user3405: I have a tournament game tomorrow, and I'm white against a Pirc/French guy. What is the easiest way, learnable in 10 mins or so, to play against it. 
In addition to the Pirc question, I play the Tarrasch usually, but I am looking for something more active.

user3890: I don't think you can learn anything properly in 10 minutes, but if you want a tactical line that leads to slightly offbeat positions, the I've got one for you.
The line in question is the so called Milner-Barry gambit. It goes as:
[FEN ""]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Bd3 Bd7 7. O-O cxd4 8. cxd4 Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. Nc3

The idea is to keep the black king in the center and harass him way before he has time of developing the pieces to any active square. In case of an early castling or even castling in not the best conditions, white already has his whole army looking at the kingside and the attack is very powerful.
Keep in mind that this is a gambit, so one cannot in general stick to standard development, but usual moves in this positions are Qg4, Re1 and benefit from the pin of the e6 pawn, as at some point black will take on e5, Kh1 and f4 with ideas of f5 and blasting open the position. If Qg4 is not played, then Qe2 is another useful post for the queen.
This is a gambit that has an all right reputation, but is not seen at top level since it doesn't offer anything special with correct play by black. Against unprepared opponents, they usually think that the pawn sacrifice is actually a blunder (so many pawns are lost everyday against the French with the Advance variation), and do not defend correctly against the following attack, which allows for a quick sweep in case of black playing Bc5, Ne7 and 0-0 as white's attack is deadly.

user3895: Mate, please... What do you want to learn in 10 minutes? Be serious... People spend years on learning openings. The French is complicated.
But well, to the question: if you have no idea about french and your opponent is familiar with it, you have 2 choices:
a) Play the exchange variation:
[FEN ""]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. Qf3 Nf6 6. h3 O-O 7. Ne2 Be6 8. O-O c6 9. Bf4

The point is to exchange the dark-squared bishops because white's one is a bit worse than black's one. It's a tiny tiny tiny tiny plus. If you manage to get an ending with a Knight vs light-squared bishop you have chances to win.
b) The other choice is... to play something crazy. Go for 1. b4 or 1. f4 or 1. g4. There are many "unusual" variations around. You know, he knows the French, you don't. It's better to get an unusual position that you both don't know or even you know a little bit about.

3405: <p>I have a tournament game tomorrow, and I'm white against a Pirc/French guy. What is the easiest way, learnable in 10 mins or so, to play against it. </p>

<p>In addition to the Pirc question, I play the Tarrasch usually, but I am looking for something more active.</p>
 3890: <p>I don't think you can learn anything properly in 10 minutes, but if you want a tactical line that leads to slightly offbeat positions, the I've got one for you.</p>

<p>The line in question is the so called Milner-Barry gambit. It goes as:</p>

<pre><code>[FEN ""]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Bd3 Bd7 7. O-O cxd4 8. cxd4 Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. Nc3
</code></pre>

<p>The idea is to keep the black king in the center and harass him way before he has time of developing the pieces to any active square. In case of an early castling or even castling in not the best conditions, white already has his whole army looking at the kingside and the attack is very powerful.</p>

<p>Keep in mind that this is a gambit, so one cannot in general stick to standard development, but usual moves in this positions are <code>Qg4</code>, <code>Re1</code> and benefit from the pin of the <code>e6</code> pawn, as at some point black will take on <code>e5</code>, <code>Kh1</code> and <code>f4</code> with ideas of <code>f5</code> and blasting open the position. If <code>Qg4</code> is not played, then <code>Qe2</code> is another useful post for the queen.</p>

<p>This is a gambit that has an all right reputation, but is not seen at top level since it doesn't offer anything special with correct play by black. Against unprepared opponents, they usually think that the pawn sacrifice is actually a blunder (so many pawns are lost everyday against the French with the Advance variation), and do not defend correctly against the following attack, which allows for a quick sweep in case of black playing <code>Bc5</code>, <code>Ne7</code> and <code>0-0</code> as white's attack is deadly.</p>
 3895: <p>Mate, please... What do you want to learn in 10 minutes? Be serious... People spend years on learning openings. The French is complicated.</p>

<p>But well, to the question: if you have no idea about french and your opponent is familiar with it, you have 2 choices:</p>

<p>a) Play the exchange variation:</p>

<pre><code>[FEN ""]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. Qf3 Nf6 6. h3 O-O 7. Ne2 Be6 8. O-O c6 9. Bf4
</code></pre>

<p>The point is to exchange the dark-squared bishops because white's one is a bit worse than black's one. It's a tiny tiny tiny tiny plus. If you manage to get an ending with a Knight vs light-squared bishop you have chances to win.</p>

<p>b) The other choice is... to play something crazy. Go for <code>1. b4</code> or <code>1. f4</code> or <code>1. g4</code>. There are many "unusual" variations around. You know, he <em>knows</em> the French, you don't. It's better to get an unusual position that you both don't know or even you know a little bit about.</p>
