C14 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: Classical Variation, Alapin Variation

13/13
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Nf64.Bg5Be75.e5Nfd76.Bxe7Qxe77.Nb5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Classical Variation, Alapin Variation39k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
33%13k47%
26%10k39%
24%9.2k44%
7.1%2.8k42%
5.7%2.2k11%
1.8%71026%
1.5%59043%
1.1%42823%
0.3%10439%
0.1%4015%
Famous games in this line87 master games
Ljubojevic, Ljubomir (2625) – Kortschnoj, Viktor (2630)1987½–½Stukopin, A. (2544) – Zvjaginsev, V. (2653)2014½–½Maze, S. (2617) – Graf, A. (2564)20160–1Stukopin, Andrey (2438) – Matlakov, Maksim (2630)20110–1Delgado Ramirez, N. (2596) – Tejedor Fuente, Enrique (2439)20211–0Swinkels, Robin (2459) – Feygin, Michael (2569)2009½–½Nestorovic, Dejan (2387) – Volkov, Sergey (2636)20071–0Muzychuk, Anna (2533) – Danielian, Elina (2489)20090–1
Heroes of this opening Graf, A. · Matlakov, Maksim · Delgado Ramirez, N. · Nestorovic, Dejan
Family
French Defense
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C14
Line
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. Nb5
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Nearby lines in the family
French Defense: Rubinstein Variation, Capablanca LineC10 3…dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6 …French Defense: Rubinstein Variation, Kasparov AttackC10 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 …French Defense: Classical Variation, Pollock VariationC14 7.Qg4
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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