Opening Overview

French Defense

211 lines
black repertoire

About This Opening

Black challenges the center with a compact pawn chain and counterpunching chances.

These structures usually reward accurate development, good piece coordination, and patience before committing to pawn breaks.

The practical edge often comes from knowing the main pawn structures and where each side wants counterplay, rather than memorizing long forcing lines.

Key ideas
  • Typical theme: sound structure and flexible plans.
  • Most plans revolve around piece activity and pawn breaks at the right moment.
  • Best for players who want reliable positions and clear structure.
  • Learn the standard middlegame plans, not just the first moves.

Choose a variation

French Defense: Classical Variation, Richter Attack
C13 9 plies
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bxf6
French Defense: Classical Variation, Richter Attack
C13 13 plies
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bxf6 Bxf6 6. e5 Be7 7. Qg4
French Defense: Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation
C13 10 plies
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Ne4
French Defense: Classical Variation, Vistaneckis Variation
C13 10 plies
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Ng8
French Defense: Classical Variation
C14 11 plies
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 a6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bg5
French Defense: Classical Variation
C14 12 plies
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7
French Defense: Classical Variation, Alapin Variation
C14 13 plies
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. Nb5
French Defense: Classical Variation, Pollock Variation
C14 13 plies
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. Qg4
French Defense: Classical Variation, Rubinstein Variation
C14 13 plies
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. Qd2
French Defense: Classical Variation, Stahlberg Variation
C14 20 plies
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. f4 O-O 8. Nf3 c5 9. Qd2 Nc6 10. O-O-O c4
French Defense: Classical Variation, Steinitz Variation
C14 13 plies
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. f4
French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation
C14 13 plies
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. Bd3
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