Answers.Body: <p>After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.f4, black can put white's center under pressure very quickly. For example, after 5....Nh6 6.Nf3, black is already better after 6....Qb6 or 6....cxd4 7.cxd4 Nf5.</p>
  
  <p>In contrast, one of the main lines of the Tarrasch variation goes 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ndf3. In this line, white has a firm grip on the center, while black cannot manoeuvre Nd7 to the outpost on f5.</p>
  
  <pre>
  <code>
        [StartPly "4"]
  
        [FEN ""]
        1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 (3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ndf3) c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.f4 Nh6 6.Nf3 cxd4 (6...Qb6) 7.cxd4 Nf5
  
  </code>
  </pre>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-08-24T16:30:08.793Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-08-26T17:24:51.620Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2019-08-26T17:24:51.620Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Maxwell86
Body: <p>Why isn't 5. f4 considered a strong move in the main line French Advance, after </p>
  
  <pre><code>[fen ""]
  
  1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6  
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Everyone plays 5. Nf3 here, but isn't it logical to support e5 with a Pawn and later 6. Nf3, as it is for example in the Steinitz Variation of the Classical French, after </p>
  
  <pre><code>[fen ""]
  
  1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3
  </code></pre>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-08-24T14:16:44.130Z
Comments.Text: You need to develop your pieces. Black is already a piece ahead in development. In the second diagram playing e5 gains time, forcing Nd7.
Comments.UserDisplayName: magd
Tags: <opening><french-defense><1.e4>
Title: Why isn't 5. f4 considered strong in the French Advance, main line?
ThreadText: # Why isn't 5. f4 considered strong in the French Advance, main line?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2019-08-24)
  
  Why isn't 5. f4 considered a strong move in the main line French Advance, after
  
  ```
  [fen ""]
  
  1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6  
  
  ```
  
  Everyone plays 5. Nf3 here, but isn't it logical to support e5 with a Pawn and later 6. Nf3, as it is for example in the Steinitz Variation of the Classical French, after
  
  ```
  [fen ""]
  
  1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3
  
  ```
  
  **Tags:** opening, french-defense, 1.e4
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: You need to develop your pieces. Black is already a piece ahead in development. In the second diagram playing e5 gains time, forcing Nd7.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2019-08-24. Score: 6 | Accepted answer
  
  After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.f4, black can put white's center under pressure very quickly. For example, after 5....Nh6 6.Nf3, black is already better after 6....Qb6 or 6....cxd4 7.cxd4 Nf5.
  
  In contrast, one of the main lines of the Tarrasch variation goes 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ndf3. In this line, white has a firm grip on the center, while black cannot manoeuvre Nd7 to the outpost on f5.
  
  ```
  
        [StartPly "4"]
  
        [FEN ""]
        1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 (3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ndf3) c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.f4 Nh6 6.Nf3 cxd4 (6...Qb6) 7.cxd4 Nf5
  
  ```
  
  
  ---
  
  