C13 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: Alekhine-Chatard Attack, Breyer Variation

12/12
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Nf64.Bg5Be75.e5Nfd76.h4c5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Alekhine-Chatard Attack, Breyer Variation71k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
38%27k63%
30%21k58%
11%8.0k49%
10%7.4k54%
4.1%2.9k49%
2.3%1.7k50%
1.4%1.0k49%
0.9%63549%
0.4%26152%
0.4%25042%
Famous games in this line219 master games
Morozevich, Alexander (2679) – Kortschnoj, Viktor (2628)20031–0Nunn, John DM (2615) – Seirawan, Yasser (2600)1992½–½Nataf, Igor Alexandre (2592) – Riazantsev, Alexander (2622)20060–1Sakaev, Konstantin (2629) – Ulibin, Mikhail (2580)20001–0Benjamin, Joel (2540) – Seirawan, Yasser (2615)19911–0Hou Yifan (2661) – Hoang Thanh Trang (2485)20141–0Berchtenbreiter, M. (2421) – Riazantsev, A. (2689)20140–1Hector, Jonny (2528) – Gleizerov, Evgeny (2575)2002½–½
Heroes of this opening Riazantsev, Alexander · Morozevich, Alexander · Sakaev, Konstantin · Benjamin, Joel
Family
French Defense
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C13
Line
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 c5
Aggressive
★ 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 LineC00 2…a6 3.Nf3 b5 4.Bd3 c5 5.c3 …French Defense: Advance Variation, Lputian VariationC02 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 …French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Lasker VariationC12 4…Bb4 5.e5 h6 6.Bd2 Bxc3
From the archives

In 1834 the city of Paris beat the city of London in a correspondence match opening with 1...e6, and the defense 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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