http://www.chessbase.com/shopd/prod...

Basically for the variations he suggests mainly

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 and the Classical variation instead of the Winawer

The variations covered are more or less complete rather than leaving you without a whole chunk of information

many books out there only concentrate on say 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 and hence require another book for 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2

the price i see on the chessbase website is 26.99 euros, and of course check the language you are buying it in AND the system requirements!

if you are looking for a simple book just to get an initial feel for the opening Starting out the French Defence might be suitable

<Isan> doesn't want to buy the books, just borrow them from a public library and read them. Both books are unknown to me, so I can't give any advice. I would go for Uhlmann's book unseen, but I'm very much biased because I learnt how to play the French defence from Uhlmann's games. I think it's a good start to play over the French games of Botvinnik, Uhlmann, Korchnoi and Vaganian (or some present-day grandmaster who often plays the French) and decide if you like them. If you do, study the games you like best, perhaps with one of the books mentioned next to the board to refer to if necessary.

<<Isan> doesn't want to buy the books, just borrow them from a public library and read them. >

<Isan>, I apologize, I did not pay close enough attention to your message. And I made another mistake -- I thought Talbot's book was part of a series of opening books I like, which I now remember is called the Starting Out series. So I really don't know anything about it. And <nescio> is right, Uhlmann is one of the greatest experts on the French Defense that ever lived.

of course as <Keypusher> suggested since they are library books you can check both out

to those starting out I would recommend after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6

once they play the sequence of the Poisoned Pawn Winawer they might be dragged like a moth to the flame :)

oh well

<Isan> the variation I mentioned goes

1.e4 e5 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 now after 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ (believe me there can be many deviations between these 4 moves) 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 Qc7 characterizes the variation which now goes 8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 cxd4

Black sacrifices a pawn for a complex position, Black can get good control of the center (White can too and it depends on which side plays this right)

even computers may not find the best moves in the variations to follow, as they can be very long and complex

There are deviations at move 7 for both sides as well leading to other variations but the Winawer requires a combination of positional judgement and tactical ability so I dont recommend it to anyone starting out in the French Defence, even for experienced players it is a difficult and unforgiving opening, one mistake and one could get blown off the board :)

an enterprising continuation used by Morozevich himself is the Burn variation after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 which I recommend and it is lively and fun to play

White may avoid this by the more positional Steinitz Variation 1.e4 e6 2.d4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5

Following your discussion with great interest I came across this game: Minic vs Uhlmann, 1965 (C19) -- in which a very surprising draw by repetition was agreed upon...

I posted a kibitz with it explaining my surprise and would like to ask you guys if you know a little more about that particular game - and why the repetition in a clearly better position for White.

To survive? <An Opening Repertoire for Black> (which I recommend, <Isan>, should you ever come across it) suggests 7...0-0.