FRENCH DEFENSE
INTRODUCTION
French defense starts when black plays e6 in response to e4. It was given its name following a correspondence game between London and Paris and is one of the earliest chess openings It is an extremely strategic opening, and by that I mean that you risk losing the game if you aren’t well-versed in its variations and traps. I advise beginners to stay away from this opening in competitive games since it can lead to a lot of intricate positions that a newbie would not be able to handle.
There are basically four main variations of french defense-
1)Main line
2)Advance variation
3)Exchange variation
4)Tarrasch variation
Now Lets get to each variation individually and try to understand the logic behind every move-
1)Main Line
White starts the game with e4 black responds to it by playing e6, white then plays d4 in order to control the center and also open its line of bishops, black moves d5 in order to attack the e4 pawn of white, white protects its pawn by playing Nc3, black tries to maintain pressure on the e4 pawn by playing Nf6.
This is the main line variation but inside main line 2 types of variation are also possible-
1)Burn variation
2)Steinitz variation
Burn Variation
In Burn variation after Black has played Nf6 white develops its bishop and puts pressure on Nf6 then in respond to that black captures the e4 pawn with its d5 pawn and white recaptures it with its knight which increases the pressure on black Nf6 knight.
Steinitz Variation
2)Advance Variation
The first few moves are same but as the name suggests “advance variation” some kind of advancement takes place. White advances its pawn trying to attack the black pieces and in return black also tries to counter attack white by advancing its pieces as well as some pawns. Black plays a small bit of defence in the steinitz form, but plays more offence in the advance variation.
When white moves e5 black advances its pawn to c5 and aims to gain more space on the queenside and counter white’s control of the center. White moves c3 trying to support its pawn on d4. Black moves Nc6 attacking the pawn on d4 square, white moves Nf3 and prepares to castle kingside and also support its d4 pawn. Black moves Qb6 which is a very dominant move as it puts the queenside of white under pressure. White then plays a3 trying to stop the black knight from reaching b4 square. Black continues to attack and advances its pawn to c4 square.
Overall, the Advance Variation of the French defense can lead to complex positions with sharp tactics and strategic plans for both sides.
3)Exchange Variation
In exchange variation as the name suggests pawns are exchanged on the d5 square. White then develops its knight by playing Nf3 trying to prepare for castling on kingside and also support its d4 pawn. Black develops its knight and moves Nc6 putting pressure on d4 pawn of white. After that both black and white develop their remaining knights and then further developed their bishops symmetrically.
Overall the Exchange Variation can lead to positions that are more closed and strategic, with a focus on controlling key squares and outmaneuvering the opponent’s pieces. It is a solid and reliable option for both sides.
4)Tarrasch Variation
Tarrasch Variation is quite simple, white plays a slightly defensive game by moving its knight on d2 square. Black on the other hand tries to attack with its pawns and plays a little bit aggressive game.