C01 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: Exchange Variation, Svenonius Variation

9/9
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Nf64.exd5exd55.Bg5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Exchange Variation, Svenonius Variation901k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
42%379k52%
27%245k55%
12%110k52%
5.8%52k52%
4.6%41k51%
2.7%24k46%
1.7%15k49%
French Defense: Exchange Variation, Bogoljubow Variation1.1%9.9k48%
0.9%8.4k46%
0.8%7.4k48%
Famous games in this line170 master games
Yu Yangyi (2763) – Vitiugov, N. (2732)2019½–½Harikrishna, P. (2753) – Wang Hao (2717)20160–1Short, Nigel D (2683) – Morozevich, Alexander (2748)2000½–½Short, N. (2678) – Harikrishna, P. (2737)2015½–½Short, Nigel D (2681) – Tikkanen, Hans (2537)2013½–½Winants, Luc (2515) – Gurevich, Mikhail (2694)2001½–½Short, Nigel D (2707) – Kindermann, Stefan (2493)20121–0Milos, Gilberto (2565) – Andersson, Ulf (2625)19930–1
Heroes of this opening Wang Hao · Short, Nigel D · Andersson, Ulf
Family
French Defense
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C01
Line
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. exd5 exd5 5. Bg5
★ Read the guide: French DefenseExplore all 212 French Defense lines →
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Nearby lines in the family
French Defense: Reversed Philidor FormationC00 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.Ngf3 Nc6 …French Defense: Advance Variation, Paulsen AttackC02 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Wolf GambitC15 3…Bb4 4.Ne2 Nf6 5.Bg5
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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