Answers.Body: <pre><code>[fen "r1bqkbnr/pppn1ppp/4p3/8/3PN3/6P1/PPP2P1P/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 0 5"]
  
  
  1... Ngf6 (1... Be7 2.Bg2 Ngf6 3. Nxf6 Bxf6 4. Ne2 O-O 5. O-O Rb8 6. Nc3 b5 7. Qd3)2. Nxf6+ (2...Nxf6 3. Bg2 c5 Nf3 Qb6 O-O Be7 dxc5 Bxc5 Ne5 O-O Qe2 Rd8 c3 h6 b4)Qxf6 3. Nf3 Bd6 4. Bg5 Qf5 5. Bd3 Qa5+ 6. Bd2 Qb6 7. Qe2 c5 8. Bc3 cxd4 9. Bxd4 Qa5+ 10. c3 e5 11. O-O-O O-O 12. Be3 Nf6 13. Bb1 Be7 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>As you can see, white has a solid plus in each line. If you are playing someone lower rated and/or want to avoid theory, this is a solid option. Although White does not have as big of an advantage, it's easy to play and the position is very comfortable (the variations are all top level games). </p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-19T01:42:03.580Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-05-19T01:42:03.580Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Penguin
Answers.Body: <p>1) <a href="http://www.russell-enterprises.com/images/frenchrubinsteinexcerpt.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.russell-enterprises.com/images/frenchrubinsteinexcerpt.pdf</a> - a book on the Rubinstein French from Black's perspective and therefore it aims to list all the possible lines for White, which you can use for inspiration.</p>
  
  <p>2) <a href="http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1906552061" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Grandmaster-Repertoire-French-Caro-Kann-Philidor/dp/1906552061</a> - a new repertoire book for White, which includes advice against the French Rubinstein.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-11T13:03:57.687Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-05-11T13:03:57.687Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: MichalRyszardWojcik
Answers.Body: <h2>INTRODUCTION:</h2>
  
  <p>You did not have to award a bounty, all you had to do is ask me to expand on my comment. I would have posted this answer. </p>
  
  <p>To be honest, I thought that you found the line and solved your problem...</p>
  
  <h2>CONCRETE LINES:</h2>
  
  <p>Pay attention to the comments that go along with moves. You will see comments inside the textbox. Textbox is placed just below the PGN viewer (below the chess diagram ).</p>
  
  <pre><code>[Title "Kasparov's c3"]
  [fen ""]
  
  1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 7.c3 {White has aggressive ideas in mind, in view of Qa4, and if Black plays …c7-c5, White can try to pose some concrete problems with moves like Ne5, Bb5, Qa4 as well as 0-0-0} c5 {If Black wants to fully equalize, he has to play this move} (7...Be7 {White can press here for an advantage} 8.Bd3 O-O 9.Qe2 b6 10.Bf4! Bb7 11.O-O-O) 8.Ne5 a6 {Black must play this} 9.Be3 Qc7 10.Qa4+ Nd7 11.Bb5 {Most critical continuation} (11.O-O-O {Black is fine here} cxd4 12.Nxd7 Bxd7 13.Qxd4 Bc6! {Black’s bishop is actively placed on c6 and he is ready to follow up with …Rd8}) cxd4 12.Bxd7+ Bxd7 13.Qxd4 {Now the idea to attack d7 one more time with 0-0-0 is a little awkward, so Black has to do something about this.} f6 (13...Bb5 14.a4 Bd6 15.Nxf7 Kxf7 16.axb5 axb5 {Black has to play precisely and still suffers in the resulting endgame positions. Rubinstein expert Georg Meier prefers this line, but I have more faith in f6, that is why I chose it as a main move for Black}) 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.Qxd7+ Kxd7 16.O-O-O Kc7! {Black has difficult position but has also great chances to equalize}
  </code></pre>
  
  <h2>SUMMARY:</h2>
  
  <p>The move <code>7.c3 after 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6</code> was popularized by Gary Kasparov, and is in fact one of the most critical tests of the Rubinstein Defense! </p>
  
  <p>White clears the way to <code>a4</code> for his queen, possibly followed by queenside castling and other aggressive moves such as <code>Ne5</code> or <code>Bb5</code>. </p>
  
  <p>In the critical line <code>7…c5! 8.Ne5 a6 9.Be3 Qc7 10.Qa4+ Nd7 11.Bb5 cxd4 12.Bxd7+ Bxd7 13.Qxd4</code>, Black has a difficult choice to make. </p>
  
  <p>Georg Meier has favored the structurally compromising <code>13…Bb5 14.a4 Bd6 15.Nxf7 Kxf7 16.axb5 axb5</code> and <em>kind of</em> worked it out to a draw. </p>
  
  <p>Black is still suffering a bit here in practice, and that is why I prefer <code>13…f6 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.Qxd7 Kxd7</code>, keeping the pawn-structure intact. </p>
  
  <p>In both lines it is only White who can win, and Black has to play very precise in order to draw. From practical point of view, I believe this line is your best chance for playing for a win against Rubinstein French.</p>
  
  <h2>BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:</h2>
  
  <p>I would get the <strong>French Defense The Solid Rubinstein Variation</strong> by Hannes Langrock, he did an excellent work in covering this line. It will help you grasp the ideas. </p>
  
  <p>You might need additional resource to cover all the lines though... I think <strong>ECO C</strong> could be useful here...</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-18T00:35:58.800Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-05-18T00:35:58.800Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: AlwaysLearningNewStuff
Body: <p>I always play the Tarrasch variation against the French defense and I have quite some good results with it.    </p>
  
  <p>Nevertheless, when black exchanges on e4 and the game transposes into the Rubinstein variation, I have no good plan for white and don't know how to proceed. I also don't like the fast exchange on f6, which happens very often.  </p>
  
  <p>Can anyone give me a good plan for white?   </p>
  
  <p>Thanks in advance.</p>
  
  <pre><code>[fen ""]
  
  1.e4 e6
  2.d4 d5 
  3.Nd2 dxe4
  4.Nxe4 Nd7
  5.Nf3 Ngf6
  </code></pre>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-05-07T15:46:13.813Z
Comments.Text: Search the plan with `Nxf6+` followed by `c3`. It is very unpleasant to deal with, and gives you better endgame. I think Kasparov pioneered this plan...
Comments.UserDisplayName: AlwaysLearningNewStuff
Tags: <opening><french-defense>
Title: What is a good plan for white against the Rubinstein variation in the French defense?
ThreadText: # What is a good plan for white against the Rubinstein variation in the French defense?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2016-05-07)
  
  I always play the Tarrasch variation against the French defense and I have quite some good results with it.
  
  Nevertheless, when black exchanges on e4 and the game transposes into the Rubinstein variation, I have no good plan for white and don't know how to proceed. I also don't like the fast exchange on f6, which happens very often.
  
  Can anyone give me a good plan for white?
  
  Thanks in advance.
  
  ```
  [fen ""]
  
  1.e4 e6
  2.d4 d5 
  3.Nd2 dxe4
  4.Nxe4 Nd7
  5.Nf3 Ngf6
  
  ```
  
  **Tags:** opening, french-defense
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Search the plan with `Nxf6+` followed by `c3`. It is very unpleasant to deal with, and gives you better endgame. I think Kasparov pioneered this plan...  
  
  ---
  
  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2016-05-18. Score: 8 | Accepted answer
  
  ## INTRODUCTION:
  
  You did not have to award a bounty, all you had to do is ask me to expand on my comment. I would have posted this answer.
  
  To be honest, I thought that you found the line and solved your problem...
  
  ## CONCRETE LINES:
  
  Pay attention to the comments that go along with moves. You will see comments inside the textbox. Textbox is placed just below the PGN viewer (below the chess diagram ).
  
  ```
  [Title "Kasparov's c3"]
  [fen ""]
  
  1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 7.c3 {White has aggressive ideas in mind, in view of Qa4, and if Black plays …c7-c5, White can try to pose some concrete problems with moves like Ne5, Bb5, Qa4 as well as 0-0-0} c5 {If Black wants to fully equalize, he has to play this move} (7...Be7 {White can press here for an advantage} 8.Bd3 O-O 9.Qe2 b6 10.Bf4! Bb7 11.O-O-O) 8.Ne5 a6 {Black must play this} 9.Be3 Qc7 10.Qa4+ Nd7 11.Bb5 {Most critical continuation} (11.O-O-O {Black is fine here} cxd4 12.Nxd7 Bxd7 13.Qxd4 Bc6! {Black’s bishop is actively placed on c6 and he is ready to follow up with …Rd8}) cxd4 12.Bxd7+ Bxd7 13.Qxd4 {Now the idea to attack d7 one more time with 0-0-0 is a little awkward, so Black has to do something about this.} f6 (13...Bb5 14.a4 Bd6 15.Nxf7 Kxf7 16.axb5 axb5 {Black has to play precisely and still suffers in the resulting endgame positions. Rubinstein expert Georg Meier prefers this line, but I have more faith in f6, that is why I chose it as a main move for Black}) 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.Qxd7+ Kxd7 16.O-O-O Kc7! {Black has difficult position but has also great chances to equalize}
  
  ```
  
  ## SUMMARY:
  
  The move `7.c3 after 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6` was popularized by Gary Kasparov, and is in fact one of the most critical tests of the Rubinstein Defense!
  
  White clears the way to `a4` for his queen, possibly followed by queenside castling and other aggressive moves such as `Ne5` or `Bb5`.
  
  In the critical line `7…c5! 8.Ne5 a6 9.Be3 Qc7 10.Qa4+ Nd7 11.Bb5 cxd4 12.Bxd7+ Bxd7 13.Qxd4`, Black has a difficult choice to make.
  
  Georg Meier has favored the structurally compromising `13…Bb5 14.a4 Bd6 15.Nxf7 Kxf7 16.axb5 axb5` and *kind of* worked it out to a draw.
  
  Black is still suffering a bit here in practice, and that is why I prefer `13…f6 14.Nxd7 Qxd7 15.Qxd7 Kxd7`, keeping the pawn-structure intact.
  
  In both lines it is only White who can win, and Black has to play very precise in order to draw. From practical point of view, I believe this line is your best chance for playing for a win against Rubinstein French.
  
  ## BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:
  
  I would get the **French Defense The Solid Rubinstein Variation** by Hannes Langrock, he did an excellent work in covering this line. It will help you grasp the ideas.
  
  You might need additional resource to cover all the lines though... I think **ECO C** could be useful here...
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2016-05-19. Score: 2
  
  ```
  [fen "r1bqkbnr/pppn1ppp/4p3/8/3PN3/6P1/PPP2P1P/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 0 5"]
  
  1... Ngf6 (1... Be7 2.Bg2 Ngf6 3. Nxf6 Bxf6 4. Ne2 O-O 5. O-O Rb8 6. Nc3 b5 7. Qd3)2. Nxf6+ (2...Nxf6 3. Bg2 c5 Nf3 Qb6 O-O Be7 dxc5 Bxc5 Ne5 O-O Qe2 Rd8 c3 h6 b4)Qxf6 3. Nf3 Bd6 4. Bg5 Qf5 5. Bd3 Qa5+ 6. Bd2 Qb6 7. Qe2 c5 8. Bc3 cxd4 9. Bxd4 Qa5+ 10. c3 e5 11. O-O-O O-O 12. Be3 Nf6 13. Bb1 Be7 
  
  ```
  
  As you can see, white has a solid plus in each line. If you are playing someone lower rated and/or want to avoid theory, this is a solid option. Although White does not have as big of an advantage, it's easy to play and the position is very comfortable (the variations are all top level games).
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2016-05-11. Score: 0
  
  1) <http://www.russell-enterprises.com/images/frenchrubinsteinexcerpt.pdf> - a book on the Rubinstein French from Black's perspective and therefore it aims to list all the possible lines for White, which you can use for inspiration.
  
  2) [http://www.amazon.com/Grandmaster-Repertoire-French-Caro-Kann-Philidor/dp/1906552061](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1906552061) - a new repertoire book for White, which includes advice against the French Rubinstein.
  
  
  ---
  
  