2476 Annotated Best Games in French Defence

Publication details not specified.The French Defence has long been known as one of Black's most solid replies to 1.e4, but it was not until Mikhail Botvinnik successfully adopted the defense in the 1930s, and made it his principle reply to 1.e4, that the defense achieved the mark of respectability. Botvinnik's excellent results with the black pieces throughout his long reign as World Champion did much to popularize the French Defense.