Developing an effective repertoire with 1.e4 requires extensive research, mixed with fine judgement and a good deal of creativity. In this, the second of three volumes, GM John Shaw turns the analytical spotlight on the French Defence, advocating his own favourite weapon for White, the Tarrasch Variation. The final part of the book begins the mammoth task of tackling the Sicilian Defence, by considering a number of rare but tricky options available to Black in this opening.

Just like the previous volume in the series, this book is based upon a foundation of tried and tested main lines, boosted by a number of innovative suggestions that will cause no end of trouble to your opponents. The repertoire is completed by a third volume, which covers the main lines of the Sicilian.

John Shaw is a grandmaster and three-time Scottish Champion.

Preface
The purpose of Playing 1.e4 is to supply a top-class repertoire for White. This second volume covers the French Defence and some Sicilian sidelines. The first volume covered the Caro-Kann, 1...e5 and minor lines. The repertoire is completed by the third volume on the main lines of the Sicilian. My original intention was to create a two-volume complete repertoire, with the French and Sicilian in just one volume, but the material grew to such an extent that a split was essential.

In creating a 1.e4 repertoire, one could choose the sharpest lines, cover them in full academic detail, and supply a complete repertoire spanning a multitude of volumes. Or one could create a slim, single-volume repertoire by ducking all the theoretical challenges and giving “club players’ favourites” such as the King’s Indian Attack. My three-volume series is at neither extreme. It delivers a repertoire which I am confident will be effective even at GM level, but it demands a workload from the reader that is manageable, albeit challenging in places.

The main defence met in this volume is the French: 1.e4 e6. After 2.d4 d5 the absolute main line is 3.Sc3, as Negi covered in his Grandmaster Repertoire 1.e4. I believe Negi’s anti-French chapters are among the best analysis Quality Chess has ever published, but note that Negi’s repertoire includes many sharp lines, so you need to keep updating regularly. I am duty-bound to offer an alternative, so I have gone a very different route to Negi – I recommend the Tarrasch variation with 3.Sd2, which is popular at GM level but should be comparatively low maintenance. Also, I am a positional player, and I have always found 3.¤d2 to be easier to play than 3.Sc3, as the Tarrasch tends to lead to rational, controlled positions where White often has the better structure. This applies particularly to the 3...Sf6 main lines, where we will see many examples of Black suffering from a nasty hole on e5.

In the final three chapters of this volume we start our fight against the Sicilian, with some minor lines for Black. My choice is the Open Sicilian, as I feel the anti-Sicilians are not threatening enough to form an ambitious repertoire. But I will have much more to say about the Sicilian in the next volume.