French Defense
The French Defence is also a popular chess opening for novice tournaments. The opening was named after the chess correspondence game between Paris and London. The game starts with:
1) e4 e6
2) d4 d5
Several variations will come out on the succeeding moves. This opening has several variations such as the Exchange variation, Advance variation, Tarrasch variation, Classical variation, Winawer variation and Rubenstein variation. This opening is much easier to learn and is widely used in novice tournaments. The opening provides black with solid defences and resiliency even though at the early stages, black’s position will be somehow cramped.
Black will be more concerned in attacking the queen’s side and will defending white’s attack on the king’s side. Nigel Short, Alexander Khalifman, and Evgeny Bareev are among the famous Grandmasters that are practising this opening. Since this opening is common among novice chess tournaments, you will have a lot of games that you can review and learn from. It is also easier to learn from your mistakes because there will be a lot of chess players that can teach you during the tournament and practice games.
There are several books that can help you learn the French Defense such as:
- • French Winawer by McDonald
- • French Classical by Jacobs
- • Classical French by Gufeld
- • Play the French by Watson
- • French: Advance and Other Lines by Pedersen
- • French Advance 2nd Edition by Collins
- • The Main Line French: 3.Nc3 by Pederson
- • Dangerous Weapons: The French by Watson.
- • French Defence 3 Nd2 (1) by PSAKHIS
- • French Defence, Steinitz, Classical, and Other Systems by PSAKHIS
- • Advance & Other Anti-French Variations by PSAKHIS
Here are some recommended DVDs that you can also be useful in your study:
1) Modern Chess Openings: French Defence by Convekta and requires IBM-compatible PC, Hard Disk 200 Mb of free disk space, 64 Mb RAM, Windows 2000/NT/ME/XP/2003, CD-ROM drive.
2) French Defence by Ari Ziegler covers several topics such as King’s Indian attack and Wing’s Gambit and runs about six hours and forty-eight minutes. The programs requirement includes Pentium-Processor at 300 Mhz or higher, 64 MB RAM, Windows XP, Windows 98 SE, Windows 2000, DVD drive, Windows Media Player 9.0.
3) Roman Encyclopaedia of 40 Essential Chess Openings tackles several chess openings that include the French Defence. The 4 DVDs runs up to 11 hours of chess opening instructions and explanations.