Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Bernstein Variation

11/11
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Nf64.Bg5Bb45.e5h66.Bh4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Bernstein Variation29k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
97%28k54%
2.1%61450%
0.2%6914%
0.1%303%
0%928%
0%50%
0%520%
0%425%
0%40%
0%333%
Famous games in this line117 master games
Stukopin, A. (2572) – Nakamura, Hi (2816)20150–1Bartel, Mat (2597) – Maghsoodloo, Parham (2701)2022½–½Popov, Iv RUS (2596) – Morozevich, A. (2683)2016½–½Onischuk, V. (2630) – Martirosyan, Haik M. (2635)20191–0Galkin, Alexander (2607) – Volkov, Sergey (2620)2004½–½Onischuk, V. (2614) – Volkov, Sergey1 (2599)20141–0Kasimdzhanov, R. (2704) – Graf, F. (2479)20160–1Karjakin, Sergey (2527) – Volkov, Sergey (2642)20020–1
Heroes of this opening Onischuk, V. · Nakamura, Hi · Graf, F. · Volkov, Sergey
Family
French Defense
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C12
Line
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Bh4
★ Read the guide: French DefenseExplore all 212 French Defense lines →
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Nearby lines in the family
French Defense: Alekhine-Chatard Attack4…Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.h4French Defense: Advance Variation, Main Line3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 …French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 …
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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