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Is the exchange French so bad?

<Comment deleted by user>
Something I noticed about the exchange French is that I (as black) underestimate it a lot! Whenever I play against the Advance French, I usually get worried and try to think deeply about what my plan actually will be during the game. I am actually concerned that my opponent will be able to "wipe me off the board" if I don't .

However, when I play against the Exchange French, my mind just seems to relax! I have been under the impression that the development plan against the Exchange French is pretty simple, there aren't too many tactics to worry about, and it's a pretty easy opening to play against. My "move accuracy" is usually very high in the Exchange French.

Somehow, my results disagree. I usually grind out wins in Advance French games, and I generally don't lose too much but almost all three results happen consistenly in the exchange French.
Chess is dead. I'd switch to 960 but no one plays it. It takes forever to get a seek.

I would disagree somewhat. The center is closed so it means there are going to be no quick mates and no dropping of pieces. Black is super solid in both openings and so even if black wins material, black has to grind out win in the endgame. And development is slow in both systems.

Hm if there is interesting play in the panov, I would never find it. I honestly prefer black in that position.
I'll concede that the French exchange by no means makes itself a sharp tactical game. In fact, it relieves tension in the center and gives Black many chances to equalize immediately. White's 4th and 5th moves are going to dictate play, however, and depending on how Black responds, it could still lead to a sharp open game rather than something that is more theoretically sharp like Winawer, where the potential for breaking open the position becomes almost a greater threat than actually having an open position. Though, while Black has a lot of ways to equalize in the French exchange, it's hard to say it's objectively worse for White. White maintains initiative and actually has a little more say over the pace of the game from here.

In more standard French variations, Black may not have space or initiative, but he is controlling the flow of the game because of the tension in the center. It is generally Black who has the breaking moves which unleash the battle on his terms. So while the exchange may be a bit "boring" and less tactical, it isn't so objectively drawn as it might appear to be, provided White can hold the initiative through the game. That last sentence, however, is the real tricky part, because odds are his initiative will eventually grind to a halt.
<Comment deleted by user>
That's another good point, Black does have informational advantage in the openness of the exchange and can continue along symmetrically until it's unwise.

I think it's almost more of a psychological blow than anything else, because the slow, methodical, tactically oriented French player is being forced into what will likely boil down into a boringly equal endgame quickly. In that regard, it's more likely for them to slip up. haha
Okay, so I was "wrong" about exchange variations being more tactical.

It is still tactical to throw them off psychologically, though. ;)

I still strongly dislike both the French and Caro-Kann, sorry MsCaroKann.
That was exchange variation, tylenol.

Yeah I agree, I like the Caro-Kann MUCH better with the early exchange(s).

Of course any game can be tactical!
i would find it very helpful if people could post games here that they won with black in the french exchange, so we can see the good ideas for it etc

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