English Chess Forum

Peter Tart has reviewed The Exchange French Comes to Life: Fresh Strategies to Play for a Win

from Alex Fishbein

published by Russell Enterprises

https://britishchessnews.com/2021/11/26 ... for-a-win/

However, two chapters (9 and 10) appear to be inconsistent with the intent of the book, as they do not fit with the 4.Nf3 repertoire.

Why

In one of my last games in 4NCL, my opponent found a nice way for me to win with White. He castled queenside!

That can be a good way for Black to play in some lines.

Many authors on the French are dismissive of the Exchange not taking it as seriously as Caro authors would treat the Panov.. That can be of advantage to those who play it as White.

I blame it all on Simon Webb and that game he quoted of Eley's.

Was it against Uhlmann?

Nick Ivell wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 26, 2021 7:03 pm

I blame it all on Simon Webb and that game he quoted of Eley's.

Was it against Uhlmann?

Yes.

Mind you a lot better players than Eley lost to Uhlmann’s French.

Nick Ivell wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 26, 2021 7:03 pm

I blame it all on Simon Webb and that game he quoted of Eley's.

Was it against Uhlmann?

There's a game from Hastings starting 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. exd5 exd5 5. Bd3

That's strictly peaking an exchange Winawer. Without having seen the book, I get the impression that it suggests lines where c4 is either played or possible, thus ruling out systems with an early Nc3.

Thanks for uploading, Jack.

A game which has lost none of its power to horrify. How can Eley have played on once his knight was incarcerated on h1?

I stand corrected, though; not an Exchange as intended by the thread.

now let's have Larsen v Portisch 1964. Only a few will not have seen it before. But they need to see it, and will only know why when they have seen it.

I think Larsen had rather more ambitious intentions than Eley had!

In my experience the French Exchange tends to favour the stronger player. As a lifelong French player I have had some wins as black with Bf5 exchanging off the light squared bishops and an eventual good vs bad dark squared bishop ending, or a king side attack with long casting, but generally against lower rated opposition. I have also been squashed a couple of times as black, by losing control of f5, or after an early c4 by white, against stronger players.

Amused to come across this just now