lichess.org
Donate

Is the exchange French so bad?

<Comment deleted by user>
"So just don't play 1.e4 and everyone is happy! I mean if you hate half of the main defenses you should probably switch to another move right? :p"

I don't know if you are referring to me, but the French and Caro-Kann are not even close to half of the defenses against e4. I like pretty much every e4 game except those two...
<Comment deleted by user>
I had an exchange French game with Admiral a few hours ago, and of course I played exchange, and I ended up in a position similar to what I was referring to earlier in this thread where sharp, tactical positions can indeed be achieved from such an opening if that's what White wants out of it.

I of course forgot how to play such a position and castled too early. I have replayed from the proper position a very logical line to produce an instructive "this is an attainable position out of the opening" position. Perhaps it doesn't result from the absolutely most accurate play, but I think it's at least logical how I arrived at it:

http://en.lichess.org/editor/1r4k1/p1p2pp1/1rn1bn1p/3p4/3P4/2BB1N2/PPP2PPP/1K1R3R_w_KQkq_-

So yes, while they can often be quite boring, nothing says they have to be. I think a lot of it comes from many people in the exchange as White just wanting to sit back and play it safe rather than generating tactics with their initiative. It's a problem with the players, not necessarily the opening.
I've been trying to learn the French defense, and I like playing both sides of it. I think when playing black the exchange is by far the most frequent variation I encounter.

I'm guessing this is because at the level I play, most white players realize it is easier not to blunder with the exchange.

My current strategy as black is to play quickly aiming for a draw. I then cross my fingers that my opponent will blunder (and I'll see it) because I can crank out a lot of moves quickly and get a big time advantage.

It is hard for white to create an imbalance. In my opinion it is easier for black to play, as long as black realizes she should wait for a mistake rather than try to get an advantage.

For example, in Grondilu's game the win came because black blundered the h7 pawn. I've been caught with this capture a few times. But notice that if black simply plays 10... h6, white has nothing special.

Maybe around move 20 one side will get an isolated queen's pawn, and then it gets tougher (for a bad player like me), but it isn't unusual that if no one blunders I can hold an equal position as black all the way through the game. But more importantly, I should say!, I hold the position without too much thought. I have a tougher time in every other variation of the French.

By the way, Grondilu, if you want to grind out some french exchange games, I'll play.

Cool to talk about the French. Ciao everybody.
Totally forgot about this game. If players of our level can play 28 moves without any inaccuracies (except the final blunder), that tells a lot about how lame is this variation.
I do remember now that I think about it. I thought I could win by putting my pawns on black squares, but at some point I thought you blundered the a7 pawn and took it without thinking enough.

This topic has been archived and can no longer be replied to.