C07 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Chistyakov Defense, Modern Line

20/20
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nd2c54.exd5Qxd55.Ngf3cxd46.Bc4Qd67.O-ONf68.Nb3Nc69.Nbxd4Nxd410.Nxd4a6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Chistyakov Defense, Modern Line8.9k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
35%3.1k50%
29%2.6k54%
9.1%81346%
8.7%77749%
6.4%56843%
6.2%55556%
2.4%21158%
0.8%7056%
0.7%5947%
0.6%5441%
Famous games in this line2.0k master games
Karjakin, Sergey (2781)Caruana, F. (2808)20170–1Karjakin, Sergey (2779)Morozevich, Alexander (2770)2012½–½Karjakin, Sergey (2781)Grischuk, A. (2761)20170–1Karjakin, Sergey (2773)Duda, J. (2737)2018½–½Wei Yi (2729)So, W. (2780)20181–0Karjakin, Sergey (2772)Radjabov, T. (2713)2014½–½Tomashevsky, E. (2728)Harikrishna, P. (2753)2016½–½Tomashevsky, E. (2728)Harikrishna, P. (2753)2016½–½
Heroes of this opening Caruana, F. · Grischuk, A. · Wei Yi
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C07
Line
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Ngf3 cxd4 6. Bc4 Qd6 7. O-O Nf6 8. Nb3 Nc6 9. Nbxd4 Nxd4 10. Nxd4 a6
Read the guide: French DefenseExplore all 212 French Defense lines
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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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