C00-C19

French Defense

212 named lines in this family, ECO C00-C19. Every one of them opens 1. e4 e6, so the notes on those moves are written once, just below, instead of once per line. Under each line you get its moves and the sentences it adds that this page has not already printed; sixty lines to a page. A line's own page carries up to its first 4 per-move notes in full.

The moves every line here plays

1. e4 e6

• 1. e4 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling d5, and frees the bishop and queen.
• 1... e6 Supports the centre, adding control of d5. Theory calls this the French Defense.

Winawer Variation, Retreat Variation, Armenian LineC17

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Ba5 6. b4 cxd4

An early pawn trade leaves the c-file as Black's avenue and the d-file as White's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file. ...Bb4 pins and usually trades for the c3-knight: Black wrecks White's queenside pawns and attacks them forever; White gets the bishop pair and kingside chances.

• 2. d4 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e5, and frees the bishop and queen.
• 2... d5 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e4, and frees the bishop and queen.

Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, after 4... c5, through 7. Nf3C17

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 cxd4 6. axb4 dxc3 7. Nf3

Black comes out ahead on material - White needs concrete play to justify it.

Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, after 4... c5, through 6. bxc3C18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3

The structure hands White the half-open b-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, after 4... c5, through 6... Ne7C18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7

Winawer Variation, Classical VariationC18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Qc7

Winawer Variation, Portisch-Hook VariationC18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Qa5

White's pawn on c3 is pinned against the king.

Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, with Bd3, through 7. Bd3C18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Bd3

Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, with h4, through 7. h4C18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. h4

Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, with Bd3, after 7... Qc7C18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Bd3 Qc7

Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, with h4, after 7... Qc7C18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. h4 Qc7

Winawer Variation, Eingorn VariationC18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 Kf8

Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, after 7... Qc7, through 7... Qc7C18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 Qc7

Winawer Variation, Warsaw VariationC18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 O-O

Black's pawn on g7 is pinned against the king.

Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, after 7... cxd4, through 8. Qxg7C18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 cxd4 8. Qxg7

White has doubled pawns on the c-file.

Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation DeclinedC18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 Qc7 8. Bd3

Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, after 7... cxd4, through 9... Nbc6C18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 cxd4 8. Qxg7 Rg8 9. Qxh7 Nbc6

White is up material out of the opening - Black is banking on activity to show for it.

Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, Main LineC18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 Qc7 8. Qxg7 Rg8 9. Qxh7 cxd4 10. Ne2

Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, Paoli VariationC18

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 Qc7 8. Qxg7 Rg8 9. Qxh7 cxd4 10. Kd1

Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, Smyslov Variation, through 7. a4C19

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Ne7 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. a4

Winawer Variation, Positional Variation, after 6... Ne7, through 7. Nf3, line 1C19

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Nf3

Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, Smyslov Variation, after 7... Qc7C19

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Ne7 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 7. a4 Qc7

Winawer Variation, Positional Variation, after 6... Nc6, through 7... Nge7, line 2C19

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Nc6 7. Nf3 Nge7

Winawer Variation, Positional Variation, after 6... Ne7, through 7... Qc7, line 3C19

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Nf3 Qc7

Winawer Variation, Positional Variation, after 6... Ne7, through 8. Nf3, line 4C19

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. a4 Nbc6 8. Nf3

Winawer Variation, Positional Variation, after 6... Ne7, through 8. h4, line 5C19

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Nf3 Qc7 8. h4

Winawer Variation, Positional Variation, after 6... Ne7, through 8. Nf3, line 6C19

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Bd3 Nbc6 8. Nf3

Winawer Variation, Positional Variation, after 6... Nc6, through 8... Nge7, line 7C19

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Nc6 7. Nf3 Qa5 8. Bd2 Nge7

Winawer Variation, Positional Variation, after 6... Ne7, through 9. Qd2, line 8C19

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. a4 Nbc6 8. Nf3 Qa5 9. Qd2

Winawer Variation, Positional Variation, after 6... Ne7, through 9. Bd2, line 9C19

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. a4 Nbc6 8. Nf3 Qa5 9. Bd2

Winawer Variation, Positional Variation, after 6... Ne7, through 9... Bd7, line 10C19

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. a4 Nbc6 8. Nf3 Qa5 9. Qd2 Bd7

Winawer Variation, Positional Variation, after 6... Ne7, through 9... Bd7, line 11C19

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. a4 Nbc6 8. Nf3 Qa5 9. Bd2 Bd7

Winawer Variation, Positional Variation, after 6... Ne7, through 9... c4, line 12C19

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. a4 Nbc6 8. Nf3 Qa5 9. Bd2 c4

Lines 181–212 of 212 — page 4 of 4.

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