Why do people bully the French?

I really like this opening, it helped me won several games in tournaments and probably my best choice as black, as I have learned a lot of theory on the French. And I know it might not be so popular and all, but what's wrong with it? Isn't it playable and often used by masters? Is it wrong for me to play it since it's the black's openig that makes me most comfortable with?

I looked at your games where you played the French.  Not one single games outcome was determined by the opening.  They were all won or lost because of blunders, missed tactics, and simply hanging material.  But answer your question.  The French is a respectable opening.  The eternal question of what to do with the LSB is an issue for some.  For those that call it "boring?"  They dont understand it.

I haven't played the French for some time in this site, I mainly use it in external tournaments, but thanks for the attention.

And thank you for the answer!

You have played it 52 times this year on this site, and most recently on 05-14-21

26 wins

24 losses

2 draws

Certainly respectable.  My only was that the opening is not determining the outcome of your games.  If you enjoy playing the French, then keep on playing it.

There isn't anything wrong with it, it has been played throughout history by beginners all the way up to world champions (in world championship matches as well).    There were even a handful of French games in the last candidates tournament. 

I think @IMBacon hit the nail on the head, some people don't like specific openings because they can't use their normal maneuvers.  Same goes for the Berlin. Kasparov called the Berlin "a sharp and rich middlegame", others see there are no queens on the board and assume it must be an immediate draw.

I started playing the French to avoid many of the symmetrical positions of 1.e4 e5

People "bully" the French Defense because they don't understand how it works.  Once you do, it's a great weapon against 1. e4 players, especially ones who don't understand the French Defense (of which there are many).

A proper French Defense is neither passive nor boring - it's a fight for the center right out of the gate!  Black's purpose is to fix and destroy d4, and so if d4 falls, white loses.  How many openings do you find white playing defense?

As soon as you see words like "boring" "passive" etc.  Its a tell tale sign the person does not know what they are talking about.

It is a rite of passage for most chess players to slag on other peoples' opening choices. For some the act is actually more fun than chess itself, and has become the only enjoyment they get out of the game anymore.

The French is fine. Just spend some time learning the lines deeper.

It is a good opening. Super GMs seem to dodge it these days, but that doesn't mean it is bad at lower levels.

It's not bad at the GM levels either.  Soundness of an opening is not a popularity contest!  One has nothing to do with the other!

It's like anything else.  Things go in waves!  80s hairdos were big in the 80s (of course) and now.  Nobody wore their hair that way in 2000.  Does that make you bad if you did in 2000?

You order a vegetable with your dinner at a restaurant.  You are a party of 7.  The first 6 all ordered carrots.  Does that make you ordering Broccoli unhealthy?

Same goes for the French.  You do not have to be an Amateur for it to be sound.  It is played at the GM level.  It just is not popular right now.

Thank you!

I have no idea why. I suspect they've never played it before. The only thing "bad" about it is the exchange variation and the "space advantage", and even then black's already achieved its goal of equality in the first 3 moves in the exchange

Just as people are afraid of things they don't understand, chess players are afraid of solid openings they aren't prepared for.

And the french bishop

never played the french, but i think its good enough to be a main opening. i, right now, dont play it cuz im not familiar with the lines and spots for pieces, but as white, i enjoy the advance variation, so the black knight cant be on the normal square. that gives lots of chances for attack

"The French Defence. In my younger years I used to consider it at best a second-rate opening, and I once even lost a bet with one of my friends, and as a result had to play 1... e6 in all my games with Black in a Super-GM tournament. Fortunately my friend was greedy, and took money instead. I believe that both 1...c5 and 1...e5! are better choices, but since I desperately wanted to win this game (I was trailing the leaders Kramnik and Shirov by 1 point at this stage) I decided to try something new." - Carlsen

"I have never in my life played the French Defence, which is the dullest of all openings" - Steinitz

There was a time when I used to love the French so much that in OTB games in my chess club in year 6 I used to play it all the time but then one time I lost to a relative of mine in the French and I never played it afterwards but know the only reasons I really play the French is to either divert from opening theory to positions no-one in the history of chess has ever played or to transpose to a Semi-Slav without allowing a London of any kind or to transpose into an Old Benoni Defence : Franco Sicilian Defence or to play 2.e5!!! against the Labourdonnais Variation of the French and maybe transpose into a Falkbeer Countergambit , Hinrichsen Gambit and play on from there into eventually an untheoretical position!

I think it's decent enough to be played for a lifetime, but personally I would feel very uncomfortable against both 3 Nc3 and the Tarrasch which give White very comfortable play and winning chances