VARIANTE DEI CAMBIO DELLA FRANCESE! IL NERO!VINCE IN MENO DI 20 MOSSE!

Beginners are wrongly afraid of the French Exchange Variation. Comments like this one can be found online: "It's one of the dullest, most hateful, and most stubborn variations in the entire theory of openings. The dismal symmetry of the pawns, the almost mirror-image pieces, the total lack of imbalance... Yes, I have a visceral and perhaps slightly irrational dislike for it, but I just can't get along with it. " This isn't true. Black has a clear game plan that goes something like this: the queen's knight usually goes to c6. Bf8 has its natural square on d6, while the king's knight will be positioned on e7, from where it will control the f5-square. The White-squared bishop will go on the h7-b1 diagonal to be exchanged for White's, then on f5 or g4. This maneuver can be performed either directly or through the maneuvers Ng-e7, Be6, Qd7, Bf5. In some cases, especially if White has played Nf3, Black can play Bg4 and after h3 respond with Bh5-g6. Since the e5-square must be controlled as best as possible, the push on f6 MUST be part of our development plan. Sometimes it's White himself who, by playing Bg5, believes he's creating a weakness after f6 without realizing that he's actually playing Black's game. Depending on the positions and the game's interests, Black can Castle short or, if you want a sharper play, castle long. This is especially effective if White has compromised himself with a few kingside pawn pushes.