FRANCE

 

France has the reputation of being a rather easy country to play with. You won’t get eliminated, draw being the most likely outcome, and chances of getting a Solo are very small compared with others. All false assumptions.

France is third when it comes down to Eliminations, third for Draws, and together with Italy and Russia joint leader in getting the most Solos.

France lieutenant’s have over the years chosen all kinds of openings. Nine different openings have been used five or more times. The top three hasn’t changed compared with 2003.

 

2005

Maginot

Burgundy

Picardy

Other Openings

Total

Win

2

9 %

2

15 %

0

0 %

3

4 %

7

6 %

Draw

6

26 %

2

15 %

4

36 %

27

38 %

39

33 %

Survival

8

35 %

6

46 %

0

0 %

20

28 %

34

29 %

Elimination

7

30 %

3

23 %

7

64 %

21

30 %

38

32 %

Total

23

100 %

13

100 %

11

100 %

71

100 %

118

100 %

 

Two years ago at the previous update I wrote “The Picardy is a lousy opening with getting positive results in a meagre 30 % of the games it’s used. It’s the worst opening you will find in any country top 3 of openings”

Two years later and nothing much has changed. It’s Positive Result (Win, Draw, Survival ) has risen to 36 %, still 32 points well below French average. So, please can someone explain me, what they expected to get when they used the Picardy?

Of the two other popular French openings, only the Burgundy is outperforming French Positive Average with 8 points.

 

  

 

2003

2005

Positive Result

Popularity

Positive Result

Popularity

Maginot

78 %

16 %

70 %

19 %

Burgundy

70 %

12 %

77 %

11 %

Picardy

30 %

9 %

36 %

9 %

French Average

65 %

 

68 %

 

Total Average

58 %

 

65 %

 

 

I expect some changes in the above table the coming years. I don’t expect the Picardy to be in the top three the coming update.

Suggestions to replace the Picardy in the Bubbling Under table. All of the following Bubbling Under openings have been used five times or more and are having a better Positive Result than the Picardy.

 

 

Bubbling Under

2003

2005

Positive Result

Popularity

Positive Result

Popularity

Belgian Gambit

56 %

8 %

50 %

5 %

English Attack

60 %

4 %

60 %

4 %

English Def/Gas var

100 %

4 %

83 %

5 %

Gascony/Pie var

50 %

4 %

83 %

5 %

Gascony

67 %

3 %

71 %

6 %

Vineyard

71 %

6 %

88 %

7 %

French Average

65 %

 

68 %

 

 

 

Enough solid French openings, no reason anymore for using the Picardy. Check Steve Turner’s Opening Moves Analysis or check the Openings Library at the Diplomatic Pouch when you want to know the exact moves.

Time to check the French Solos

 

France Solo

 

Name Game

Eagle Points

Name Player

Fra opening

Eng opening

Ger opening

Ita opening

Builds 1901

Leader A03

Aspelt

7.00

Morgan Phillips

Maginot

North/Wal

Blitz/Den

Tyr Att

3

7-Fra/Rus

Horobin

7.50

Karl Georg Ohrn

Burgundy

North/Yor

Blitz/Den

McLean

2

8-Fra

Ironhand

7.00

Adrian Deume

EngMaginot

South/Yor

Blitz/Den

Tyr Att

2

7-Fra/Ger

Jack Russell

7.00

John Brennick

EngDef/Bur

North/Yor

Blitz/Den

Lep/Ven

2

6-Rus

Medulla

7.00

Kester Bearne

Burgundy

North/Yor

Blitz/Den

Lep/Tyr

2

7-Rus

Mule

7.50

Donald Hawkes

Maginot

North/Edi

Bismarck/Hol

Tyr Att

3

9-Fra

The Boxer

7.25

Eduard van Dijk

Burgundy

North/Yor

Anschluss

Aus Att

3

8-Fra/Tur

 

 

 

 

 

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You can mail all your ideas, comments, suggestions, questions, opinions to Cies de Theije at cies@planet.nl

This page was last updated March 29, 2005