Customer Reviews

Starting Out: The French (Starting Out - Everyman Chess)

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Here are several reasons you should avoid this book:
1) the author gives 2 games in the introduction and neither are from the French.
2) the author begins with the Winawer variation which is probably the most complex and where the 'basic ideas' will take a back seat to heavy tactical complications. (Also, I don't know why he didn't think it necessary to explain typical plans or tactical motifs before you jumped into the most theory-laden line of the French. He didn't even discuss pain chains at any length!!).
3) the annotations he quotes offer little explaination as to the philosophy of the variation. Also, most was written before in other sources in ChessBase (in fact he quotes verbatim a good deal of analysis without giving credit).
4) he actually MISquotes some games (i.e. he claims Morozevich played ...Qd8 when, if you actually look up the game, Morozevich played ...Qc7. This can be very confusing in some positions where the given move is simply bad. He also claims equality in some lines which are considered clearly better for white by other annotators (including the players themselves or the silicon kind).
5) there are much better books on the French available. (see John Watson's terrific (but complex) "Play the French" or "Mastering the French" or a Psakhis book or a Danny King Video or just about anything else).
6)Most importantly, you don't actually learn how to 'Start Out' playing the French. The analysis is heavy, inaccurate, and doesn't teach you must at all. Trying to learn the basics of the French by repeating GM analysis on Morozevich or Korchnoi games isn't not very instructive at all for class players.

The reason this book is good may not so much be content, but the fact that there are no other books on the French Defence designed for beginners. I know somewhere there is a Learn French with the Read and Play Method...

There are a lot of good reasons to play the french. First, it's an opening that gets a lot of play in top level tournaments, so you always have something new going on in your opening. Second, it is a counterattacking opening, just like the sicilian. The real difference is that in the french you don't have to learn as many structures to play, unless you want to.

I can't really comment on the section about the Winawer, as I have no desire to play it. However, the section on the classical, Tarrasch, and Advance have helped me understand the "why" behind the varations I've memorized. Just reading through this, I have realized points when in games I had a winning position because of an opponents tactical or positional blunder, only to lose it.

The games in the book are mostly master level games from the last couple of years, giving the book an up to date feeling. Plus, all lines of the french are covered. The entire book won't be helpful to everyone though, unless you're looking to find lines that suit you. All in all, get this book, play through the games, and you'll have a great base to expand on for the future.

Im aware that very recently, and especially throughout this year (2006) there would be published really a bunch of the new french books. Added to existing Psakhis 4 volume series, would be Pedersens new works which would also close its series, and there would be Sam Collins French Advance, which to me at least tell that Everyman too would like to close its series in near future. All in all, there is all of a sudden a lot of material for advanced player.
But, there are almost none for beginner. So this book is trying to accomplish that goal. Well, it succeded, but partially. As the previous rewiers noted, the lines are not perfect in every variation, but honestly, I think that is no of much significance for starters. What is more important is feeling for playing french u can catch with this book because author really explained the particularies and plans nicely.
Recommended for beginers in french, best followed by Play the french from Watson.

The winawer variations is covered fairly well, where he gives useful tips and warnings and present important games.

The rest of the book however is pretty worthless if you are looking for a book to get you started with the french. For example, in the 3.Nd2 variation, he shows a wild position arising (it is all theory) and gives no help at all to the black player:
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ne2 cxd 8.cxd f6
"There are wild complications after 9.Nf4 Nxd4 10.Qh5 Ke7 11.Ng6+ hxg6 12.exf6+ Nxf6 13.Qxh8."

Well yes, thanks a lot, but I would like to know how I should continue if I don't want to lose in a few moves. But Byron stops right here...
Many of the games in other main lines are also examples of black getting killed instantly, and the notes won't give you much help either. You're on your own in the middle of some highly popular and theoretical positions.

The part of the winawer is fine, the rest is just very very bad. Can't be recommended.

If you are looking for a book on the french, there are plenty out there that are way way way better this crappy book. First of all, in some variations he claims that black is equal... but if you type in the variation on fritz he assesses it much better for white. This show the poor effort that went into this book. Also he only gives 2 games for each chapter which does nothing for a serious french play. Also, he only gives responses to white's main moves. He doesn't even explain the tricky sidelines white can play to throw the french player offguard. All in all this book is total crap. If you are looking for a book on the french, get "Play the French" by Jon Watson. This is an excellent book that is 276 and provides top coverage and sidelines to ANYTHING white replies. He gives 4 variations black can play against anything white throws at you. So its easy to pick a variation that suits your style. He also gives untested variations and lets you do a little bit of exploring. If you are looking for a book on the french, then get "Play the French" 3rd edition by Jon Watson.

Compiled by chess author and journalist Byron Jacobs, Starting Out: The French is an extensive analysis of The French defense and its variations for Black in the classic game of chess. Insightful explanations and page after page of play-by-play games, with visual diagrams enhancing the appropriate positional shorthand, make Starting Out: The French a superb guide, especially for intermediate level chess players seeking to advance their skills.