Semi-Open · a defense for Black
French Defense: Bird Invitation
3/3
1.e4e62.Bb5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Bird Invitation185k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
48%89k53%
27%50k53%
4.7%8.7k51%
4.4%8.1k54%
3.6%6.7k50%
2.8%5.2k50%
1.9%3.6k51%
1.7%3.1k58%
1.6%3.0k50%
1.1%1.9k52%
Famous games in this line15 master games
Wahls, Matthias (2460) – Vaisser, Anatoli (2530)Bjazevic, Pavao (2509) – Lara Ruiz, Juan (2388)Wahls, Matthias (2440) – Hausner, Ivan (2425)Bojarinov, Victor A (2380) – Alavkin, Arseny (2397)Bojarinov, Victor A (2295) – Andreev, Eduard (2470)Rossi, Carlo (2418) – Castaldo, Folco (2283)Gusev, Vladimir A (2405) – Sabaev, Evgueni (2243)Zamostni, Jan (2206) – Nikolac, Juraj (2411)Heroes of this opening Hausner, Ivan · Alavkin, Arseny · Andreev, Eduard · Rossi, Carlo
- Family
- French Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- C00
- Line
- 1. e4 e6 2. Bb5
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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.
Study this opening