C03 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Morozevich Variation

6/6
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nd2Be7
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Morozevich Variation111k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
34%38k51%
24%27k51%
23%25k48%
11%13k52%
2.5%2.7k47%
2.2%2.4k48%
1.1%1.3k50%
0.8%84048%
0.7%76747%
0.3%34751%
Famous games in this line4.8k master games
Karjakin, Sergey (2779)Topalov, Veselin (2752)2012½–½Duda, J. (2707)So, W. (2810)2017½–½Kamsky, Gata (2741)Nakamura, Hikaru (2775)20131–0Svidler, Peter (2727)Morozevich, Alexander (2787)2008½–½Svidler, P. (2753)Yu Yangyi (2759)2018½–½Svidler, P. (2753)Yu Yangyi (2759)20180–1Karjakin, Sergey (2760)Nakamura, Hikaru (2741)20101–0Adams, Michael (2744)Morozevich, Alexander (2749)20010–1
Heroes of this opening Kamsky, Gata · Yu Yangyi · Karjakin, Sergey · Morozevich, Alexander
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C03
Line
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Be7
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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