and 3...g6.  (3...Nf6 4. e5 is awkward, and
there is no way to develop the Bc8.) 

3...dxe4 gives up the central stake and leads to a semi-open position
where White has lots of choice about development and Black, while
solid, has few active plans.  The Nb8 will usually come to d7: solid,
but nothing more.  The natural way of attacking the centre, ...c6-c5,
concedes a tempo.  This is all perfectly playable, of course, but is
often seen as a good way of playing for a draw. 

(3...g6 often leads to a blocked French-style position)

After 3. Nd2 Black has nothing better than 3...dxe4, and players of
White often use this to avoid the 3...g6 line (3. Nd2 g6 4. c3!);
after 3. exd5 cxd5 White has a choice of two rather different systems
in 4. Bd3 and 4. c4.  3. e5 for White leads to a whole separate system
again (...c5 may take some organising). 


Hope this helps


D


-- 
   _       
 / "()/~   Dave Regis  &8^D*  WWW: http://www.ex.ac.uk/~dregis/DR/chess.html
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From info!dregis Thu May 23 14:04:45 BST 1996