Description
Play the French Defense: The Killer French with GM Simon Williams
The Killer French Defense – GM Simon Williams
The French Defense is one of the most reliable weapons for black against 1. e4 and has been employed frequently by countless strong Grandmasters over the last 70 years!
GM Simon Williams is a leading expert in the French Defense and boasts over 20 years of practical tournament experience.
The viewer is treated to an incredibly thorough explanation of the fundamental concepts of this solid opening system as the ¨Killer French Defense¨ features over 10 hours of premium chess instruction!
GM Williams’ clear and understandable delivery provides the viewer with a surprisingly easy platform for understanding the main opening lines and relevant sidelines.
The ¨Killer French Defense¨ is internationally acclaimed for setting new standards with respect to chess DVD quality and presentation as the British GM is renown for his clear approach to delivering complex material.
As with any chess DVD by GM Simon Williams, the content is highly exciting and mixes in high-quality chess footage to keep the viewer entertained at all times.
About the Author:
GM Simon Williams (aka Ginger GM) is an English chess grandmaster, author, and commentator.
He obtained Grandmaster the Grandmaster title 2008, by accomplishing the final norm at the Hastings International Chess Congress 2005/2006 and the 2500+ rating at Hastings 2007/2008.
His highest rating so far is 2550, achieved in November 2009. In 2009, he organized the Big Slick International in Purley, London, which comprised an invitational GM tournament and FIDE Rated Open.
His Achievements:
- In 2003, he finished second at the British Chess Championship.
- In 2005, he won the British Blitz Championship.
- In 2009, he finished second at the British Chess Championship.
- In 2009, Williams finished equal first at the Southend Chess Congress all-play-all tournament.
- He was the joint winner with Gawain Jones of the London Chess Classic FIDE Rated Open in December 2010, with a rating performance of 2690
Is this product for me?
The Killer French Defense with GM Simon Williams
The ¨Killer French¨ is an innovative chess DVD that mixes strong educational content with highly entertaining editing to keep the viewers on their heels while learning how to play the French defense.
You never know what to expect as the DVD switches from a traditional chess DVD format with GM Simon Williams explaining lines at the board with a computer, to exciting scenes from chess boxing matches, simultaneous displays, and ridiculous exhibition matches with human-sized pieces.
All joking aside, GM Williams’ expertise in the French Defense is unquestionable. Volume 1 covers the Advance Variation and Tarrasch Variation. Volume 2 covers the Winawer Variation, Exchange Variation, Kings Indian Attack, and other Sidelines.
Here’s what you will get with “The Killer French Defense” Chess DVD by GM Simon Williams:
- Get both French Defense DVDs for one low price!
- Simon guides you through Black’s part in the French Defense.
- Learn answers to all of White’s important systems against the French Defense.
- Chapters are broken up through chess-related montages maintaining a viewing interest from start to finish.
- Chess Video Running Time: Both DVDs – 9.5 hours
Run-time: 9 hours 30 minutes.
Calvin Hori –
One of the best DVDs on the French mainly because of GM Simon Williams’ dyanmic (and sometimes amusing) delivery. He makes this DVD fun to watch and his explanations are clear-cut and very easy to understand for the club player. Even if you don’t play the French, you may change your mind after watching this DVD.
Vincent Ries –
This dvd has been very useful for me. I’ve been playing during a long time Sicilian Defense, but I don’t like the large amount of theory I had to learn. French defense is easier to learn, and Simon Explains the main ideas against main lines of french. Now, I’m a French player thanks to this dvd!
Leo –
Excellent DVD! I used to play the Scandinavian, but got fed up trying to defend inferior positions. Before I watched this DVD, I thought the French led to a cramped position for Black, without much play. How wrong was I ?!? GM Simon Williams does a great job explaining the French for players who have never played this opening (like myself), but I suspect he also has much to offer to existing French players. I thank him for making me more much more relaxed when palying Black against a 1.e4 player. 10/10
ichess –
Thanks for your review. I’m glad that this course was instructive for you.
Derek –
In this course Simon Williams goes into deep study about the different variations in the French Defence, namely the Advance, Exchange, Tarrasch and Winawer. This course would suit an intermediate or advanced player needing to study the French in detail to develop a good repertoire against e4 for Black. I watched the videos while making notes in the PGN files in Chessbase and added these to my repertoire.
Simon’s delivery is clear, and he gives a lot of detail about each variation and explains the purpose of each move by White and Black to give an understanding of the overall aims of the opening. Each opening is tackled with a review of basic ideas, example games, and then a more in-depth look at theory and variations.
I would rate this an an excellent course for intermediate or advanced players wanting to learn the French Defence to a high level.
Hadji (verified owner) –
I am very much particular in the French defense because I have a huge collection of DVDs from different authors on this. This is my main opening repertoire against 1.e4. When I bought this DVD ‘s by GM Williams, I want to see how he treated different pawn structures, pawn breaks, relationships between pieces and pawns, and middlegame plans from the Blacks point of view. Personally, I am satisfied that he really shared an up to date ideas to guide beyond the mere memorization of moves and lines, and put directly into strategy and planning. There are also critical positions in the exchange French in which one should be familiar, in which for years, I’ve been struggling, but I found the answer on this DVD.
The knowledge of GM Williams in the French defense is unquestionable. Actually, in my chess database, he have only two opening repertoire for Black against 1.e4, is the French and Sicilian, in which he also made a DVD.
There is only one line that GM Williams recommend in his DVD which I do not play, or rather I do not feel comfortable with is the f7-f6 early breaks in the opening to counter the e5 pawn. I do this but not in early stage. I do this when the White King castled Kingside 0-0, the Queenside is closed, castle queenside 0-0-0, then when the King is safe and the position is solid, push the f7-f6 pawn to break and open up the center. And then, start a heavy pawn storm and minor pieces attacks the kingside. But if you are comfortable with an early f7-f6 break then you must understand the bases of the pawn chain, and the reason to attack it. Overall, I was happy about the DVD, because this will restore the confidence in fighting against 1.e4 as Black.
Final verdict: As expected of GM Simon Williams, GingerGM as others known, he really motivates on playing the French, that is a good and positive character of a chess coach. He is very exciting when delivering his lectures so it’s not boring. But overall, the contents, a novice can play it at master level. I think players would be very much happy to buy this course. Excellent!
Maxi (verified owner) –
What I really like about GM Simon Williams as a presenter is that not only does he thoroughly explain the opening, variations and sidelines, he goes very much in depth the general ideas and plan of what you should aim for in the opening. He does this very well with the French Defense. As we can all expect, he plays the French in a very aggressive way. I really enjoyed his interpretation of Advanced and Tarrasch as well as his plans against deviations (Kings Indian Attack, 2.b3, Wing gambit etc). Especially at club level you tend to see people with their pet off-beat variation to meet the French, so I think its great that he covers these. Against the Exchange variation I would thought he would advocate a more aggressive way to play with always going for opposite castling, however what he suggests is also solid.
The only thing I think its a shame that its not in the DVD is how to play against 3. Nc3 if we didnt want to play the Winawer, since it is not everyones cup of tea. I prefer playing the Classcal 3. Nc3 3…Nf6 and would like to have seen Simon giving a few lines. Despite this, a great DVD as always and a alot of information that is exciting, aggressive and fun to learn and remember, which is typical Simon style.
Overall rating: 9/10
Adrian –
I don’t know if there is such a thing as a bad Simon Williams DVD, because you probably can not go wrong with his DVD if the opening, he is teaching is of your interest. The structure is as always marvellous and is actually supported by his book with the same name, which I own as well.
The way he organizes his Repertoire is great when learning, it reminds me of the structure of an opening book, just shorter and with the focus on the most important stuff. Every Chapter he starts of with usually 2 introductory games to show you how to handle the arising position. He uses those to show you the plans, after this he focuses on the theory. The thing I like the most is, that he always after showing you a game, gives you a brief overview of the played ideas. This helps really to remember the most important ideas. He teaches you manoeuvres, for instance he shows in the tarrasch, a manoeuvre to liberate the light-squared bishop and to use the knight to attack on the king-side later coming to the f4-square via g6. The Theory-Section is clear and concise giving you in my opinion everything you need to play the French successfully. In those he doesn’t give you simply a set of lines but explains the ideas again and shows you the actual thought process behind his recommendation to give you an actual understanding. As I say under all his DVD´s you will need to put in the work and study the material and remember it. Simon is a terrific teacher and he shows a deep understanding of the French. With around 10 hours of material you will need time to watch, study and eventually play it. But the DVD is great, Simon is entertaining, and you get everything you could ask for. 10/10
Daniel Vilaire –
This is one of my favorite openings. I use, exclusively, the French defense suggested in this video. Simon Williams is one of my favorite introducers. I have no distaste for any of the methods suggested in this video and I would recommend it to any one, from club to expert. The video is high quality and continues at a logical pace. Simon offers a different variation in the Winawer than the mainline. I have used both, however I like the one he suggests better. In the advance variation and tarrasch, he gives the break f6 with an attack on the kingside which is my favorite part. Simon Williams gives a response for almost every move after 1 e4 e6. I have no negative comments.