Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: Advance Variation, Lputian Variation

12/12
1.e4e62.d4d53.e5c54.c3Nc65.Nf3Qb66.a3Nh6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Advance Variation, Lputian Variation153k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
63%96k54%
19%29k53%
10%16k39%
3.1%4.8k40%
1.7%2.5k38%
0.8%1.2k30%
0.4%65646%
0.4%56030%
0.4%55741%
0.2%24841%
Famous games in this line1.5k master games
Grischuk, A. (2792) – Caruana, F. (2791)20140–1Firouzja, Alireza (2751) – Nakamura, Hi (2802)20241–0Aronian, L. (2742) – So, W. (2753)20231–0Shirov, A. (2684) – Nakamura, Hi (2787)20160–1Caruana, Fabiano (2773) – Vallejo Pons, Francisco (2697)20121–0Morozevich, Alexander (2742) – Bareev, Evgeny (2707)20021–0Vidit, S. (2720) – Aronian, L. (2729)20240–1Eljanov, P. (2695) – Vachier Lagrave, M. (2739)20230–1
Heroes of this opening Caruana, Fabiano · Aronian, L. · Firouzja, Alireza · Nakamura, Hi
Family
French Defense
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C02
Line
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. a3 Nh6
★ Read the guide: French DefenseExplore all 212 French Defense lines →
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Nearby lines in the family
French Defense: St. George Defense, Traditional Line2…a6 3.Nf3 b5 4.Bd3 c5 5.c3 …French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Lasker Variation3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4 5.e5 h6 …French Defense: Winawer Variation, Classical Variation3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3 …
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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