Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation

8/8
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Nf64.Bg5dxe4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation609k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
84%513k53%
8.4%51k57%
5.6%34k55%
0.6%3.5k54%
0.4%2.5k50%
0.2%1.2k53%
0.2%93643%
0.1%82245%
0.1%79645%
0.1%33442%
Famous games in this line6.5k master games
Kasparov, Garry (2851) – Shirov, Alexei (2751)20001–0Carlsen, M. (2832) – Grischuk, A. (2750)20171–0Gashimov, Vugar (2746) – Anand, Viswanathan (2817)20110–1Gashimov, Vugar (2746) – Carlsen, Magnus (2815)20110–1Kasparov, Garry (2851) – Bareev, Evgeny (2709)20001–0Aronian, L. (2764) – Kramnik, V. (2792)20181–0Kasparov, Garry (2851) – Gurevich, Mikhail (2694)20001–0Anand, Viswanathan (2788) – Morozevich, Alexander (2750)20091–0
Heroes of this opening Kasparov, Garry · Carlsen, Magnus · Anand, Viswanathan · Aronian, L.
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
★ Read the guide: French DefenseExplore all 212 French Defense lines →
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation, Morozevich Line5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 gxf6French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation, Main Line5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.Nf3 O-O
Nearby lines in the family
French Defense: Hoffmann Gambit3.Qe2 e5 4.f4 exf4French Defense: McCutcheon Variation4…Bb4French Defense: Rubinstein Variation, Ellis Gambit3…dxe4 4.Nxe4 e5
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
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