How the French Defence works, what to do with the bad bishop, when to break with ...c5 and ...f6, and how to face the Tarrasch, the Classical, the Advance and the Winawer.
The French is the defence of someone in no hurry. Against 1.e4, Black plays 1...e6 and, after 2.d4, challenges the centre with 2...d5. The aim is not to equalise by move ten: it is to reach a closed position where Black knows exactly which pawn to attack.
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5
Botvinnik, Petrosian and Korchnoi played it for decades at the top, and it is still one of the most respected defences against 1.e4. Its great advantage at club level is that it makes sense: there are few structures, and the plans repeat from one game to the next.
Black concedes space in order to attack the base of White's pawn chain later. When White pushes e5, the d4-e5 chain gives White space on the kingside; Black answers by attacking d4 with ...c5 and the head of the chain with ...f6.
Black:
...c5, against d4, and with ...f6, against e5.d4 with ...Nc6, ...Qb6 and sometimes a knight on f5.c8 bishop: exchange it with ...Bd7-b5 or with ...b6 and ...Ba6, or bring it out via d7 and e8 to h5.White:
f4-f5, Qg4, pressure on h7.d4 long enough; if it falls, make sure it is in exchange for activity.Everything depends on White's third move.
3.Nd2The knight goes to d2 rather than c3 to avoid the pin ...Bb4. Black has two paths of different character: 3...c5, which opens the game and can leave one side with an isolated pawn, and 3...Nf6, which after 4.e5 Nfd7 leads to the typical chain and a closed position.
3.Nc3 Nf6Black develops and puts pressure on e4. White usually chooses between 4.Bg5, keeping the tension, and 4.e5, gaining space and driving the knight away. This is the line where handling the centre is learned most clearly.
3.e5White closes the centre straight away. Black's plan is almost automatic —...c5, ...Nc6, ...Qb6, all aimed at d4— and so is White's: support the pawn with c3 and Nf3 and use the space. It is the most common variation at club level, and a very good one for starting to understand the French.
3.Nc3 Bb4The sharpest. Black pins the knight and, after 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3, White has doubled pawns but also the bishop pair and attacking chances on the kingside. It is a battle of imbalances: structure against initiative.
3.exd5 exd5 gives a symmetrical, quiet structure, and there are also rarer systems worth having prepared: in a club tournament they show up more often than the main theory.
...c5 in time, White settles in and attacks with all the space in their favour.c8 bishop. It does not need solving on move five, but it does need a plan.d4. The kingside attack collapses if the centre collapses first.For players who prefer closed positions and clear plans to tactics from the opening. It needs far less theory than the Sicilian and produces games with real strategic content. In exchange, you have to accept that for a while Black has less space, and know how to wait for the right moment to break.
If you are torn between the French and something sharper, the Sicilian Najdorf is the other end of the answers to 1.e4. And if you have not chosen your repertoire yet, start with how to choose an opening.
First the structure: the d4-e5 chain against d5-e6, and the two breaks. Then one variation at a time, starting with the one you will meet most; at club level, the Advance and the Tarrasch.
The course French Defense Deep Dive, with GM Andrés Rodríguez Vila and IM Mario Villanueva, covers in six lessons the Tarrasch with ...c5 and with ...Nf6, the Classical, the alternative lines, the Advance and the Winawer, with the plans, structures and tactical resources of each.
If you want to put this into practice with structured material:
Explore six systems and variations with GM Andrés Rodríguez and GM Diego Flores. Understand their plans, discover tactical resources, and add new ideas to your White and Black repertoire.
ARDFBy GM Andrés Rodríguez Vila and GM Diego Flores
Master the French Defense: Tarrasch, Classical, Advance and Winawer variations.
ARMVBy GM Andrés Rodríguez Vila and IM Mario Villanueva
Why the Grünfeld lets White take the centre to attack it later, and how to meet the Exchange, the Russian System and the lines with Bf4, Bg5 and the fianchetto.
Read the articleHow the King's Indian works, why Black hands White the centre, the attack with ...f5, and what to do against the Classical, the Sämisch, the Four Pawns and the fianchetto.
Read the articleWhy the ...Bb4 pin is one of the best ideas against 1.d4, what to do about doubled pawns, and how to play against 4.e3, 4.Qc2, 4.Bd2 and the surprise systems.
Read the articleARDFBy GM Andrés Rodríguez Vila and GM Diego Flores
ARMVBy GM Andrés Rodríguez Vila and IM Mario Villanueva