Tzermiadianos, How to beat the French Defence

The French Defence is considered to be one of Black's most reliable answers to 1 e4. Indeed, many players have become frustrated in their attempts to prove an advantage and make headway against Black's ultra-solid formation.

In How to Beat the French Defence, Andreas Tzermiadianos meets this difficult challenge head on. He advocates his favourite weapon against the French - the Tarrasch Variation - and reveals an abundance of opening ideas and novelties, providing the reader with a complete repertoire which is aimed at posing Black serious problems. Read this book and fight the French Defence with renewed confidence and vitality.

Contents

Bibliography and Acknowledgernents 5

Preface 7

Part One: General Themes

1 How We Work in the Opening 9
2 Middlegame Strategy 13
3 Typical Endgames 27

Part Two: 3rd Move Alternatives after 3.Nd2

4 Unusual 3rd Moves for Black 42
5 3...Nc6 53
6 3...a6 59
7 3...Be7 64

Part Three: 3.Nd2 c5

8 3...c5 4.Ngf3: Unusual Lines 76
9 3...c5 4.Ngf3 cxd4 5.exd5 Qxd5 79
10 3...c5 4.Ngf3 Nc6 5.exd5 exd5 6.Bb5: Unusual Lines 121
11 3...c5 4.Ngf3 Nc6 5.exd5 exd5 6.Bb5: Main Lines 132
12 3...c5 4.Ngf3 Nf6 149

Part Four: 3.Nd2 Nf6

13 3...Nf6 4.e5 Ne4 and 4...Ng8 164
14 3...Nf6 4.e5 Nd7 5.Bd3: Black Plays ...b6 174
15 3...Nf6 4.e5 Nd7 5.Bd3: Lines without ...f6 180
16 3...Nf6 4.e5 Nd7 5.Bd3: Black Plays ...f6 before ...cxd4 193
17 3...Nf6: Main Line with 8...Qb6 200
18 3...Nf6: Main Line with 9 ...Qxf6 221
19 3...Nf6: Main Line with 11...0-0 234
20 3...Nf6: Main Line with 11...Qc7 252

Part Five: 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4

21 Rubinstein Variation: 4th Move Alternatives 266
22 Rubinstein Variation: 4...Nd7 295

Index of Variations 317

Index of Games 319