Many GMs play the french advance, like for instance Alexander Grischuk, Alexander Shabalov and Evgeny Sveshnikov. It's certainly a playable system for white, it's just that you're certainly going to end up in a bad position if you don't know what you're doing.
Play winawer. the best way to react to e6
these positions are suuuper widely covered by opening theory. if you don't have a book then just mess around with the moves in the lichess database and get a feel for the positions
also i'd like to add that when i play the french against lower rated players (like 1700- lichess blitz), i often get very quick wins because they play things like 5 b3.
it's certainly a system where you shouldn't go unprepared as white because black's plans are very simple, while white's play isn't that clear.
if you filter the lichess database for only Classical games of average rating 1800- (where opening theory knowledge isn't so good in average), you'll find out that after 3 e5 the score is 53% wins.. for BLACK!! i'm just saying this to back up my claim that black's play are more obvious.
it's certainly a system where you shouldn't go unprepared as white because black's plans are very simple, while white's play isn't that clear.
if you filter the lichess database for only Classical games of average rating 1800- (where opening theory knowledge isn't so good in average), you'll find out that after 3 e5 the score is 53% wins.. for BLACK!! i'm just saying this to back up my claim that black's play are more obvious.
Exchange French playing c4 avoids theory. :)
@Masquerade, of course a3 is the best continuation, just Nge7 isnt the best follow up for black
@Lightsss thanks man I do have books just haven't had the time to begin chess immersion but I will soon, thanks for the advice though
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