C17 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, Moscow Variation

9/9
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Bb44.e5c55.Qg4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, Moscow Variation61k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
52%31k51%
24%14k43%
12%7.5k46%
5.9%3.5k36%
5.2%3.1k41%
0.4%21521%
0.2%13239%
0.2%12422%
0.1%479%
0.1%3126%
Famous games in this line305 master games
Carlsen, Magnus (2815) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2779)20110–1Predke, A. (2671) – Giri, A. (2724)2024½–½Sevian, Samuel (2677) – Ganguly, S. (2642)20191–0Grischuk, Alexander (2704) – Shipov, Sergei (2588)20040–1Sutovsky, Emil (2597) – Hansen, Curt (2618)2000½–½Fressinet, Laurent (2627) – David, Alberto (2579)2005½–½Leko, Peter (2555) – Hertneck, Gerald (2605)1994½–½Kuzmin, Gennadi P (2545) – Dolmatov, Sergey (2590)19820–1
Heroes of this opening Ivanchuk, Vassily · Sevian, Samuel · Shipov, Sergei · Dolmatov, Sergey
Family
French Defense
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C17
Line
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. Qg4
★ 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 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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