In particular I pointed out that after the further moves 1...e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3, a position occurring 128 times in my games with white, I scored +40=36-52, which is a disappointing 45%.
Furthermore I performed on average 52 elo below my rating, and added that "these numbers suggest 3.Nc3 does not suit me."
The post attracted a comment from Yorkshire Dave, who asked: "Have you looked at the results a few moves further in each variation?"
The post attracted a comment from Yorkshire Dave, who asked: "Have you looked at the results a few moves further in each variation?"
I had not, at least in any detail, so this is what I am doing now.
After 3.Nc3, opponents have replied with seven different moves, but only three have occurred more than once: 3...Bb4 (Winawer), 3...Nf6 (Classical) and 3...dxe4 (Rubinstein).
I will look at the three variations in reverse order of popularity.
RUBINSTEIN
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| Position after 3...dxe4 |
This has occurred 13 times, which is a small sample size, but my score of +7=3-3, or 65%, looks good.
However in those games I performed on average 56 elo below my rating, which is certainly not good.
In two games I played 4.f3!?, effectively making the games Blackmar-Diemer Gambits, with Black committed to ...e6.
I won both games, which is food for thought, but my opponents were 81 elo and 155 elo lower-rated, which knocks the shine off those victories.
In the other 11 games I played 4.Nxe4, scoring +5=3-3, or 59%, performing on average 118 elo below my rating.
Conclusion: I struggle against the Rubinstein, although 4.f3!? offers a glimmer of hope.
CLASSICAL
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| Position after 3...Nf6 |
Nor is there much hope when my individual fourth moves are considered. With 4.e5 I have scored 45%, performing 81 elo below my average rating, with 4.Bg5 I have scored 32%, performing 115 elo below my average, and with 4.Bd3 I have scored 25%, performing 368 elo below my average.
Conclusion: I need to do major work on my repertoire against the Classical if I am to face 3...Nf6 with any confidence.
WINAWER
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| Position after 3...Bb4 |
I lost in the one game I tried 4.exd5 and in the one game I tried 4.a3.
With 4.e5 I have scored 49%, but performed 44 elo above my average rating; with 4.Bd3 I have scored 50%, performing 81 elo below my average; with 4.Nge2 I have scored 20%, performing 193 elo below my average.
Conclusion: if I ever manage to rehabilitate my playing of 3.Nc3, I do, in the shape of 4.e5, have something that shows promise against the Winawer.
Overall it is clear, I believe, that whatever I choose to play against the French in future games, 3.Nc3 would require as much work from me as if I took up a completely new system.
Hello. I really enjoy your website. How you have the time to post so many games plus analysis is beyond me. In my late teenage years - over 50 years ago - I moved from playing the Sicilian to the French, and it has stayed as my main choice to date. One advantage has been that you rarely lose to a youngster, who needs a cushion on the chair to raise him or herself to the correct level for play, in the first 20 moves. They know many Sicilian lines into the middlegame but the French is less well studied. I must admit that I have been graded around 135-150 in old money for most of my playing years. Nevertheless, it was not unusual for opponents graded 20-30 points above me to have to concede draws and some wins. Much of the theory in the variations that I use dates back well into the mid 20th century. Opting for the Tartakower Variation in the French Classical often gained time on the clock and scored a good percentage at my standard.
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Certainly in my experience 1.e4 players study 1...c5 and 1...e5 much more than they look at 1...e6. I believe the Tartakower Variation in the French starts 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Ne4!? I have not faced it, but interestingly Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 are happy enough with ...Ne4.
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I appear to have gone from 'Yorkshire Dave' to 'Anonymous'!?
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