C15 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Wolf Gambit

9/9
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Bb44.Ne2Nf65.Bg5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Wolf Gambit18k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
48%8.7k47%
37%6.8k48%
4.4%79843%
4.3%77848%
2%36141%
1.8%33536%
0.7%12236%
0.5%9754%
0.5%8524%
0.2%4231%
Famous games in this line258 master games
Ivanchuk, Vassily (2711) – Volkov, Sergey (2612)20051–0Dubov, Daniil (2708) – Rychagov, A. (2547)2023½–½Glek, Igor V (2576) – Volkov, Sergey (2642)20020–1Zeng, C. (2574) – Lagarde, Max (2622)2025½–½Polgar, Sofia (2500) – Gurevich, Mikhail (2694)2000½–½Kharlov, Andrei (2593) – Glek, Igor V (2571)20041–0Nagy, Ga1 (2446) – Rapport, R. (2698)20170–1Hector, Jonny (2540) – Glek, Igor V (2590)19950–1
Heroes of this opening Ivanchuk, Vassily · Volkov, Sergey · Kharlov, Andrei · Rapport, R.
Family
French Defense
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C15
Line
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Ne2 Nf6 5. Bg5
Gambit
★ Read the guide: French DefenseExplore all 212 French Defense lines →
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Nearby lines in the family
French Defense: Reversed Philidor FormationC00 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.Ngf3 Nc6 …French Defense: Advance Variation, Paulsen AttackC02 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk GambitC02 3.e5 c5 4.Nf3 cxd4 5.Bd3
From the archives

In 1834 the city of Paris beat the city of London in a correspondence match opening with 1...e6, and the defense 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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