C18 · Semi-Open · a defense for Black

French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation Declined

15/15
1.e4e62.d4d53.Nc3Bb44.e5c55.a3Bxc3+6.bxc3Ne77.Qg4Qc78.Bd3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation Declined9.9k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
71%7.0k53%
10%1.0k47%
9.6%94348%
1.7%16546%
1.6%16053%
1.3%13053%
1.3%12642%
1%9648%
0.6%5526%
0.5%4654%
Famous games in this line540 master games
Carlsen, M. (2830) – Rapport, R. (2719)20241–0Vachier Lagrave, M. (2728) – Rapport, R. (2720)20241–0Leko, Peter (2728) – Shirov, Alexei (2713)2011½–½Saric, Iv (2661) – Abdusattorov, Nodirbek (2767)2025½–½Matlakov, M. (2682) – Fedoseev, Vl3 (2704)2021½–½Polgar, Judit (2708) – Harikrishna, Penteala (2668)2007½–½Gurel, Ediz (2636) – Yuffa, D. (2655)20251–0Shankland, S. (2698) – Mishra, Abhimanyu (2592)20230–1
Heroes of this opening Carlsen, M. · Vachier Lagrave, M. · Gurel, Ediz · Mishra, Abhimanyu
Family
French Defense
Category
Semi-Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C18
Line
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 Qc7 8. Bd3
Sharp
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Nearby lines in the family
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional VariationC19 7.a4 Nbc6 8.Nf3French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Closed Variation, Main LineC06 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 …French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Main LineC02 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.

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