C05 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Pawn Center Variation

9/9
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nd2Nf64.e5Nfd75.f4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Pawn Center Variation387k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
92%356k47%
2.2%8.4k44%
1.4%5.5k43%
1.2%4.6k46%
0.7%2.6k49%
0.7%2.6k46%
0.7%2.5k44%
0.4%1.4k39%
0.3%1.1k33%
0.2%73632%
Famous games in this line1.9k master games
Ponomariov, Ruslan (2742) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2755)20131–0Shirov, Alexei (2739) – Ponomariov, Ruslan (2705)20070–1Shirov, Alexei (2741) – Vallejo Pons, Francisco (2650)2008½–½Mamedov, Rau (2659) – Wang Hao (2729)20141–0Tiviakov, Sergei (2670) – Navara, David (2692)2009½–½Malakhov, Vladimir (2716) – Shulman, Yuri (2624)20101–0Smagin, Sergey (2613) – Gurevich, Mikhail (2688)20010–1Kamsky, Gata (2741) – Shabalov, Alexander (2544)20131–0
Heroes of this opening Ponomariov, Ruslan · Mamedov, Rau · Malakhov, Vladimir · Gurevich, Mikhail
Family
French Defense
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C05
Line
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4
★ Read the guide: French DefenseExplore all 212 French Defense lines →
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Nearby lines in the family
French Defense: Reversed Philidor FormationC00 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.Ngf3 Nc6 …French Defense: Advance Variation, Paulsen AttackC02 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Wolf GambitC15 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Ne2 Nf6 5.Bg5
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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