for Black · intermediate
French Defense
Piece Pattern AtlasSee where every piece lives in the middlegame →CoursePlay this line through, move by move →4/4
1.e4e62.d4d5
Black challenges the centre with ...d5 and accepts a slightly cramped position and a passive light-squared bishop for it. Black gets back a rock-solid structure and clear counterplay. It is one of the most reliable answers to 1.e4.
Key ideas
- Strike at White's centre with ...d5 and later ...c5
- Play on the queenside where Black's pawn chain points
- Solve the 'bad' light-squared bishop with ...b6 or an exchange
- Aim for the ...f6 or ...c5 breaks to open lines
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
French Defense66.4M games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
0.3%215k45%
0.1%97k48%
Famous games in this line140k master games
Carlsen, M. (2881) – Caruana, F. (2791)So, W. (2815) – Carlsen, M. (2832)Aronian, L. (2775) – Carlsen, M. (2872)Caruana, F. (2817) – So, W. (2822)Karjakin, Sergey (2750) – Carlsen, M. (2882)Aronian, L.. (2781) – Carlsen, M.. (2847)Giri, A. (2760) – Carlsen, M. (2864)Karjakin, Sergey (2778) – Carlsen, Magnus (2843)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, M. · So, W. · Karjakin, Sergey · Aronian, L..
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From the archives
Paris challenged London by correspondence in January 1834; the match took about two years, Paris met 1.e4 with 1...e6, and Paris won. The defence 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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