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Playing the French

A comprehensive guide to the French Defence opening

Jacob Aagaard author Nikolaos Ntirlis author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Quality Chess UK LLP

Published:27th Nov '13

Should be back in stock very soon

Playing the French cover

This book offers a comprehensive guide to the French Defence, featuring insights and strategies for players of all levels. Playing the French is essential for understanding this complex opening.

The Playing the French book offers an in-depth exploration of the French Defence, a robust and strategically rich response to 1.e4. Unlike many openings that have been heavily analyzed through computer simulations, the French Defence maintains its integrity due to the characteristic blocked pawn center. This leads to scenarios where a player with a deeper understanding of the position can outmaneuver an opponent who relies on computer-assisted preparation, making it a valuable tool for serious chess players.

In Playing the French, acclaimed authors Ntirlis and Aagaard provide a comprehensive repertoire for Black, focusing on key lines such as 3.Nc3 Nf6 and 3.Nd2 c5. The book is filled with fresh insights and thorough explanations of positional and strategic themes, ensuring that readers gain a solid grasp of the complexities involved in the French Defence. This makes it an essential resource not only for those playing as Black but also for players of either color looking to understand the intricacies of this opening.

With its rich content and practical approach, Playing the French is a must-have for chess enthusiasts seeking to enhance their understanding of one of the most enduring openings in chess. The authors' expertise shines through, providing readers with the tools they need to navigate the complexities of the French Defence with confidence.

"I already indicated that opening books are not my favourite chess books and many are unread on my bookshelf. The greatest compliment I can give Nikolaos is: this book will remain on my desk and I will certainly continue to study it with great pleasure. In short: highly recommended for both c4 and d4 players. As far as I'm concerned: 5 stars." - Michel Hoetmer, www.schaaksite.nl


"Obviously I should have read the book before I played the variation. But doing it the other way round was not without educational benefits! It gave me the chance to think a bit more freely about the opening and not allow myself to be under the control of the authorities. Or more relevantly; it made me far more receptive to what was in the book! I think I will play the variation very differently next time round!" -- GM Simen Agdestein


"…an excellent source of inspiration for any French players out there." -- GM Matthew Sadler, New in Chess


"Quality Chess has again been able to come up with another highly-recommendable book, with plenty of originality." -- GM Glenn Flear, New in Chess Yearbook


"I gave up the French long time ago but now, after having worked with the books by Aagard, Ntilis and Berg, I am seriously considering visiting my old-forgotten friend… [A book] of high quality by the very publisher who sets the standard nowadays regarding chess literature." -- Lukas Wedrychowski


"This complete monograph by Aagaard & Ntirlis recommends the Classical variation with 3…Nf6 in response to 3.Nc3… An advantage is that the structures are not as crazy as in the Winawer Variation and are somewhat easier to play. Players whose French repertoire includes this are well-served by this book." -- André Schulz, ChessBase

ISBN: 9781907982361

Dimensions: 240mm x 170mm x 20mm

Weight: 767g

464 pages