Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation

11/11
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Nf64.Bg5Bb45.e5h66.Be3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation16k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
78%12k45%
15%2.4k41%
6.3%98241%
0.1%2218%
0.1%1547%
0%60%
0%540%
0%30%
0%30%
0%250%
Famous games in this line641 master games
Gashimov, Vugar (2746) – Nakamura, Hikaru (2774)20110–1Kasparov, Garry (2851) – Kortschnoj, Viktor (2659)2000½–½Shirov, Alexei (2732) – Volkov, Sergey (2620)2003½–½Sutovsky, Emil (2654) – Wang, Hao (2691)20080–1Jakovenko, Dmitrij (2710) – Vitiugov, Nikita (2594)2007½–½Areshchenko, Alexander (2670) – Volkov, Sergey (2629)2006½–½Rodo (2668) – Klosterfrau (2627)2007½–½Petrosian, Tigran L (2629) – Vallejo Pons, Francisco (2664)20081–0
Heroes of this opening Nakamura, Hikaru · Wang, Hao · Petrosian, Tigran L
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. Be3
★ Read the guide: French DefenseExplore all 212 French Defense lines →
Keep exploring
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.

Study this opening
Open in the opening tree →Videos on YouTube ↗Wikipedia: French Defense ↗