Semi-Open · a defense for Black
French Defense: Classical Variation, Shirov-Anand Variation
9/9
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Nf64.e5Nfd75.Nce2
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Classical Variation, Shirov-Anand Variation366k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
91%332k48%
2.8%10k46%
2.8%10k44%
0.9%3.2k45%
0.7%2.5k43%
0.4%1.6k38%
0.4%1.5k34%
0.4%1.5k43%
0.2%83533%
0.2%71442%
Famous games in this line1.2k master games
Carlsen, M. (2831) – Nepomniachtchi, I. (2755)Harikrishna, P. (2716) – Carlsen, M. (2864)Caruana, F. (2776) – Erigaisi, Arjun (2782)Harikrishna, P. (2726) – Caruana, F. (2828)Carlsen, M. (2855) – Fressinet, L. (2687)Wang Hao (2762) – Grischuk, A.. (2777)Grischuk, A. (2766) – Nepomniachtchi, I. (2757)Anand, Viswanathan (2769) – Shirov, Alexei (2751)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, M. · Caruana, F. · Harikrishna, P. · Grischuk, A.
- Family
- French Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- C11
- Line
- 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Nce2
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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