Semi-Open · a defense for Black
French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation
3/3
1.e4e62.f4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation8.8M games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
65%5.8M52%
7.2%633k50%
5.7%505k47%
4.6%408k48%
4.3%377k44%
1.7%146k47%
1.6%143k47%
1.5%133k47%
1.4%127k47%
1.3%118k44%
Famous games in this line319 master games
Carlsen, M. (2875) – Grischuk, A. (2775)Carlsen, M. (2882) – Rapport, R. (2747)Yu Yangyi (2763) – Vitiugov, N. (2732)Nakamura, Hi (2736) – Duda, J. (2758)Nakamura, Hikaru (2775) – Seirawan, Yasser (2643)Nakamura, Hi (2736) – Christiansen, Johan-Sebastian (2618)Jobava, Baadur (2695) – Meier, Georg (2623)Stripunsky, Alexander (2570) – Nakamura, Hikaru (2733)Heroes of this opening Nakamura, Hikaru · Carlsen, M. · Yu Yangyi · Jobava, Baadur
- Family
- French Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- C00
- Line
- 1. e4 e6 2. f4
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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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