simplifychess.com

simplifychess.com's
guide to

The French
Defense

How To Play The French Defense,
The Theory Behind It,
And How To Counter It

1 Click Here For The Complete Guide
Advanced Variation 2 White’s Plans
3 Move Knights to Defend d4
4 Take Black’s Knight on h6
5 Push on g4
6 Push on g3
Blacks’s Plans
7 Move Knights to Attack d4
8 Take White’s Knight on a3
9 Play Knight to b4
10 Swing rook over to c-file
Classic Variation 11 White’s Plans
12 Point Bishop Toward Black’s Kingside
13 Swing Rook Over To Attack Black’s Kingside
14 Control d4 w/ Knight
Blacks’s Plans
15 Set up …f6 break
16 Push pawns for Queenside Attack
17 Control long diagonal with light squared bishop
18 Place Knight on c4 autpost
Winawer Variation 19 White’s Plans
20 Push a4
21 Swing Queen Over to Kingside
22 Push h pawn for Kingside Attack
23 Point Bishop Toward Black’s Kingside
Blacks’s Plans
24 Block White's a4 push with Bishop
25 Lock White's bad pawn structure in
26 Swing Queen over to Kingside
27 Place Knight on c4 outpost
Exchange Variation 28 White’s Plans
29 Develop Queen Early
30 Counter White's c pawn push with b3
Blacks’s Plans
31 Exchange off light squared bishops
32 Push c pawn