Semi-Open · a defense for Black
French Defense: Schlechter Variation
5/5
1.e4e62.d4d53.Bd3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Schlechter Variation1.4M games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
38%551k49%
28%403k47%
24%352k47%
2.7%40k45%
1.9%28k44%
0.8%11k50%
0.7%9.5k45%
0.6%9.3k45%
0.5%7.4k44%
0.5%6.6k46%
Famous games in this line1.3k master games
Kramnik, V. (2808) – Caruana, F. (2808)Vachier Lagrave, M. (2796) – So, W. (2812)Carlsen, Magnus (2837) – Grischuk, Alexander (2763)Fontaine, R. (2563) – Carlsen, M. (2834)Alekseev, Evgeny (2629) – Grischuk, A. (2759)Fedorchuk, S. (2648) – Duda, J. (2717)Onischuk, V. (2612) – Wang Hao (2707)Onischuk, V. (2594) – Radjabov, T. (2724)Heroes of this opening Grischuk, Alexander · Caruana, F. · Vachier Lagrave, M. · Carlsen, M.
- Family
- French Defense
- Category
- Semi-Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- C00
- Line
- 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Bd3
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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