French Defense: Exchange Variation

1. e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5

Other opening that can transpose to this position:
Caro-Kann Defense (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5)
Queen's Gambit Declined (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.cxd5 exd5)

Plus side for Black:

• No weakness in the pawn structure
• The light squared bishop is no longer a bad bishop! Since the blocking e6 pawn is gone!
• White strategic options is limited

Negative side for Black:

• White has the first move in a symmetrical position
• White can use the open e-file to double rook
• White has the e5 outpost (putting a Knight on e5 would be great)

Blacks plan is to defend the e5 square as much as possible since White want to use this as outpost (stated above).
This is a game, played by Paul Morphy against S. Smyth back in 1859 in a blind fold simul, that show what's going to happen if black ignore the e5 square threat: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1281985
Already at move 6..Be6 black is consided to do an inaccuracy.

White has two main continuations here:

• 4. Nf3 
• 4...Nf6 5. Bd3 Bd6 6. O-O O-O
• 4.Bd3
• 4...Bd6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6. O-O O-O

chessgames.com has a very nice collection on how to beat the French Defense Exchange Variation: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?cid=1019741
Some of the games in the collection is played in the "Delayed exchange Variation", where White plays 3. Nc3 instead of 3. exd5

And directly after Blacks 3. Bb4 (The Tarrasch Variation) White exchanges the pawns just like in the normal Exchange Variation.

French Defense: Advance Variation

An brief introduction to French Defense: Advance Variation

The most common variation in the French Defense is the Advance Variation

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5

Most common reply by black in this position is 3... c5 attacking whites center directly.
Whites possible move here is:

• 4. c3 - Defending the d4 pawn 
• 4. Nf3 - Also defending d4 pawn

 Blacks plan here is to put pressure and undermine Whites center, by using c5 and f6 pawnbreaks, if d4 falls soon e5 also fall.Also try to exchange c8 bishop with one of Whites good pieces by playing moves like ...Bd7 and ...Bb5.

Also possible third move for black is 3... b6.
This prepares ... Ba6, which is a good way to exchange the light squared bishops but also gives black the chance to recapture ... bxc5 if white plays d4xc5 after blacks move ... c5.
 
Very good video on the advance variation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cF2ZawEV_U (not my video)