C15 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: Winawer Variation, Delayed Exchange Variation

7/7
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Bb44.exd5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Delayed Exchange Variation694k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
75%521k51%
13%92k45%
11%74k44%
0.4%3.1k44%
0.3%2.0k43%
0.1%46944%
0.1%37931%
0%13030%
0%7345%
0%6938%
Famous games in this line2.8k master games
Caruana, Fabiano (2835)Nepomniachtchi, Ian (2784)2020½–½Aronian, L. (2767)Caruana, F. (2822)20181–0Vachier Lagrave, Maxime (2788)Caruana, F. (2795)20161–0Anand, V. (2770)Caruana, F. (2807)2016½–½Harikrishna, P. (2726)Caruana, F. (2828)2019½–½Carlsen, Magnus (2843)Vallejo Pons, Francisco (2697)20121–0Hou Yifan (2680)Mamedyarov, S. (2804)20180–1Harikrishna, P. (2730)Rapport, R. (2738)2019½–½
Heroes of this opening Aronian, L. · Vachier Lagrave, Maxime · Carlsen, Magnus · Mamedyarov, S.
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C15
Line
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. exd5
Read the guide: French DefenseExplore all 212 French Defense lines
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Nearby lines in the family
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.

Study this opening