C11 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black
French Defense: Classical Variation, Delayed Exchange Variation
7/7
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Nf64.exd5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Classical Variation, Delayed Exchange Variation500k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
65%327k51%
26%129k46%
4.2%21k46%
1.6%8.0k48%
1.1%5.7k31%
0.6%2.9k46%
0.4%1.9k48%
0.2%1.1k45%
0.2%1.1k47%
0.1%54549%
Famous games in this line430 master games
Yu Yangyi (2763) – Vitiugov, N. (2732)Harikrishna, P. (2753) – Wang Hao (2717)Short, Nigel D (2683) – Morozevich, Alexander (2748)Short, N. (2678) – Harikrishna, P. (2737)Ultra-d (2639) – Rentner2 (2717)Short, Nigel D (2681) – Tikkanen, Hans (2537)Winants, Luc (2515) – Gurevich, Mikhail (2694)Short, Nigel D (2707) – Kindermann, Stefan (2493)Heroes of this opening Wang Hao · Short, Nigel D
- Family
- French Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- C11
- Line
- 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. exd5
Keep exploring
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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.
Study this opening