C14 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black
French Defense: Classical Variation, Stahlberg Variation
20/20
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Nf64.Bg5Be75.e5Nfd76.Bxe7Qxe77.f4O-O8.Nf3c59.Qd2Nc610.O-O-Oc4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Classical Variation, Stahlberg Variation390 games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
54%21253%
20%7657%
11%4263%
6.2%2458%
4.6%1819%
1.3%540%
0.8%367%
0.8%333%
0.5%250%
0.5%2100%
Famous games in this line32 master games
Bologan, Viktor (2605) – Gleizerov, Evgeny (2515)Naiditsch, Arkadij (2678) – Pruess, David (2422)Acs, Peter (2560) – Brynell, Stellan (2508)Perelshteyn, Eugene (2432) – Ulibin, Mikhail (2580)Hellers, F. (2595) – Brynell, S. (2412)Campora, Daniel Hugo (2520) – Gomez Baillo, Jorge H (2430)Savchenko, Boris (2431) – Prizant, Jaroslav (2483)Sammour Hasbun, Jorge E (2463) – Pruess, David (2438)Heroes of this opening Naiditsch, Arkadij · Brynell, S. · Campora, Daniel Hugo · Prizant, Jaroslav
- Family
- French Defense
- 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. f4 O-O 8. Nf3 c5 9. Qd2 Nc6 10. O-O-O c4
Keep exploring
Nearby lines in the family
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Chistyakov Defense, Modern LineC07 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Ngf3 cxd4 …French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, Main LineC18 3…Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3 6.bxc3 …French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, Paoli VariationC18 3…Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3 6.bxc3 …
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