Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Lasker Variation

12/12

1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Nf64.Bg5Bb45.e5h66.Bd2Bxc3

Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid

French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Lasker Variation85k games · White to move

MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore

64k52%

20k44%

65646%

2612%

166%

1010%

425%

250%

10%

Famous games in this line2.2k master games

Anand, Viswanathan (2817) – Nakamura, Hikaru (2774)2011½–½ Anand, Viswanathan (2800) – Shirov, Alexei (2749)2010½–½ Anand, Viswanathan (2779) – Morozevich, Alexander (2741)2007½–½ Leko, Peter (2749) – Morozevich, Alexander (2741)20071–0 Leko, Peter (2749) – Morozevich, Alexander (2741)2007½–½ Leko, Peter (2749) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2711)2005½–½ Anand, Viswanathan (2781) – Kortschnoj, Viktor (2673)1999½–½ Svidler, Peter (2713) – Morozevich, Alexander (2723)1999½–½

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. Bd2 Bxc3

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Nearby lines in the family

French Defense: St. George Defense, Traditional Line2…a6 3.Nf3 b5 4.Bd3 c5 5.c3 …French Defense: Advance Variation, Lputian Variation3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 …French Defense: Winawer Variation, Classical Variation3…Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3 6.bxc3 …

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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