C13 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: Alekhine-Chatard Attack, Spielmann Variation

12/12
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Nf64.Bg5Be75.e5Nfd76.h4O-O
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Alekhine-Chatard Attack, Spielmann Variation22k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
33%7.2k53%
28%5.9k57%
13%2.8k48%
6.2%1.3k46%
5.6%1.2k62%
5.4%1.2k52%
3.5%74552%
2.5%53946%
1%21450%
0.7%15348%
Famous games in this line105 master games
Hector, Jonny (2588) – So, Wesley (2667)20110–1Brunsek, Iztok (2578) – Kujala, Auvo (2639)20071–0Vorobiov, Evgeny E (2598) – Rychagov, Andrey (2534)20091–0Zelcic, Robert (2550) – Gleizerov, Evgeny (2579)2011½–½Relange, Eloi (2505) – Gurevich, Mikhail (2620)1997½–½Martín Clemente, Joel (2533) – Holmberg, Rune (2577)20061–0Hebden, Mark (2515) – Gurevich, Mikhail (2585)1998½–½Arizmendi Martinez, Julen Luis (2520) – Gleizerov, Evgeny (2579)20030–1
Heroes of this opening So, Wesley · Brunsek, Iztok · Vorobiov, Evgeny E · Martín Clemente, 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 O-O
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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