French or Dutch for 'Lazy player'

Hi all,

In the spirit of Simon Williams, I have kids and don't have time to study endless lines of theory.  I would like to learn an opening as black which will allow me to understand ideas in the opening, and get a good setup without having to worry about sharp lines etc.  So out of the French or the Dutch, which opening should I pick?

Both French and Dutch have a lot of theory.

That's what I was worried you would say!  Which one would you recommend to be the easier to grasp, and the less sharp?

Modern defense. U can start (without thinking at all) by playing a6, d6, g6, Bg7, Nf6 (virtually in any possible order) followed by O-O vs almost everything.

Also, French & Dutch are defenses to different White openings. There are no sound openings without theory. But the Caro-Kann is less sharp & relatively easy to grasp.

Caro-Kann is heavily theoretical too.

The French is a versatile opening. However, if you choose to play it in a classically French way then it can be quite good for a lazy player as it can be very thematic. Thus, you often play the same moves with the same ideas in mind.

http://www.ebook777.com/tigers-modern/

thank me later ...

this book is for free

If you play the Dutch Defense, then you should know about the French Defense too.  GM Simon Williams (GingerGM) recommends playing 1...e6 in response to 1.d4, hiding your intention to play the Dutch, in order to avoid typical anti-Dutch systems by white.  Only then moving 2...f5 to get a Classical Dutch, which Simon favors over the Leningrad or Stonewall.  However, white can transpose to the French Defense by answering 1.d4 e6 with 2.e4.

how about snakes and ladders ?

Give us more details!

I've been playing the Advanced Snake opening for a few months Nadia, but I'm not getting on with it and considering swapping for the 4 ladders defence.  Please help!

Thanks for the input all.  I will look into the Caro-Kann maybe, I would prefer something more thematic to memorising loads of sharp lines, so if that is pretty unavoidable with either the French or Dutch, then I might go for something else.

Great (short) 4-part beginner video series on French Defense:

https://youtu.be/hOP-nHf8iQE?list=PLPemzOY6oyvthskoIRV-o5tf89H9KjVWh

https://youtu.be/f4nYfr0ddrw?list=PLPemzOY6oyvthskoIRV-o5tf89H9KjVWh

https://youtu.be/iswbGTNzWH8?list=PLPemzOY6oyvthskoIRV-o5tf89H9KjVWh

https://youtu.be/QK5Ei3IyCN0?list=PLPemzOY6oyvthskoIRV-o5tf89H9KjVWh

The easy way to play the French is simply 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3/3.Nd2 dxe4 which they basically say is learning the French in an afternoon. You also need something for 3.e5 but Black has lots of options.

For me, the Caro-Kann Defense, Slav Defense, and -as White- the London System have a lot of common moves and ideas in common.  I don't go out of my way to memorize move orders.

In the Caro-Kann and Slav, the idea is to play 1...c6, 2...d5 and then get your "bad" QB outside your Pawn Chain with 3...Bf5 or 3...Bg4, then exchange that Bishop for a B or N at the first opportunity.

Then you generally play ...e6, ...Nf6 ...Nbd7.  If White has played the Advance Variation, your N on d7 is in great position to support a counterattack, preferably at c5 but possibly also at f6 or b6.  The d7 N also blocks White from using e5 of c5 as a N Outpost.

If White exchanges your d5-P for his e-P or c-P, then the game becomes more open while you still have a strong defense and d5 often becomes an outpost for your N.

In general you should plan to attack on the Q-side, where frequently you have the opportunity to control the c-file.  But an attack in the middle, often strongly helped by N's, is also sometimes possible.

First Steps: The French
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7611.pdf

https://new.uschess.org/news/how-to-really-learn-an-opening-review-first-steps-the-french/
Opening Repertoire: ...c6.
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7673.pdf
First Steps: The Modern
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7700.pdf

 Joueur paresseux