Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation, Morozevich Line

12/12
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Nf64.Bg5dxe45.Nxe4Be76.Bxf6gxf6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation, Morozevich Line75k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
71%53k54%
15%11k50%
3.4%2.5k50%
2.8%2.1k53%
1.8%1.4k50%
1.4%1.0k21%
1.3%1.0k52%
0.6%46851%
0.6%41340%
0.5%40947%
Famous games in this line2.6k master games
Carlsen, M. (2832) – Grischuk, A. (2750)20171–0Gashimov, Vugar (2746) – Anand, Viswanathan (2817)20110–1Gashimov, Vugar (2746) – Carlsen, Magnus (2815)20110–1Kasparov, Garry (2851) – Gurevich, Mikhail (2694)20001–0Anand, Viswanathan (2788) – Morozevich, Alexander (2750)20091–0Leko, Peter (2755) – Morozevich, Alexander (2755)20071–0Gashimov, Vugar (2758) – Morozevich, Alexander (2750)2009½–½Leko, Peter (2730) – Morozevich, Alexander (2749)2001½–½
Heroes of this opening Carlsen, Magnus · Anand, Viswanathan · Kasparov, Garry · Leko, Peter
Family
French Defense
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C11
Line
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Be7 6. Bxf6 gxf6
★ 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: Advance Variation, Lputian Variation3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 …French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Lasker Variation4…Bb4 5.e5 h6 6.Bd2 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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