Chess Openings - The French Defense
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1. e4 e6
The usual continuation would be:
2. d4 d5
In the French Defense, Black responds to the King's Pawn Opening with a slight advance his own King's Pawn: 1... e6. His intention is to challenge the centre immediately with 2... d5. The opening is named after a famous correspondence match between the Westminster Chess Club and the Paris Chess Club.
The French Defense is solid and resilient. It is an ideal opening for the defensive minded player. Black's goal is to advance on the Queenside, while defending against an inevitable white attack on the Kingside. The disadvantage of the defense is that black's position is often cramped. The Queen's Bishop is blocked in by the e pawn - and many of black's problems in the French come from the poor development of this piece.
Many strong masters have disagreed with the French Defense because of the cramped black position that it produces. For over a century, they have attempted to prove that the opening is unsound - and for over a century, these attempts have been refuted!
How Common is The French Defense?
Uncommon at Novice Level
Common at Master Level
Becaush of it's solid characteristics, the French Defense is popular amongst strong players. Novice players tend to play the French less often. Overall, expect to see the French played in response to the King's Pawn Opening about 10% of the time.