Semi-Open · a defense for Black
French Defense: Franco-Sicilian Defense
4/4
1.e4e62.d4c5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Franco-Sicilian Defense6.6M games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
27%1.8M52%
23%1.5M53%
9.8%651k47%
2.1%138k53%
1.6%106k49%
1.6%103k47%
0.5%36k49%
0.5%34k47%
0.5%30k54%
Famous games in this line975 master games
Alekseenko, K. (2704) – Salgado Lopez, I. (2605)Ivanchuk, Vassily (2709) – Kengis, Edvins (2570)Sokolov, Ivan (2645) – Andersson, Ulf (2630)Shomoev, Anton (2571) – Zvjaginsev, Vadim (2671)Parma, Bruno (2530) – Larsen, Bent (2660)Krapivin, Alexander (2501) – Grachev, Boris (2655)Dvoretzky, Mark (2540) – Smejkal, Jan (2615)Kovalenko, I. (2653) – Miezis, N. (2499)Heroes of this opening Salgado Lopez, I. · Ivanchuk, Vassily · Andersson, Ulf · Zvjaginsev, Vadim
- Family
- French Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- C00
- Line
- 1. e4 e6 2. d4 c5
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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.
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