C04 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Guimard Defense, Main Line

8/8
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nd2Nc64.Ngf3Nf6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Guimard Defense, Main Line83k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
85%71k49%
9.5%7.8k54%
3.6%3.0k51%
0.9%73342%
0.4%35545%
0%3040%
0%2640%
0%2530%
0%1030%
0%922%
Famous games in this line2.7k master games
Svidler, Peter (2765)Aronian, Levon (2752)20060–1Giri, Anish (2720)Nakamura, Hikaru (2760)2012½–½Movsesian, S. (2672)Rapport, R. (2704)2014½–½Stripunsky, Alexander (2562)Nakamura, Hikaru (2775)20120–1Ni, Hua (2681)Zhang, Pengxiang (2649)2007½–½Malakhov, Vladimir (2690)Zhang, Zhong (2639)2006½–½Shirov, Alexei (2705)Kuzubov, Yuriy (2621)20111–0Jobava, Baadur (2706)Kuzubov, Yuriy (2615)2012½–½
Heroes of this opening Aronian, Levon · Nakamura, Hikaru · Shirov, Alexei
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C04
Line
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. Ngf3 Nf6
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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