The Bishops Bounty: French Defence (C00 - C19)

French Defense Resources

The second most popular opening for black behind the Sicilian.
Here is the Wikipedia page on the French and its Variations.
French General Info

Books (FREE)

The French Defense - 10 page PDF

Internet Archive

The French Defence RELOADED - 362 Page PDF
White Repertoire for Tournament Players: French Defence - Advance Variation - Volume One: Basic Course - 178 page PDF
White Repertoire for Tournament Players: French Defence - Advance Variation - Volume Two: Advanced Course - 154 Page PDF

Free French Defense Chessable Courses

Short & Sweet: Tillis's French Defense - 17 Trainable Variations by NM Brian Tillis
Short & Sweet: Giri's French Defense - 20 Trainable Variations by GM Giri w/ 78 Min of Video
Short & Sweet: Krykun's French Defense - 21 Trainable Variations by IM Krykun w/76 Min Video
Short & Sweet: Plichta's French Defense - 26 Trainable Variations by FM Plichta w/ 2hr 8 min Video

French Defense Articles

The French Defense – The Right Way to Play It - Very Nice ichess Guide to the French w/ 3hrs embedded Videos. Many Linked Lichess Studys and explanations of Pawn structure and Variations.

The French Defense - Simplify Chess Guide (How to play it, Attack it and Counter it.)

French Defense – How to Play as White and Black - Chessable Blog Guide to the French

French Defense LiChess Studies

French Defense - Listudy Page w/ links to Lichess Studys and other online Resources for those wanting to learn the French.

The French Defense - 6 Chapter Study

French Defense Repertoire - 40 Chapter Study w/ themes, and many Model Games (Really Nice)

The French Defense Variations - 28 Chapters w/ Each showing a variation.

Chess Puzzles by Opening

(From 10,000 Chess Puzzles)
French, Tarrasch, 3....a6 (C03) -10 puzzles
French, Tarrasch, 3....Bc6 (C04) -10 puzzles
French, Tarrasch, 3....Nf6 (C05) -10 puzzles
French, Tarrasch, 3....c5 (C07) - 10 puzzles
French, Winawer (C18) -10 puzzles

ECO- Codes (French Defence)
* C00 - 1.e4 e6 without 2.d4 (early deviations)
* C01 - 2.d4 d5 (includes the Exchange Variation, 3.exd5)
* C02 - 3.e5 (Advance Variation)
* C03 - 3.Nd2 (includes 3...Be7; C03-C09 cover the Tarrasch Variation)
* C04 - 3.Nd2 Nc6 (Guimard Variation)
* C05 - 3.Nd2 Nf6
* C06 - 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3
* C07 - 3.Nd2 c5 (includes 4.exd5 Qxd5)
* C08 - 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 exd5
* C09 - 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 exd5 5.Ngf3 Nc6
* C10 - 3.Nc3 (includes the Rubinstein Variation, 3...dxe4)
* C11 - 3.Nc3 Nf6 (includes the Steinitz Variation, 4.e5; C11-C14 cover the Classical Variation)
* C12 - 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 (includes the MacCutcheon Variation, 4...Bb4)
* C13 - 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 (Burn Variation)
* C14 - 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7
* C15 - 3.Nc3 Bb4 (C15-C19 cover the Winawer Variation)
* C16 - 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5
* C17 - 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5
* C18 - 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 (includes the Armenian Variation, 5...Ba5)
* C19 - 3.Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Nf3 and 7.a4

French Defense Chess Video Lessons

French Defense Opening Theory - 8 Video Playlist (2.5hrs) Hanging Pawns

Introduction to the French Defence | Kids' Class - GM Ben Finegold - 32 Min
Crush Opponents with the Rozman French Defense - 47 Min IM Levy Rozman
Play against the French Defence: The Fort Knox | Grandmaster's Choice - GM Pepe Cuenca - 53 Min
Super Tricky French Advance Variation with SO MANY TRAPS (for Black) - 22 Min

Understand the French Structures - 83 Min GM Ruslan Ponomariov

St Louis Chess Club Lectures

Effective Development | French Defense - GM Yasser Seirawan - 2013.07.03 - 48 Min
The French Defense: Tarrasch Variation | Chess Openings Explained - 57 Min
Play Like a Frenchman | Kids' Class - GM Varuzhan Akobian - 25 Min
The Voracious Winawer: Part 1 - Chess Openings Explained - 56 Min
The Voracious Winawer: Part 2 - Chess Openings Explained - 52 Min
The French Guimard: Secret Weapon to the Tarrasch - Chess Openings Explained - 45 Min
French, Winawer variation Middlegame - GM Varuzhan Akobian - 42 Min
Pawn Structure #2: French Defence | Strategy Session with Jonathan Schrantz - 25 Min

French Defence Lectures - Each 10 min Videos
Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4
French Defence Opening Lesson - Each 10 Min Video
Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4

French Defense Game Videos (w/Analysis)

Grischuk vs Bareev 2001 - 11 Min Video (French defence with 3.e5 (Advance Variation) )

Puiras vs Berman 2001 (Part 1) (Part 2) -9 Min Videos (Master Analysis)

Adams vs Berg - 9 min Video (Tarrasch Advance variation )

Shabalov vs. Akobian | 2003 | French Defense - GM Varuzhan Akobian - 54 Min

The Bishops Bounty

Quote of the Day

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

French Defence (C00 - C19) - Opening Theory