Learn my best 5 opening traps right now ! (Click here)

Image of article

The French Defense is loved by players who enjoy dynamic play in asymmetrical structures, traps and tricks are frequent in this opening, as in many others. I hope you will enjoy this review, and pick some ideas for your own games !

The Tarrasch variation is usually more positional, but White can find himself in trouble if he plays too cautiously:

…Or too ambitious with his Knights !

… Or if White doesn’t realize that Black is trapping his Queen !

The very rare 3… Nc6!? can surprise White, like in this game:

Even if this opening is not exactly a French defense, White successfully targets the e6 weakness with a typical sacrifice !

It would not be a page about the French defense without a Bxh7+ sacrifice ! Again, not exactly a French defense (Black has not played d7-d5), but very close !

Note: this page is a work in progress, and will be enriched when new videos are published.

Suggested Articles

Because we like you

Traps in the Budapest Gambit

In this page, you will find a selection of traps and miniatures arising from the Budapest gambit. Hopefully, this will give you some ideas to spice up your own games. Here you go ! In the main line, White is often one move away from losing: In this game, White…

Traps In The Alapin Sicilian

The Alapin Sicilian is a clever way to sidestep the huge work needed to start understanding something to the open sicilian, and it has its own share of traps too ! I sincerely hope you will enjoy this page and find some ideas you can reuse ! The famous Qa4+…