Semi-Open · a defense for Black
French Defense: Steiner Variation
3/3
1.e4e62.c4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Steiner Variation3.8M games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
55%2.1M47%
12%453k49%
11%395k47%
5.7%214k48%
4%151k46%
3.1%118k45%
1.6%59k48%
1.4%53k45%
1.3%47k46%
1.3%47k42%
Famous games in this line999 master games
Vachier Lagrave, Maxime (2789) – Caruana, F. (2804)Vachier Lagrave, M. (2718) – Vidit, S. (2720)Vachier Lagrave, Maxime (2705) – Bacrot, Etienne (2705)Rakhmanov, Ale (2653) – Bacrot, E. (2725)Vachier Lagrave, Maxime (2711) – Sargissian, Gabriel (2666)Rakhmanov, Ale (2653) – Cheparinov, I. (2710)Vachier Lagrave, M. (2780) – Forcen Esteban, D. (2567)Salgado Lopez, I. (2627) – Fressinet, L. (2711)Heroes of this opening Vachier Lagrave, Maxime
- Family
- French Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- C00
- Line
- 1. e4 e6 2. c4
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From the archives
Paris challenged London by correspondence in January 1834; the match took about two years, Paris met 1.e4 with 1...e6, and Paris won. The defence has carried the name ever since. Botvinnik and Korchnoi built careers on its cramped-then-counterpunch character: concede space, then break with ...c5 or ...f6 at the right moment.
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