Keep It Simple: 1.e4

Sielecki recommends the Exchange against the French. If that wasn't boring enough, the line 6.Qe2 check is his favorite. Personally, I fight 1...e6 with the Tarrasch and always get very complex positions that often favor white, but his line is definitely much simpler. This is a position from a game in which Carlsen played Sielecki's line against Georg Meier. How would you evaluate the position on move 17 for white?

Chessmind is a great learning platform where you can answer positional questions and get instant feedback. It recreates lesson conditions, and comes close to having a chess coach! Try it out!