C15 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: Winawer Variation, Exchange Variation, Canal Attack

11/11
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Bb44.exd5exd55.Bd3Ne76.Qh5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Exchange Variation, Canal Attack3.1k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
31%95349%
20%62041%
7.9%24344%
7.8%23941%
7.5%23036%
7.1%21937%
6.2%19240%
5.5%17143%
3.2%9943%
1.9%5841%
Famous games in this line149 master games
Ponomariov, R. (2675) – Yu Yangyi (2739)2019½–½Onischuk, V. (2612) – Kovalenko, I. (2700)20151–0Motylev, A. (2602) – Bartel, Mat (2651)2024½–½Onischuk, V. (2614) – Kuzubov, Y. (2635)20161–0Popov, Ivan1 (2539) – Stellwagen, Daniel (2639)20071–0Smyslov, Vassily (2555) – Portisch, Lajos (2605)1986½–½Popov, Iv RUS (2592) – Savchenko, B. (2562)20181–0Jovanovic, Zo CRO (2518) – Nikolic, Pr (2618)20150–1
Heroes of this opening Onischuk, V. · Popov, Iv RUS · Nikolic, Pr
Family
French Defense
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C15
Line
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. exd5 exd5 5. Bd3 Ne7 6. Qh5
Aggressive
★ Read the guide: French DefenseExplore all 212 French Defense lines →
Keep exploring
Nearby lines in the family
French Defense: Alekhine-Chatard AttackC13 3…Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.h4French Defense: Advance Variation, Main LineC02 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 …French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry GambitC02 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 …
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
Open in the opening tree →Videos on YouTube ↗Wikipedia: French Defense ↗