Semi-Open · a defense for Black
French Defense: Normal Variation
3/3
1.e4e62.d4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Normal Variation89.4M games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
4.9%4.4M48%
4%3.6M46%
1.4%1.3M47%
0.9%800k45%
0.9%797k45%
Famous games in this line141k master games
Carlsen, M. (2881) – Caruana, F. (2791)So, W. (2815) – Carlsen, M. (2832)Aronian, L. (2775) – Carlsen, M. (2872)Caruana, F. (2817) – So, W. (2822)Karjakin, Sergey (2750) – Carlsen, M. (2882)Aronian, L.. (2781) – Carlsen, M.. (2847)Giri, A. (2760) – Carlsen, M. (2864)Karjakin, Sergey (2778) – Carlsen, Magnus (2843)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, M. · So, W. · Karjakin, Sergey · Aronian, L..
- Family
- French Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- C00
- Line
- 1. e4 e6 2. d4
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
French Defense: Baeuerle Gambit2…b5French Defense: Franco-Hiva Gambit2…f5 · 1 deeper lineFrench Defense: St. George Defense2…a6 · 4 deeper linesFrench Defense: Mediterranean Defense2…Nf6
Nearby lines in the family
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