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Originally posted by zebanoThat settles it then!
"3.Nc3 is better." -- Kasparov
Thanks to cms master and chessjester, cheers for the info. Yes you're right, I do favour 1.e4 for the tactical games that you often end up with so will take a butchers at that reti gambit, tactics is definitely my strongest area so an open game is preferable.
Speaking as a French player, I hate the exchange variation, and I must admit my results against it are pretty poor! It is easy to think "This is equal" and then just drift into symmetrical piece positions, exchange a few minor pieces and then be too slow to control the e-file with the major pieces. Having said that, it is awfully boring as White, and I tend to stick to the Tarrasch.
Speaking as a French player, I love the exchange. The french is kind of built on the fact that white gives away his advantage if he exchanges. Gives my equality in move 3, and that's perfect. And I don't mind drawing if I have to.
I would rather recommend, along with playing the defense as black like other suggested, that you learn the mainlines. The advance varition (1.e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 ...) is probably the most straight-forward, gives both sides some prospects. Nc3 is also a good alternative, perhaps somewhat more classic. Nd2 is quite positionally sound, and is something I personally don't like facing.
What I recommend you NOT to do is playing the mainlines for 5-6 moves and then coming up with other moves. It's inconsistent, and it's like giving up on your own plan. I often play against those who "know" the first few moves, and then abandon theory.. and it's usually quite easy to cash in against them.
Then there are naturally alternatives against all french.. like the king's indian attack (1. e4 e6 2. d3..). Some people think it's rather dull, but the chances in practice are rather alright, and you get a quite solid setup. I do think that black can get quite good central control though.. anyway, it's something I don't like facing as a french player. I'm not sure what higher ranked players say about the king's indian attack though. It's one of those openings which are recommended that you can play against everything, and I find it quite unlikely that it would work well at higher levels.
Originally posted by c guy1Yeah, I like this plan also, it's the French Advanced and with the closed center play is usually done on the wings. (White kingside, black queenside) This variation is pretty well suited for attacking players. I used to play the advanced against the French. However, playing this gives black familiar positions. For this reason, and the fact that the Reti Gambit is more open I have now switched to the Reti.
I currently play 3. e5
when black responds with c5 I eighter play c3 (continuing the pawn chain) or Nf3 to defend the pawn and develope a minor piece. Black often exchanges the 'c' pawn for the 'd' pawn but with whites centralized knight he should be looking pretty good.
Originally posted by TheGambitI should have said that I've been playing it lately as white.
Would you play that if you had to win as white? You're ranked pretty highly and the higher up you get the more a 'drawish' game actually becomes drawish - this looks drawish.
Cheers,
The_Gambit
(Current record holder for using 'drawish' the most amount of times in one sentence.)
In a must win game, however, I don't play 1.e4. (at least not often)
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Originally posted by WulebgrI really do not think the reti gambit is a good choise. Black can easeally get a good game after ...b7 and ...Bb7 attacking the pawn. I actually do think the exchange variation can be a good choise. If white plays c4 he has to accept an IQP in some lines but the game is defenitely that drawish. If you like to play with the IQP it can be quite good. Still 3.Nc3 is the best.
Excellent advice, and the reason I took up the French a few years ago. Lately, as white I've been playing the exchange because most French players hate it:
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5
Black already has equality--something white should not aim for, but if black desires to play for a win, the battle will be long and difficult.
Originally posted by bikingvikingI don't think b6* and Bb7 really creates much trouble for white. Tougher responses are those that include c5. And saying ...b6 and ...Bb7 is good for black is so vague that it can't even be considered...A line might help.
I really do not think the reti gambit is a good choise. Black can easeally get a good game after ...b7 and ...Bb7 attacking the pawn. I actually do think the exchange variation can be a good choise. If white plays c4 he has to accept an IQP in some lines but the game is defenitely that drawish. If you like to play with the IQP it can be quite good. Still 3.Nc3 is the best.
Originally posted by cmsMasterA very interesting gambit indeed! 🙂
You play e4. From this I'm sure you hate (or at least do not prefer) closed games. So open things up with a backwater gambit! (Very sound IMO, and white usually (90% ) gets the pawn back).
Reti Gambit
1.e4 e6
2.b3 d5
3.Bb2
Very interesting games often lead from this position. Very open and tactical as well. Worth a shot.
Most people just take on e4 and then Nc3 Nf6 g4!? or Qe2 and g4 later are both easy to play for white and it's totally Un-French! 😀
Has there been anything writen on this gambit?
The superb opening books by Khalifman on Anand's repertoire clearly
have him preferring the Winanwer,Fischer said as well the Winawer was the only way to play against the French though he described as not quite sound or words to that effect IIRC..Yusopov in his opening prepartion book also gives a universal (for white) opening system whichi is either the KIA or a version of it
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Originally posted by GambiteerOne book I think.....
A very interesting gambit indeed! 🙂
Most people just take on e4 and then Nc3 Nf6 g4!? or Qe2 and g4 later are both easy to play for white and it's totally Un-French! 😀
Has there been anything writen on this gambit?
http://hem.passagen.se/tjmisha/reti_gambit.html
I play the reti gambit often. Love it to bits, Nc3, Qe2 0-0-0, g4 is just kinky woooooo woooooo.
Originally posted by yelobFischer sucked against the French, who believes what he says when it comes to that opening? Now if he were talking about the Ruy, Najdorf, or KID it would be a very different story.
The superb opening books by Khalifman on Anand's repertoire clearly
have him preferring the Winanwer,Fischer said as well the Winawer was the only way to play against the French though he described as not quite sound or words to that effect IIRC..Yusopov in his opening prepartion book also gives a universal (for white) opening system whichi is either the KIA or a version of it