Anti-French

Is there anything besides the KIA which you can play and not know too much theory against the French? I've been having trouble in both 3. Nc3 and 3. Nd2. Preferably something I can learn a reasonable amount about by this weekend.

If your a gambler, 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Be3 dxe4 4.Nd2 Nf6 5.f3 is like the Blackmar-Diemer. It's called the Alapin.

1.e4 e6 2.Qe2 ends up being just like a King's Indian Attack most of the time.

1.e4 e6 2.b3 d5 3.Bb2 dxe4 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.g4 (with idea of Bg2) is fun.
1.e4 e6 2.b3 b6! or 2. ... d5 3.Bb2 Nf6 take some of the fun out of it.

1.e4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 and best is 5.d4 transposing right back into a 3.Nc3 French.

There is always the exchange too, but it is not for all tastes.

Originally posted by randolph
Is there anything besides the KIA which you can play and not know too much theory against the French? I've been having trouble in both 3. Nc3 and 3. Nd2. Preferably something I can learn a reasonable amount about by this weekend.

One quite different looking variation is to play 2. b3. I don't much about it myself, so I did a quick google and came across this:

Thread 90988

Edit: I just keep getting beaten to it 😞

Originally posted by paulbuchmanfromfics
If your a gambler, 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Be3 dxe4 4.Nd2 Nf6 5.f3 is like the Blackmar-Diemer. It's called the Alapin.

1.e4 e6 2.Qe2 ends up being just like a King's Indian Attack most of the time.

1.e4 e6 2.b3 d5 3.Bb2 dxe4 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.g4 (with idea of Bg2) is fun.
1.e4 e6 2.b3 b6! or 2. ... d5 3.Bb2 Nf6 take some of the fun out of it.

1.e ...[text shortened]... t back into a 3.Nc3 French.

There is always the exchange too, but it is not for all tastes.

I took a brief look at the thread quoted.

1.e4 e6 2.b3 d5 3.Bb2 dxe4 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.g4

5.Qe2 may be better with the idea of castling queenside. My 5.g4 may be a bit premature. It is an idea in the variation though.

I had a period where all my blitz games went 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.Qg4.

I had some really nice games but eventually black players found the antidote.

It definitely has good surprise value over the board.

Basically, you gambit the d pawn and keep constant pressure on g7 and the kingside.

Originally posted by paulbuchmanfromfics
I had a period where all my blitz games went 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.Qg4.

I lost to that OTB once.

I'm not sure it's much good in theory (as you say) but probably a much better chance in practice than 2. b3. I've faced that a few times and don't think it causes any problems at all against even remotely sensible play (2. ... b6 or 2. ... d5 without grabbing the pawn and I do see where White's fun is)

Originally posted by randolph
Is there anything besides the KIA which you can play and not know too much theory against the French? I've been having trouble in both 3. Nc3 and 3. Nd2. Preferably something I can learn a reasonable amount about by this weekend.

No. 1.e4 is weak. The French proves this proposition.

😀






I think 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 offers White the best prospects for advantage. Offbeat lines like the KIA are cowardly plans that only work against unprepared players. Moreover, the "theory" of the French is not so difficult: make good moves. Activate your pieces. For White, take advantage of the concession in space Black made on the first move.

Qd2 in the french his helpful.

-GIN

The KIA is a good, solid setup against virtually any Black defense. Some guy named Fischer often played the KIA against the French Defense.

If you want to get crazy, I've had mixed results with the following in blitz: 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 c4!?? de 4 Nc3. If your opponent hasn't seen this line before, and you study it for an hour or so before your game, you'll probably get a dynamic position with excellent winning chances. (Of course, your opponent will have excellent winning chances too since you're a pawn down right off the bat, but sometimes you just have to "mix the scrap" [as a chess friend of mine likes to say].)

if i ever came up with an anti-french defense, I'd definitely call it the Deodorant defense.

Originally posted by stockton1984
if i ever came up with an anti-french defense, I'd definitely call it the Deodorant defense.

Gotta admit that's damn well funny.

I don't know how much theory there is to the reti gambit, but from what I understand, it is a good anti-French.