d-pawn opening for a Francophile?

[lblair]

@KeithAmmann

… What d-pawn defense comes closest to approximating the experience of playing the French?

@billbrock

… Based on your current rating, there’s an argument for starting with the Queen’s Gambit Declined before you try to learn the Dutch. The Tartakover and/or Lasker variations can be played “for life.” 1.d4 e6 (“A French?”) 2.c4 (“No thanks”) d5.

@KeithAmmann

Having recently been dissed for naively thinking I was ready to play the Dutch, I decided this morning to revisit this thread for other ideas. …

Perhaps this would be of interest:

FRITZ TRAINER - 1. … e6 - A Solid Repertoire Against 1. d4 and 1. e4
Nigel Davies

uscfsales.com/product_p/win0231cb.htm

chesscafe.com/text/lima03.pdf

[Akzidenz]

So glad Keith asked about this (she says, while furiously scribbling notes).

[lblair]

Perhaps this book will be of interest when it becomes available.

A Rock Solid Opening Repertoire for Black by Viacheslav Eingorn
ukgamesshop.com/Merchant2/me … ode=chsoon

[lblair]

@KeithAmmann

… What d-pawn defense comes closest to approximating the experience of playing the French?

@lblair

About three decades ago, there was an opening repertoire book by Bernard Cafferty that suggested the French Defense against 1 e4 and the QGD Tartakower for 1 d4.

abebooks.com/9780713419764/C … 419768/plp

I suppose that Declining the Queen’s Gambit by John Cox would be an example of a modern book that one could consult in order to explore this possibility.

uscfsales.com/product_p/b0330em.htm

@lblair

Perhaps this would be of interest:

FRITZ TRAINER - 1. … e6 - A Solid Repertoire Against 1. d4 and 1. e4
Nigel Davies

uscfsales.com/product_p/win0231cb.htm

chesscafe.com/text/lima03.pdf

@lblair

Perhaps this book will be of interest when it becomes available.

A Rock Solid Opening Repertoire for Black by Viacheslav Eingorn

An Opening Repertoire for Black by Marovic and Parma
amazon.com/Opening-Repertoir … 0713456469

is another (fairly old) book that suggested the French Defense against 1 e4 and the QGD for 1 d4. If you are interested, the Eingorn book is now available. uscfsales.com/product_p/b0180gb.htm

[David_Ames]

@tmagchesspgh

Tease your opponent by playing 1… e6 after he plays 1.d4. After he plays 2.c4 or 2.Nf3, then play the Dutch Defense. That is what Mikhail Botvinnik used to do. He played both the Classical and Stonewall variations as Black. This move order inhibits White from playing gambits. Of course, you might like playing against the gambits, so play 1…f5. That gives you a chance to play the Leningrad Dutch, a very dynamic defense. All of these are “system” openings which give you a greater chance to control the flow of the game. The Dutch Defense is one of the more respectable of the second tier 1.d4 defenses, and is less studied. White really wants to kill Black in the Dutch, and is less likely to play for mere equality. To get winning chances, he has to give you some, too.

The Slav Defense is okay, but gives White too much of a chance to play into some really boring lines. If you are playing for a win for Black, it is essential to adopt asymmetrical opening structures. Playing 1…e6 is like waving a red flag in front of a bull.

At chessgames.com, today’s Opening of the Day is the Staunton Gambit.

[dmn10]

Count this as a vote in favor of the Nigel Davies e6 DVD. Was very instrumental for me as i was preparing to play my first USCF rated event, having not studied the game in any meaningful way from about the age of 11 to 31.

If anyone wants more specifics they can message me directly on here.

Thanks

[lblair]

@lblair

An Opening Repertoire for Black by Marovic and Parma is another (fairly old) book that suggested the French Defense against 1 e4 and the QGD for 1 d4.

I just noticed that USCF is still selling this book. uscfsales.com/product_p/cb0092rb.htm