Chess Strategy French Defence: How to Beat Intermediate Chess Players

This French Defence book shows how to win chess games after 1.e4 e6. This book is an introduction for those who are new to this opening. Tim Sawyer illustrates chess strategy from games he played vs random “Advanced” players as Guests on chess.com. The book has 36 games with 161 diagrams. Tim scored +34 -1 =1 in these 10-minute blitz speed games.
Tim plays White 19 times (especially 3.Be3, 3.Nd2, and 3.Nc3). He undertakes Black 15 times (3.exd5, 3.e5, and some 3.Nc3) from games played in 2021. Opening theory and endgame knowledge help your play, but tactics win most games.
The author uses strategy for many comments to explain what’s going on. He follows any of these steps. 1. Describe the current position. 2. Imagine how to improve it. 3. Plan how to get there.
Tim picks a key position every few moves to make a comment. His plan is for you to browse through the book, look at the diagrams and read the comments with ease. For those who prefer to read quickly, you can skim through the book from diagram to diagram. Note the change from the previous diagram and read any notes that interest you. Sometimes a line of chess engine analysis is added. You may wish to work out those lines in your head, or just note that there was an alternative way to play and keep reading.
Tim Sawyer played chess for 50 years. As a Postal Chess Master, his usual opponents were rated 1800 to 2400. However, opponents in this book are often lower to intermediate. Tim’s peak Internet Chess Club blitz rating was 2492.
The author assumes that you can read algebraic chess notation. The diagrams have White at the bottom of the board. Thank you for reading. Enjoy this one!