11/22/2025 – The concept behind Chessbase's "60-minute" courses is simple: a one-hour video course for just under 10 Euros. There are also courses on middle game and endgame topics, but most courses focus on quite "specialised" opening variations. In the second instalment of a short series, Jochen Schwarz presents the most important 60-minute courses for 1.e4 players against the French Defence.

7/19/2025 – The French Defence is a powerful, combative opening that can bring you both enjoyment and success if you study it properly. But it’s not so easy to find the "right" course among the many ChessBase courses on the French. Jochen Schwarz, a player from northern Germany and a coach in the south, has been playing the French for many years and has gained extensive experience with the FritzTrainer courses on this opening. He wants to help you find the French Defence video course (or courses) that best suit your needs.

5/19/2025 – In ChnessBase Magazine, our team of authors regularly explores new ideas and current trends in opening theory. CBM #225 once again offers ten opening articles – from a Dutch setup against the London System to 9...Bg4 in the Alapin Sicilian to the Queen's Indian with 8.Bd2. In his theory article, Robert Ris examines Gukesh's 7.a3!? in the Classical System of the French Defense – a "useful waiting move" that opens up various options for Black while simultaneously giving him the chance to make an early mistake. Ris' starting point is game 13 of the World Championship match between Gukesh and Ding Liren at the end of last year. The IM from the Netherlands also analyses two games by Magnus Carlsen, who adopted Gukesh's idea just a few days later against Nepomniachtchi. You can check out the article with all the analyses in this week's free CBM sample. Don't miss it!

3/10/2025 – In the classic Fort Knox Variation (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bd7), Black maneuvers the light-squared bishop to c6 in order to exchange it for a white knight and establish a super-solid setup. Yago Santiago discovered a new - and even safer - way of playing the Fort Knox in some of Arjun Erigaisi's games: In his opening article for the current CBM #224, Santiago presents the variation 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Bd7!? If White now reacts with 6.Nxf6+, he must be prepared for major complications after 6...gxf6! You can read the full article with all the annotated games this week as a free sample with your web browser in the ChessBase Books format!

5/30/2024 – ChessBase Magazine Extra is the ideal supplement to the ChessBase Magazine. In the new Extra #219: New double sacrifice against the French Defence (video by Felix Blohberger) and part 3 of the video series "Mikhalchishin's miniatures". "Lucky bag" with 44 analyses by Emanuel Berg, Romain Edouard, Alexandr Fier, Michal Krasenkow, Yago Santiago, Vaibhav Suri and many more. Plus over 50,000 new games for your database!

5/2/2023 – The new ChessBase Magazine #213 once again delivers a big swing of ideas for your repertoire in eleven opening articles - from Caro-Kann to the King's Indian! Sergey Grigoriants examines a new idea on move four that has become the latest fashion thanks to Magnus Carlsen, among others: 4...h6 in the French Defence! Black offers a pawn sacrifice – after the exchange on f6 the pawn on d5 is simply hanging. Can this be any good? The new engines and Sergey Griogoriants show that Black gets "compensation and great piece activity in all lines". Take a look!

5/4/2022 – The French Defence is one of the most popular openings — from club player to grandmaster. It’s a very solid opening against 1.e4, but it leaves room for counterplay and initiative. In this two-volume video course, former world champion and star trainer Rustam Kasimdzhanov shows you the ins and outs of this hugely complex opening.

11/4/2021 – The Rubinstein Variation of the French Defence (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4) often proves difficult for White to crack. Sure, you have a lot of space, but Black's position is very solid. After the main moves 4...Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6, White has so far mostly tried 7.c3 or 7.Bd3. In the new ChessBase Magazine #204 Martin Lorenzini presents a new idea with 7.Be3!? which could prove to be a worthwhile alternative to the well-known theoretical variations. Curious? Here's an excerpt of his article.

3/22/2020 – This week GM JON SPEELMAN breaks down a French and a Scandinavian from an Indian. Once again, Jon recorded a video version of his analysis. | Send in your own games! | Jon welcomes submissions from readers. If your games are selected for the Agony column, not only will you get free detailed commentary of your games by one of chess’s great authors and instructors, and former world no. 4 player, but you also win a free three-month ChessBase Premium Account!

3/12/2020 – Inspired by Alexei Shirov IM Robert Ris examines the latest in the French Advance variation. Live from 18:00 UTC (19:00 CET / 13:00 EST) and free to watch on-demand for a limited time (or forever for ChessBase Premium account holders. To chat when Robert is live, please visit videos.chessbase.com/live or login via Playchess for Windows. In the diagram, it's Black to play!

7/22/2019 – Rustam Kasimhanov is considered one of the best opening experts. On his series on the French Defence, he explains how to succeed as White with 3.Nc3, with a repertoire against the three major French system. This week only: All three DVDs as a package for only 49.90 euros (instead of 89.70).

2/7/2019 – Today's topic: The Steinitz Variation of the French Defence. Every two weeks on Thursday's at 18:00 UTC (19:00 CET, 1 pm EST), IM Robert Ris shows sharp and double edged opening lines. If you fancy sacrificing or playing gambits, this show is a must see. Not only will you profit from specific opening ideas but you'll learn a lot of interesting general opening concepts too. The live show is free to watch, and available on-demand for ChessBase Premium account holders (but FREE for a limited time!). To chat, please visit videos.chessbase.com/live or login via Playchess for Windows.

6/15/2018 – While this DVD is dedicated to an opening repertoire for Black, we can also catch a glimpse into the grandmaster's mind. We are treated to a show where pawn structures, relationships between pieces and pawns, and middlegame plans come alive through the words and explanation of a top GM. Yannick Pelletier guides us beyond the mere memorization of moves and lines, directly into the land of strategy and planning. DAVIDE NASTASIO says it definitely has a certain 'je ne sais quoi'.

7/26/2017 – Rustam Kasimdzhanov was FIDE World Champion in 2004, a renowned opening expert and a successful trainer. He was a long-time second of Vishy Anand and helped him to prepare for several World Championship matches. For ChessBase, Kasimdzhanov has published a number of popular opening DVDs. Fiona Sieber had a close look at his DVD about the Main Line of the Classical French.

7/17/2017 – If you play 1.e4 you might not always welcome the French and its often unique structures. But there is a way to take French aficionados out of their comfort zone. Play 3.Bd3! In the current issue of the ChessBase Magazine International Master Georgios Souleidis shows you why this move is worth a try.

5/5/2017 – Sergei Tiviakov knows how to win against the French: by playing 3.Nd2! The renowned author and grandmaster regularly plays this move which has brought him a score of about 80% against the French. On a ChessBase DVD he revealed the secrets of this line. French expert Markus Hochgräfe had a close look at the DVD - and was impressed.

4/1/2017 – French players believe in their opening and if you play with White against a French aficionado you better come prepared. On his DVD "Fit for the French" Viktor Bologan helps you to prepare against the French. He recommends to play 3.Nc3 and to follow the main lines. Markus Hochgräfe, who has been playing the French for years, had a look at the DVD and liked what he saw. But he still believes that Black can do better.

12/4/2016 – From December 1 to December 24 we invite our readers every day to open a door in our advent calendar. Click and enjoy a little chess treat. Advent calendar, door 4.

5/3/2015 – If you play 1.e4 you need a line against the French. Why not try the Korchnoi Gambit 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ngf3!?. Named after one of the greatest French experts of all time it promises entertaining attacking chess against the often positional French. Priyadarshan Banjan took a closer look and enjoyed the fun of gambit play.

4/6/2015 – Nicholas Pert, English grandmaster and experienced coach, loves the French Defence. He has played this opening in hundreds of games and it brought him many fine victories and helped him to become grandmaster. On his new ChessBase-DVD he distills this huge knowledge into a French repertoire. For Davide Nastasio this opened a window into a new world.

11/23/2013 – The French Defense has always stood out as a special kind of beast, garnering a passion that borders on religious fervor. GM Nick Pert comes as the high priest as he presents his finest material, which is the result of hundreds of hours of study and thought. The new DVD comes with over seven hours of videos to give you a complete competitive repertoire against 1.e4. Read the review.

9/16/2013 – The French Defense is an immensely popular opening at all levels and especially in club play. Sergey Tiviakov is a very successful player in opens and proposes to teach his pet 3.Nd2 line, with all the lines, ideas and thousand of commented games. More impressive than his high rating, is his pedigree with the opening, including a whopping win rate of over 80%.