user-1: I play the French Defense as both white and black. I often play this line with black suggested by Korchnoi if I am not wrong. I have found a way to prevent the sudden b4, via Bd7 (if 8.Rb1 Bd7 9.b4 cxb3 10.Nxb3, I can answer with 10...Ba4, pinning the queen and winning material).


[FEN "r1b1kbnr/pp3ppp/1qn1p3/2ppP3/3P4/2P2N2/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 3 6"]

6. a3 c4 7. Nbd2 Na5



The problem is, although I feel comfortable with the limitations white has in development, I do not often find a winning plan as black and I end up finishing by playing for a draw.
What are your thoughts as to what I could do here?

user18809: Once stuff has settled down on the queenside, you may eventually castle there and create play on the other sector, with moves such as ...f6 or ...f5 Take a look at a few illustrative games that may help you understand how to put this into practice

-1: <p>I play the French Defense as both white and black. I often play this line with black suggested by Korchnoi if I am not wrong. I have found a way to prevent the sudden b4, via Bd7 (if 8.Rb1 Bd7 9.b4 cxb3 10.Nxb3, I can answer with 10...Ba4, pinning the queen and winning material).</p>

<pre>
<code>
[FEN "r1b1kbnr/pp3ppp/1qn1p3/2ppP3/3P4/2P2N2/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 3 6"]

6. a3 c4 7. Nbd2 Na5

</code>
</pre>

<p>The problem is, although I feel comfortable with the limitations white has in development, I do not often find a winning plan as black and I end up finishing by playing for a draw.</p>

<p>What are your thoughts as to what I could do here?</p>
 18809: <p>Once stuff has settled down on the queenside, you may eventually castle there and create play on the other sector, with moves such as ...f6 or ...f5 Take a look at a few illustrative games that may help you understand how to put this into practice</p>
