French Defence: 3.Nf3 or 3.Nd2?

After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5, would you play 3.Nf3 or 3.Nd2 and why?

Originally posted by badivan1
After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5, would you play 3.Nf3 or 3.Nd2 and why?

3.Nd2 is more flexible, but if the French player knows his or her stuff is slightly less dangerous.

I play both.

Originally posted by badivan1
After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5, would you play 3.Nf3 or 3.Nd2 and why?

3.Nd2

I prefer 3.Nc3

Nc3 is sharper ..... ( read that in a book ^^ )

Originally posted by badivan1
After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5, would you play 3.Nf3 or 3.Nd2 and why?

I assume you mean 3. Nc3. I used to fear 3. Nd2 but after some simple research I am actually more confidant playing against that than against 3. Nc3.

Originally posted by badivan1
After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5, would you play 3.Nf3 or 3.Nd2 and why?

Doesn't 3 Nf3 just drop a pawn and cost a tempo?

Originally posted by zebano
I assume you mean 3. Nc3.

I did too. It seems that I didn't even read the post. 3.Nf3 is pure foolishness.

Originally posted by Wulebgr
I did too. It seems that I didn't even read the post. 3.Nf3 is pure foolishness.

3 Nf3 against the Caro-Kann:

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nf3 de 4 Ng5 (The Ulysses Gambit)

Nc3 is sharper? I wouldn't know about that. I used to think Nd2 was completely weird too but it's about keeping more defenders on d4 by Ndf2 and Ne2 and some other ideas. Also, it avoids the pin by Bb4. I would say both are good

3. e5

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
3. e5

Yes, I like 3 e5! There are sharp variations like the Milner-Barry Gambit that give White a big initiative at the cost of a pawn or two:

3...c5 4 c3 Nc6 5 Nf3 Qb6 6 Bd3 cd 7 cd Bd7 8 Nc3 Nd4 9 Nd4 Qd4 10 O-O Qe5 11 Re1 Qb8 12 Nd5

Originally posted by zebano
I assume you mean 3. Nc3. I used to fear 3. Nd2 but after some simple research I am actually more confidant playing against that than against 3. Nc3.

Um, yeah, I meant 3.Nc3.

Originally posted by MoneyMaker7
Nc3 is sharper? I wouldn't know about that. I used to think Nd2 was completely weird too but it's about keeping more defenders on d4 by Ndf2 and Ne2 and some other ideas. Also, it avoids the pin by Bb4. I would say both are good

I would agree that Nc3 is sharper, particularly if Black plays the Winawer (3... Bb4)

Originally posted by castlerook
I would agree that Nc3 is sharper, particularly if Black plays the Winawer (3... Bb4)

3 Nc3 was almost the "automatic" response to the French until the 1970's when Karpov started playing 3 Nd2. Then 3 Nd2 was all the rage for quite some time.