C14 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: Classical Variation, Pollock Variation

13/13
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Nf64.Bg5Be75.e5Nfd76.Bxe7Qxe77.Qg4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Classical Variation, Pollock Variation71k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
70%50k44%
12%8.4k48%
7.4%5.3k48%
2.8%2.0k46%
2.4%1.7k43%
2.3%1.7k42%
1.9%1.4k39%
0.7%53238%
0.3%18240%
0.1%7537%
Famous games in this line34 master games
Gunina, V.. (2431)Bacrot, E.. (2674)20200–1Llaneza Vega, Marcos (2514)Gleizerov, Evgeny (2565)2010½–½Obolenskikh, Dmitry (2466)Rakhmanov, Alexander (2590)20100–1Ibarra Jerez, Jose Carlos (2496)Larino Nieto, David (2426)20080–1Gavilan Diaz, M. (2287)Anton Guijarro, D. (2631)2014½–½Fercec, Nenad (2466)Jusic, Zdenko (2432)20021–0De la Riva Aguado, Oscar (2460)Mellado Trivino, Juan (2430)1997½–½Kosteniuk, Alexandra (2469)Mkrtchian, Lilit (2395)20041–0
Heroes of this opening Bacrot, E.. · Rakhmanov, Alexander · Larino Nieto, David · Fercec, Nenad
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. Qg4
Read the guide: French DefenseExplore all 212 French Defense lines
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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.

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