The Best French Defence Games

@boilingFrog By chance, do you happen to know any games that illustrate this idea? I have heard of a game by Caruana where he played h4->h5 and did indeed cramp Black in the 6. a3 c4 Advance variation, but haven't been able to find it.

Go to tools/openingExplorer/etc ...

Then play your moves and find out what the biggs are doing ...

It might be worthwhile to check out some of Viktor Korchnoi's games in the French Defense.

@boilingFrog I have done that, but I haven't yet found anything all that great for White in the 6. a3 c4 Advance if Black plays accurately. For example, in the game Zhigalko - Andreikin 2010, it was actually Black who was cramping White. Black locked things up on the queenside before castling and then broke open the kingside when the time was right. I have the impression that Black could have actually just sat back and done nothing (i.e. make no break on the kingside) and the game would be a draw.

In recent years, it seems that at the top level White usually plays the Normal Variation (i.e. 3. Nc3) or the Tarrasch and the Advance is not seen as often.

lichess.org/TdlUzhxK?fbclid=IwAR1gJwsxInyMdphI9D64XUi1wK73agyKuyQzSxWK1zu1LoujyffIZCQ4RMA#0

@doom12384 I do intend to do that. I have heard that GM Korchnoi was one of the greatest French Defence players of all time. I have not yet found anything super-relevant (given that we now live in the days of precise engine analysis) yet but am still looking. I do like the game Kuijf - Korchnoi 1992 but I am unlikely to include it in my study as the move 6. cxd5 by White is very strange and rarely played.

lichess.org/bzMDostg?fbclid=IwAR1Q0Gn5utcz3PdFzCyawkql37A5D-VMRbKZT_6hpXWCI-XTR0J0iHgmod4#0

Check out The Agincourt version of the French defense. Last played in 1415. Lost to the English.

Reshevsky-Vaganian 1976...one of the alltime classics

Was Reshevsky drunk ?

No, he was actually playing pretty well and had a slight edge until 14. Re1. (according to the engine playing 14. h3 with the idea of a later Kh2 was necessary) The move 8. Kf2 looks crazy but the engine doesn't hate it and it has been played by others.

I'm still undecided about whether I'm going to look at the 3. ... Nf6 Tarrasch or the 3. ... c5 Tarrasch.

Tal-Korchnoi 1955. Tal played the Exchange Variation and later said it was the only time in his career that he played for a draw with White. He did escape with a draw after a wild contest in which Korchnoi showed that Black has teeth in this variation.

For some excellent French Defense games, check out Uhlmann's "Winning with the French". GM Uhlmann played the French almost exclusively against 1. e4 for his career. His book is from 1995 and so it doesn't have the latest in theory, but he gives great insights into the concepts involved in playing the French.