Is the Chessbook French Defense repertoire free?

Yes. Studying it on Chessbook is free, and so is the PGN download, which needs no account.

Can I download it as a PGN?

Yes: https://chessbook.com/courses/french-defense.pgn?band=1400-1600. Pick your rating first to download the version for your level. It imports into Lichess studies, ChessBase and other tools.

Why does it depend on my rating?

The main Black choices stay the same, but opponents at different ratings play different moves. Each rating's version prepares for the replies you will actually face, using millions of games between players at that level.

How much does it cover?

Every opponent reply that comes up in at least 1 game in 200 at your rating, picking lines that score well and are easy to remember.

French Defense repertoire for Black

By Chessbook. Free, with a PGN download.

Your rating

The core of the repertoire is the same at every rating. Enter your rating to maximize performance against your opponents.

Tuned for Lichess 1400-1600: 84 moves.

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[Event "Chessbook French Defense repertoire (1400-1600)"]
[Site "https://chessbook.com/courses/french-defense"]
[Annotator "Chessbook"]
[Result "*"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 ( 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 ( 3. e5 c5 4. d4 ( 4. c3 d4 5. cxd4 cxd4 )
4... cxd4 5. Nxd4 ( 5. Qxd4 Nc6 6. Bb5 Ne7 ) 5... Ne7 6. Nc3 ( 6. Bb5+ Bd7 ) (
6. Bg5 Nbc6 ) 6... Nbc6 ) ( 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. d4 c5 ) ( 3. d4 dxe4 )
3... exd5 4. d4 ( 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. d4 Bd6 6. Bg5 ( 6. Bd3 O-O 7. O-O Bg4 ) ( 6. Be2
O-O ) ( 6. Bb5+ c6 ) 6... c6 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O Bg4 9. h3 Bh5 ) ( 4. Bb5+ c6 ) (
4. Qe2+ Be7 ) ( 4. Be2 Nf6 5. d4 Bd6 6. O-O ( 6. Nc3 ) 6... O-O ) 4... Nf6
5. Nc3 ( 5. Bd3 Bd6 6. O-O ( 6. Nc3 ) ( 6. Bg5 O-O 7. O-O Bg4 ) 6... O-O 7. Bg5
( 7. Nc3 ) ) ( 5. Bg5 Bd6 6. Nc3 ( 6. Bd3 ) ) ( 5. Be2 ) ( 5. c4 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 O-O
) ( 5. Bb5+ c6 ) ( 5. c3 Bd6 ) ) ( 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 ( 3. exd5 exd5 4. d4 ( 4. Nf3
) 4... Nf6 5. Nf3 ( 5. Bg5 Be7 ) ) ( 3. Nf3 ) 3... Nf6 4. e5 ( 4. Bg5 Be7 )
4... Nfd7 5. Nf3 ( 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 cxd4 ) ) ( 2. Bc4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Bb3 a5
5. a3 ( 5. a4 Nf6 ) 5... Nf6 ) ( 2. f4 d5 3. e5 ( 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 )
3... c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 ) ( 2. e5 c5 3. Nf3 Nc6 ) ( 2. d3 d5 3. exd5 exd5 ) ( 2. c4
c5 ) ( 2. Qf3 d5 ) 2... d5 3. e5 ( 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 ( 4. Nc3 ) ( 4. c4 Bb4+ )
( 4. Bd3 Nf6 5. Nf3 ) ) ( 3. Nc3 ) ( 3. Nd2 c5 ) ( 3. Nf3 ) 3... c5 4. c3 (
4. Nf3 ) 4... Bd7 5. Nf3 ( 5. f4 Qb6 ) 5... Nc6 6. Bb5 ( 6. Be2 Nge7 7. O-O Nf5
) ( 6. Be3 Qb6 ) ( 6. Bd3 Rc8 7. O-O cxd4 8. cxd4 Nb4 ) 6... Nxe5 7. Bxd7+ Nxd7
*

About this repertoire

The French Defense against 1.e4, covering the Advance, Exchange, Tarrasch and Winawer-style lines.

Chessbook's French Defense repertoire for Black, built from millions of games between players at your rating. It covers the moves your opponents actually play, to a 1-in-200 coverage target, and picks lines that score well and are easy to remember.

It's free: study it on Chessbook with spaced repetition, or download the PGN.