@OneoftheTwo I have tried 3...c5 against the Tarrash for a while and got bored of being outplayed by most of my opponents. I wouldn't call those positions boring (The Qxd5 structure is pretty deep and the exd5 one is pretty dynamic) but they didn't fit my style. Never liked 3... Nf6 because of the Bd3 Ne2 plan where white's play feels so natural. Nowadays I go with the mysterious 3...a6 hoping for some closed fighting positions but I would rather recommend to investigate on 3...Be7 for that.
About the exchange I often go with Bd6 Nc6 Ne7 Bg4 (or Bf5) Qd2 0-0-0 hoping to win the checkmate race. Not always objectively good but it plays well against white's solid playstyle more often than not.
#10: Lines with ...Ne7 plus ...Nd7 seem highly unexplored. Example: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Bd6 5. Bd3 Ne7 6. O-O Nd7 7. Nbd2 Nf8 8. c3 Nfg6 9. Re1 Nf4 10. Bc2 O-O 11. Nf1 Neg6
@Folichon said [^](/forum/redirect/post/0LVpNUJv)
> @OneoftheTwo I have tried 3...c5 against the Tarrash for a while and got bored of being outplayed by most of my opponents. I wouldn't call those positions boring (The Qxd5 structure is pretty deep and the exd5 one is pretty dynamic) but they didn't fit my style. Never liked 3... Nf6 because of the Bd3 Ne2 plan where white's play feels so natural. Nowadays I go with the mysterious 3...a6 hoping for some closed fighting positions but I would rather recommend to investigate on 3...Be7 for that.
>
> About the exchange I often go with Bd6 Nc6 Ne7 Bg4 (or Bf5) Qd2 0-0-0 hoping to win the checkmate race. Not always objectively good but it plays well against white's solid playstyle more often than not.
@Folichon Be7 is unexplored but seems pretty dubios. And as of the long castle systems against the exchange variation a move like c4 disrupts black's coordination. It could work in an online rapid game, but I think white will win almost all games in fide rated tournaments.
True 0-0-0 is particularly risky if white didn't commit Nc3 or c3, that's why we try to provoke c3 first with Nc6 Bg4. As for 3...Be7 it is interesting and playable, yet less correct than 3...c5 but it's like every non 3...c5 moves.
As I see how the game is working you sometimes have to choose between correctness and interestingness, especially against supersolid systems.
I would have definitively liked your post if you somehow posted a non-dull image from Marseille instead of a dull image from Nice :)
The real dulness in French comes from the white option to simply exchange. I've played it countless times against stronger players (half of the time agains IMs and pretty much against every GM) and the look on their face after 3.exd5 was totally worth it. I did have my share of draws, more losses than wins. I don't see any opening with black against 1.e4 where white has such an option.
@Folichon said [^](/forum/redirect/post/CRsIPsYX)
> True 0-0-0 is particularly risky if white didn't commit Nc3 or c3, that's why we try to provoke c3 first with Nc6 Bg4. As for 3...Be7 it is interesting and playable, yet less correct than 3...c5 but it's like every non 3...c5 moves.
> As I see how the game is working you sometimes have to choose between correctness and interestingness, especially against supersolid systems.
Its a easier game with c3 on the board, but black is not happy when a strong player plays a move like c4.
great post
Fantastic read ! Thank you!!!