French Defense (C00–C19)
A solid defense where Black builds a strong pawn chain. Leads to strategic middlegames with clear plans.
Every line in this family begins 1. e4 e6, then branches. Each variation below has its own page with the full move order, the position it reaches, and a Stockfish evaluation.
All 115 lines can be practised free in the browser: pick a variation, walk it move by move in Learn mode, then drill it from memory until you can play it without prompting.
All 115 variations of the French Defense Reversed Philidor Formation C00 1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. Ngf3 Nc6 St. George Defense, Traditional Line C00 1. e4 e6 2. d4 a6 3. Nf3 b5 4. Bd3 c5 Exchange Variation, Bogoljubow Variation C01 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 Exchange Variation, Svenonius Variation C01 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. exd5 exd5 Advance Variation, Euwe Variation C02 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 Advance Variation, Kupreichik Variation C02 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 Advance Variation, Lputian Variation C02 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 Advance Variation, Main Line C02 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit C02 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Hector Variation C02 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Hector Variation C02 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Main Line C02 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Sørensen Variation C02 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 Advance Variation, Nimzowitsch Gambit C02 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Qg4 cxd4 Advance Variation, Paulsen Attack C02 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit C02 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 cxd4 Advance Variation, Wade Variation C02 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 Tarrasch Variation, Guimard Defense, Thunderbunny Variation C03 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. c3 dxe4 Tarrasch Variation, Botvinnik Variation C05 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 Tarrasch Variation, Closed Variation C05 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 Tarrasch Variation, Closed Variation, Main Line C06 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 Tarrasch Variation, Leningrad Variation C06 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 Tarrasch Variation, Chistyakov Defense, Modern Line C07 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 Qxd5 Tarrasch Variation, Eliskases Variation C07 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 Qxd5 Tarrasch Variation, Open System, Advance Line C08 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 exd5 Tarrasch Variation, Open System, Main Line C09 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 exd5 Rubinstein Variation, Capablanca Line C10 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 Rubinstein Variation, Fort Knox Variation C10 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bd7 Rubinstein Variation, Kasparov Attack C10 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 Classical Variation, Burn Variation, Main Line C11 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 Classical Variation, Burn Variation, Morozevich Line C11 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 Steinitz Variation C11 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 a6 4. Nf3 Nf6 Steinitz Variation C11 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 a6 4. Nf3 Nf6 Steinitz Variation C11 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 a6 4. Nf3 Nf6 Steinitz Variation C11 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 Steinitz Variation C11 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation C11 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 Steinitz Variation, Bradford Attack Variation C11 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 Steinitz Variation, Brodsky-Jones Variation C11 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 Steinitz Variation, Gledhill Attack C11 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 McCutcheon Variation, Advance Variation C12 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 McCutcheon Variation, Bernstein Variation C12 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 McCutcheon Variation, Bogoljubow Variation C12 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 McCutcheon Variation, Chigorin Variation C12 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 McCutcheon Variation, Dr. Olland Variation C12 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 McCutcheon Variation, Duras Variation C12 1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 McCutcheon Variation, Exchange Variation C12 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 McCutcheon Variation, Grigoriev Variation C12 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation C12 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 McCutcheon Variation, Lasker Variation C12 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 McCutcheon Variation, Lasker Variation C12 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 McCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation C12 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 Alekhine-Chatard Attack C13 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Alekhine-Chatard Attack, Albin-Chatard Gambit C13 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Alekhine-Chatard Attack, Breyer Variation C13 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Alekhine-Chatard Attack, Maróczy Variation C13 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Alekhine-Chatard Attack, Spielmann Variation C13 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Alekhine-Chatard Attack, Teichmann Variation C13 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Classical Variation C13 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 Classical Variation, Frankfurt Variation C13 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Classical Variation, Richter Attack C13 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation C13 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Classical Variation, Vistaneckis Variation C13 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Classical Variation C14 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 a6 4. Nf3 Nf6 Classical Variation C14 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Classical Variation, Alapin Variation C14 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Classical Variation, Pollock Variation C14 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Classical Variation, Rubinstein Variation C14 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Classical Variation, Stahlberg Variation C14 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Classical Variation, Steinitz Variation C14 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation C14 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 McCutcheon Variation, Wolf Gambit C15 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Ne2 Nf6 Winawer Variation, Alekhine Gambit Accepted C15 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Ne2 dxe4 Winawer Variation, Alekhine Gambit, Alatortsev Variation C15 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Ne2 dxe4 Winawer Variation, Alekhine Gambit, Kan Variation C15 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Ne2 dxe4 Winawer Variation, Exchange Variation, Canal Attack C15 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. exd5 exd5 Winawer Variation, Fingerslip Variation, Kunin Double Gambit C15 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 dxe4 Winawer Variation, Fingerslip Variation, Main Line C15 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 dxe4 Winawer Variation, Kondratiyev Variation C15 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd3 c5 Winawer Variation, Winckelmann-Reimer Gambit C15 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ Winawer Variation, Advance Variation C17 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Bogoljubow Variation, Icelandic Defense C17 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Maróczy-Wallis Variation C17 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Retreat Variation C17 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Retreat Variation, Armenian Line C17 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Advance Variation C18 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Advance Variation C18 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, with Bd3 C18 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, with Bd3 C18 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, with h4 C18 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, with h4 C18 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Classical Variation C18 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Eingorn Variation C18 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation C18 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation C18 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation C18 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation Declined C18 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, Main Line C18 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, Paoli Variation C18 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Portisch-Hook Variation C18 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Warsaw Variation C18 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, Smyslov Variation C19 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Ne7 Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, Smyslov Variation C19 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 Ne7 Winawer Variation, Positional Variation C19 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Positional Variation C19 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Positional Variation C19 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Positional Variation C19 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Positional Variation C19 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Positional Variation C19 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Positional Variation C19 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Positional Variation C19 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Positional Variation C19 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Positional Variation C19 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Positional Variation C19 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Winawer Variation, Positional Variation C19 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 Frequently asked questions
What are the main moves of the French Defense?
The French Defense begins 1. e4 e6. From there it branches into 115 named variations, each with its own move order and typical plans.
What is the ECO code for the French Defense?
The French Defense is catalogued under ECO codes C00–C19. Individual variations list their own specific code on their page.
How can I practise the French Defense for free?
Open any variation on Chess Ramp and use Learn mode to walk the line one move at a time, then Drill mode to replay it from memory. Practice runs in your browser with no account required.
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