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French Defence
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Moves 1.e4 e6
ECO C00–C19
Named after London vs. Paris correspondence match (1834–1836)
Parent King's Pawn Game

The French Defence is a popular chess opening. It starts with the moves:

1. e4 e6

This usually leads to 2.d4 d5. Black often plays ...c5 soon after. This move attacks White's central pawns. It also helps Black gain more space on the side of the board where the queen starts (the queenside).

The French Defence is known for being solid and strong. However, some variations, like the Winawer Variation, can lead to very exciting and complicated games. Black's pieces can feel a bit cramped at the start. For example, the pawn on e6 can block the bishop on c8 from moving easily.

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Understanding the French Defence

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Position after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5

After 1.e4 e6, the main moves are 2.d4 d5. White builds a strong group of pawns in the middle of the board. Black immediately challenges this by attacking White's pawn on e4.

White has several ways to continue. They can defend the e4-pawn with 3.Nc3 or 3.Nd2. White can also push the pawn forward with 3.e5. Or they can trade pawns with 3.exd5. Each choice leads to different kinds of positions.

Common Ideas in the French Defence

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a7 black pawn
b7 black pawn
c7 black pawn
f7 black pawn
g7 black pawn
h7 black pawn
e6 black pawn
d5 black pawn
e5 white pawn
d4 white pawn
a2 white pawn
b2 white pawn
c2 white pawn
f2 white pawn
g2 white pawn
h2 white pawn
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Typical pawn structure

In the French Defence, Black often has more space on the queenside. This means Black usually focuses on that side of the board. Black almost always plays ...c7–c5 early on. This move attacks White's chain of pawns. Black might also move their a- and b-pawns forward.

Black also tries to break down White's central pawns. These pawns can make Black's position feel tight. If the attack on the queenside isn't enough, Black can try ...f7–f6. This move helps to open up the position.

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a8 black rook
c8 black bishop
e8 black king
f8 black bishop
h8 black rook
a7 black pawn
b7 black pawn
f7 black pawn
g7 black pawn
h7 black pawn
b6 black queen
c6 black knight
e6 black pawn
h6 black knight
c5 black pawn
d5 black pawn
e5 white pawn
d4 white pawn
f4 white pawn
c3 white pawn
f3 white knight
a2 white pawn
b2 white pawn
g2 white pawn
h2 white pawn
a1 white rook
b1 white knight
c1 white bishop
d1 white queen
e1 white king
f1 white bishop
h1 white rook
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Position after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.f4 Qb6 6.Nf3 Nh6

White usually tries to use their extra space on the kingside. They often plan an attack to checkmate Black's king. For example, in the Classical French, White's bishop on d3 can aim at Black's weak h7-pawn. This pawn is usually protected by a knight. But in some lines, the knight is forced away.

White might also move their kingside pawns forward. This often involves f2–f4, g2–g4, and then f4–f5. A white pawn on f5 can be very strong. It can threaten to capture pawns or move to f6. Sometimes, pushing the h-pawn to h5 or h6 is also effective.

A newer idea for White is to gain space on the queenside. They do this by playing a2–a3 and b2–b4. If this works, it can make Black's pieces even more cramped.

Tarrasch vs. Teichmann, 1912
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c8 black bishop
f8 black rook
g8 black king
f7 black pawn
g7 black pawn
h7 black pawn
a6 black pawn
e6 black pawn
b5 black pawn
c5 black knight
d5 black pawn
e5 white pawn
f4 white pawn
c3 white knight
g3 white pawn
a2 white pawn
b2 white pawn
c2 white pawn
g2 white bishop
h2 white pawn
a1 white rook
f1 white rook
g1 white king
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Position after 15...Nxc5

One challenge for Black in the French Defence is the queen's bishop. This bishop can be blocked by Black's own pawn on e6. It might stay inactive for a long time. A famous example of this problem is a game between Siegbert Tarrasch and Richard Teichmann in 1912.

In that game, Black's position was passive. Their light-square bishop was stuck behind pawns. White tried to trade Black's active knight. Black could probably have held for a draw, but it was hard. Black had few chances to attack. Because of this, some classical lines became less popular. Players like Nimzowitsch and Botvinnik started using 3...Bb4 more often.

To avoid this problem, Black usually tries to find a good spot for this bishop early on. Black can play ...Bd7–a4 to attack a pawn on c2. This happens in many lines of the Winawer Variation. If Black's f-pawn has moved to f6, the bishop might go to g6 or h5. This is done by moving it through d7 and e8.

Main Lines: 2.d4 d5

3.Nc3: The Most Common Choice

This move is played in over 40% of games after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5. It's the most common way White plays against the French Defence. Black has three main responses:

  • 3...Bb4 (the Winawer Variation)
  • 3...Nf6 (the Classical Variation)
  • 3...dxe4 (the Rubinstein Variation)

Winawer Variation: 3...Bb4

This variation is named after Szymon Winawer. It became very popular thanks to Botvinnik in the 1940s. The move 3...Bb4 pins White's knight on c3. This forces White to deal with the tension in the center.

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Winawer Variation after 3...Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3

White usually plays 4.e5. This gains space and hopes to show that Black's bishop on b4 is not well placed. The main line continues: 4...c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3. This leads to the position shown in the diagram.

White now has doubled pawns on the queenside. These pawns can be a target for Black's attacks. But they also make White's center stronger. White also gets a semi-open b-file for their rook. White has more space on the kingside. Black is weaker there because they traded their dark-square bishop. White can use this to attack.

In this position, Black often plays 6...Ne7. White can then play 7.Qg4. This move attacks Black's kingside pawns. Black can choose to sacrifice pawns with 7...Qc7 8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 cxd4. This is called the "Poisoned Pawn Variation". Or Black can play 7...0-0 8.Bd3 Nbc6. This avoids giving up material. But it leaves the king on the side where White is attacking.

If White doesn't want to play 7.Qg4, 7.Nf3 and 7.a4 are good moves. 7.h4 is a more aggressive try. Black can also attack in most lines. Against 7.Qg4, Black attacks White's king in the center. Against other lines, Black can often attack with ...0-0-0. This is usually combined with ...c4 to close the queenside. Then Black plays ...f6 to open up the kingside.

Classical Variation: 3...Nf6

This is another important system in the French Defence. White has a few ways to continue here.

4.Bg5
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Classical Variation after 3...Nf6 4.Bg5

White threatens 5.e5, which attacks the pinned knight. Black has several ways to respond to this threat.

Burn Variation: 4...dxe4

Named after Amos Burn, this is a very common reply. After 4...dxe4 5.Nxe4, Black usually plays 5...Be7. Then 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.Nf3 Nd7 or 7...0-0. This position is similar to the Rubinstein Variation. But Black has two bishops, which can be a strong advantage.

McCutcheon Variation: 4...Bb4

Black can also counterattack with the McCutcheon Variation. Here, Black plays 4...Bb4. They ignore White's threat of e4–e5. The main line continues: 5.e5 h6 6.Bd2 Bxc3 7.bxc3 Ne4 8.Qg4. Black might play 8...g6. This weakens the kingside but keeps the option of castling queenside. Or Black can play 8...Kf8.

The McCutcheon Variation is named after John Lindsay McCutcheon. He made it famous when he used it to beat World Champion Steinitz in 1885.

Steinitz Variation: 4.e5

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Steinitz Variation after 4.e5 Nfd7

Named after Wilhelm Steinitz, this variation continues with 4.e5 Nfd7. White can play 5.Nce2. This prepares to support the central pawns with c2–c3 and f2–f4. Or 5.Nf3 can be played. The main line of the Steinitz is 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3.

Black can increase the pressure on d4 by playing 7...Qb6. Or they can start queenside play with 7...a6 8.Qd2 b5. White can choose to castle short (0-0) or long (0-0-0). Castling long often leads to more exciting games.

Rubinstein Variation: 3...dxe4

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Rubinstein Variation after 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4

This variation is named after Akiba Rubinstein. White gets more space in the center and easier development. Black plans to stop this by playing ...c7–c5 later. This solid line is often used by grandmasters for a draw. After 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4, Black's most popular move is 4...Nd7. Then 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6. Black is then ready to play ...c5.

Tarrasch Variation: 3.Nd2

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Tarrasch Variation after 3.Nd2 Nf6

The Tarrasch Variation is named after Siegbert Tarrasch. This move became very popular in the 1970s and 1980s. Anatoly Karpov used it with great success. It's less aggressive than 3.Nc3. But top players still use it to get a small, safe advantage.

Unlike 3.Nc3, 3.Nd2 does not block White's c-pawn. This means White can play c3 to support their d4-pawn. So, it avoids the Winawer Variation. This is because 3...Bb4 can be easily met with 4.c3. However, 3.Nd2 puts the knight on a less active square. It also blocks White's dark-square bishop. White often has to spend an extra move to develop this bishop.

  • 3...c5: Black tries to open the center. After 4.exd5, Black can recapture with 4...exd5. This often leads to Black having an isolated queen's pawn. Or Black can play 4...Qxd5. This trades pawns and leaves Black with an extra central pawn. White gains time for development by attacking Black's queen.
  • 3...Nf6: Black tries to close the center. After 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6, Black aims to free their pieces. This might mean having a backward pawn on e6.
  • 3...Nc6: This is the Guimard Variation. After 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Nd7, Black will try to trade White's e-pawn with ...f6. White usually keeps a small advantage here.

Advance Variation: 3.e5

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Advance Variation after 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3

The main line of the Advance Variation continues 3...c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3. From here, there are a few main paths:

  • 5...Qb6: Black wants to put more pressure on d4. This move also attacks the b2-square. So White's bishop cannot easily defend d4 without losing the b2-pawn. White's most common replies are 6.a3, 6.Be2, and 6.Bd3.
  • 5...Bd7: This is the Euwe Variation. It was made popular by Viktor Korchnoi. Black plays this move early and waits for White to show their plans. If White plays 6.a3, Black can respond with 6...f6! This attacks White's center right away.
  • 5...Nh6: This move has become popular recently. The idea is that 6.Bxh6 gxh6 gives Black a semi-open g-file. This can be used to attack White's king. If White doesn't take the knight, it can move to f5. This puts pressure on d4.

Exchange Variation: 3.exd5

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Exchange Variation after 3.exd5 exd5

Many players find the French Defence hard to play against. This is because of its closed positions and unique plans. So, many players choose the Exchange Variation to make the game simpler. White often plays this line hoping for an early draw. And draws do happen often if neither side tries to break the balance.

Even though the pawn structure is symmetrical, White cannot force a draw. To create real chances to win, White often plays c2–c4. This puts pressure on Black's d5-pawn. Black can capture on c4, which gives White an isolated queen's pawn. But this also gives White's pieces more freedom. This can lead to attacking chances.

Other Ways White Can Start

After 1.e4 e6, the main line is 2.d4 d5. But White can try other ideas:

  • 2.d3: White often plans to use a King's Indian Attack setup. Many strong players have used this, like Bobby Fischer.
  • 2.f4: This is the La Bourdonnais Variation.
  • 2.Qe2: This is the Chigorin Variation. It makes 2...d5 less appealing for Black.
  • 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3: This is the Two Knights Variation.
  • 2.c4: This is the Steiner Variation. Black can still play 2...d5.
  • 2.Bb5: This move has been tried sometimes.
  • 2.b3: This can lead to the Réti Gambit.
  • 2.e5: This is the Steinitz Attack. It doesn't give White an advantage after 2...d6.

Other Ways Black Can Start

While 2...d5 is the most common move after 1.e4 e6 2.d4, Black sometimes plays other moves:

  • 2...c5: This is the Franco-Benoni Defence. It features the ...c7–c5 pawn push, like in the Benoni Defence.
  • 2...b6: This move can lead to Owen's Defence or the English Defence.
  • 2...f5: This is the Franco-Hiva Gambit. But it is not considered a very good move.

History of the French Defence

The French Defence gets its name from a correspondence match. This match was played between the cities of London and Paris from 1834 to 1836. Jacques Chamouillet, a player from the Paris team, convinced his teammates to use this defense.

In the 1800s, the French Defence wasn't as popular as 1...e5. The first world chess champion, Wilhelm Steinitz, even called it "the dullest of all openings." But in the early 1900s, Géza Maróczy was one of the first top players to use it often. For a long time, it was the third most popular reply to 1.e4. It was behind 1...c5 and 1...e5. However, in 2006, it became the second most popular, only behind the Sicilian.

Many important chess players have helped develop the theory of the French Defence. These include Mikhail Botvinnik, Viktor Korchnoi, Akiba Rubinstein, and Aron Nimzowitsch. More recently, players like Evgeny Bareev, Nigel Short, and Teimour Radjabov have used it.

The Exchange Variation was suggested in the 1800s. But it has become less popular since then. In the early 1990s, Garry Kasparov tried it briefly. But he then switched to 3.Nc3. The Exchange Variation is known for giving Black an equal position quickly. This is because of its symmetrical pawn structure.

The Advance Variation was also played often in the early days of the French Defence. Aron Nimzowitsch thought it was White's best choice. He added many new ideas to its theory. The Advance Variation became less popular during most of the 1900s. But it was brought back in the 1980s by GM Evgeny Sveshnikov. In recent years, it has become almost as popular as 3.Nd2. GM Alexander Grischuk has used it successfully at the highest levels. It's also popular for club players. This is because it offers a clear plan with attacking chances and more space.

ECO Codes

The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings uses a system to classify openings. Codes C00 to C19 are for the French Defence. Here's how they are broken down:

  • C00 – 1.e4 e6 without 2.d4, or 2.d4 without 2...d5 (early side lines)
  • C01 – 2.d4 d5 (includes the Exchange Variation, 3.exd5)
  • C02 – 3.e5 (Advance Variation)
  • C03–C09 – 3.Nd2 (Tarrasch Variation)
  • C10 – 3.Nc3 (includes the Rubinstein Variation, 3...dxe4)
  • C11–C14 – 3.Nc3 Nf6 (Classical Variation)
  • C15–C19 – 3.Nc3 Bb4 (Winawer Variation)

See also

Images for kids

  • Classical French with 9.Bd3

    Classical French with 9.Bd3

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French Defence Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.