Semi-Open · a defense for Black
French Defense: Knight Variation
3/3
1.e4e62.Nf3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Knight Variation40.5M games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
65%26.3M52%
6%2.4M49%
5.3%2.1M49%
4.4%1.8M48%
1.8%710k47%
1.6%665k50%
1.1%461k47%
1.1%433k48%
Famous games in this line2.6k master games
Ivanchuk, V. (2704) – Nepomniachtchi, I. (2714)Carlsen, M. (2857) – Sadorra, J. (2560)Sindarov, Javokhir (2682) – Sevian, Samuel (2696)Christiansen, Johan-Sebastian (2597) – Vitiugov, N. (2747)Zvjaginsev, Vadim (2688) – Rodshtein, Maxim (2634)Sindarov, Javokhir (2710) – Moussard, J. (2597)Malakhov, Vladimir (2682) – Khalifman, Alexander (2622)Zvjaginsev, Vadim (2659) – Volkov, Sergey (2615)Heroes of this opening Ivanchuk, V. · Rodshtein, Maxim · Sindarov, Javokhir
- Family
- French Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- C00
- Line
- 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
French Defense: Knight Variation, Franco-Hiva Gambit2…f5French Defense: Two Knights Variation2…d5 3.Nc3French Defense: Wing Gambit2…d5 3.e5 c5 4.b4
Nearby lines in the family
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