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Learn the French Defense with our free interactive trainer. Master the Advance, Winawer, Tarrasch, and Exchange variations for Black against 1.e4. 22 chapters.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5
The French Defense meets 1.e4 with 1...e6 and 2...d5, challenging the e4 pawn at once from behind a solid pawn chain. Black accepts a little less space and a passive light-squared bishop in return for a sound structure and clear plans: the pawn breaks ...c5 and ...f6 against White's centre, and play on the queenside. This repertoire covers the Advance, Winawer, Exchange, Tarrasch and Rubinstein lines, plus the King's Indian Attack, the Two Knights and White's rare second moves.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. a3 c4 ...
The Advance Variation, 3.e5, is White's most direct try for space. This chapter follows the main line 3...c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bd7 6.a3, where Black closes the queenside with ...c4, plants a knight on b3 and castles long. The club-level sideline 5.Bb5 is covered as well.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Nf3 cxd4 6. Nb5 Bc5 ...
Not every White player follows the main line after 3.e5 c5. This chapter covers the fourth-move alternatives 4.Nc3, 4.Bb5+ and 4.Bd3, along with the 4.c3 Nc6 lines where White plays 5.f4 or Black meets 5.Nf3 with 5...Qb6. In each case Black keeps attacking d4 and brings the king's knight to f5.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. Bd3 cxd4 ...
This chapter covers the Advance Variation with 6.Bd3, where Black exchanges on d4, plays ...Qb6 and trades off White's dangerous bishop with ...Nb4. It also shows 6.Be2 met by an early ...f6, and the slow fianchetto plan 6.g3.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. Be2 Nge7 ...
The main line of the Advance runs 3...c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bd7 6.Be2, and Black answers with ...Nge7-f5, ...Be7, castling and a well-timed ...f6. This chapter also surveys Black's other options on moves three and four - the risky 3...f6, plus 4...Bd7, 4...f6, 4...a6, 4...Qb6 and 4...b6 - and White's weaker tries 4.dxc5, 4.Nf3 and 4.c4.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Qc7 ...
After 3.Nc3 Bb4 the Winawer leads to the sharpest positions in the French. This chapter follows the Poisoned Pawn main line, 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qc7 7.Qg4 Ne7, where Black gives up the g- and h-pawns to demolish White's centre and castle queenside. The quieter 8.Bd2 is covered too.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. a3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 dxe4 6. Qg4 Nf6 ...
This chapter covers the Winawer when White plays 4.a3 at once. Black captures on c3 and e4, then meets the queen raid Qg4xg7 with fast development and pressure on White's damaged queenside. The Alekhine Gambit, 4.Ne2, is also examined.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 dxe4 5. Qg4 Nf6 6. Qxg7 Rg8 ...
White has several rare fourth moves against the Winawer. This chapter deals with the Fingerslip Variation 4.Bd2, as well as 4.Bd3 and 4.Qd3. In each case Black captures on e4 and meets Qg4 with active counterplay in the centre.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bd3 Bd6 6. O-O O-O ...
The Exchange Variation, 3.exd5 exd5, is White's simplest option and is often chosen to avoid theory. The symmetrical structure frees Black's light-squared bishop immediately, so equality is easy to reach. This chapter shows a sound development scheme with ...Nf6, ...Bd6, castling and ...Re8.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. c4 Bb4+ 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Nf3 O-O ...
In the Monte Carlo Variation, 3.exd5 exd5 4.c4, White unbalances the Exchange by accepting an isolated d-pawn. Black develops with ...Bb4+, ...Nf6 and castles, then captures on c4 and plays against the isolated pawn.
1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Qe2 Nc6 4. Nf3 e5 5. g3 Bg4 6. c3 f6 ...
With 2.d3 White heads for a King's Indian Attack and sidesteps French theory. This chapter covers the rare 3.Qe2 move order. Black takes the centre with ...Nc6 and ...e5, supports it with ...f6 and castles queenside, and also learns how to punish the early 4.f4.
1. e4 e6 2. d3 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. Ngf3 e5 5. g3 Bg4 6. c3 Nf6 ...
The main line of the King's Indian Attack runs 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2. Black replies with ...Nc6 and ...e5, develops the bishop to g4 and castles queenside, which leaves the h-pawn free to advance against White's fianchetto. The alternatives 5.exd5 and 5.Be2, and the space-gaining 5...Be6 with ...d4, are included.
1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 c6 4. d4 Bb4 5. e5 Ne7 6. Bd3 c5 ...
In the Two Knights Variation, 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3, White delays d4. This chapter looks at the waiting move 3...c6. When White plays 4.d4, Black pins with ...Bb4 and reaches a Winawer-style structure with ...c5, ...Qa5 and a closed queenside.
1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 d4 4. Ne2 c5 5. c3 Nf6 6. e5 Nfd7 ...
This chapter covers the ambitious 3...d4 against the Two Knights. Black gains space and supports the pawn with ...c5, while White tries to undermine it with c3 or the sharp 5.b4. The main line shows how the central pawns are exchanged to reach a sound, equal position.
1. e4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. d4 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 ...
The simplest answer to the Two Knights is 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7, transposing to the Rubinstein Variation. Black challenges the e4 knight with ...Ngf6, fianchettoes the problem bishop on b7 and castles with a solid, low-maintenance position.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 ...
The Tarrasch Variation, 3.Nd2, avoids the Winawer pin. This chapter recommends the Rubinstein treatment with 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 and ...Ngf6: Black exchanges a pair of knights, develops quietly and frees the position with ...c5.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. c3 dxe4 5. Nxe4 cxd4 6. cxd4 Be7 ...
The second option against the Tarrasch is the immediate 3...c5. Black hits d4 while the d2 knight is still in the way of White's development. The chapter covers 4.c3, 4.exd5, 4.dxc5 and 4.Ngf3, including the pawn sacrifice line where White attacks with Qg4.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Bd3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 ...
Against 3.Nc3 Black can avoid the heavy theory of the Winawer and Classical with the Rubinstein Variation, 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7. Black trades a pair of knights with ...Ngf6, breaks with ...c5 and develops the light-squared bishop to b7. The same set-up works against the Tarrasch, so one system covers both.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Ne5 Nf6 5. Be3 Bd6 6. Nc3 Bb4 ...
Some opponents meet the French with 3.Nf3, the Perseus Gambit, giving up the e4 pawn for activity. Black accepts, defends the pawn with ...Nf6 and develops calmly, avoiding the one trap based on Qh5+. Both knight jumps, 4.Ne5 and 4.Ng5, are covered.
1. e4 e6 2. f4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nh6 5. d4 Nc6 6. Nf3 Qb6 ...
White sometimes plays 2.f4, the La Bourdonnais Variation, hoping for an Advance structure with extra kingside space. Black answers with ...d5 and ...c5, routes the knight to f5 via h6 and uses ...Qb6 to exploit the weakened g1-a7 diagonal.
1. e4 e6 2. c4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. cxd5 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nxd5 6. d4 Bb4 ...
The Steiner Variation, 2.c4, tries to pressure d5 from the side. Black plays 2...d5 anyway and, after the pawn exchanges, regains the pawn with ...Nf6 rather than the queen. The structures resemble the Panov Attack, with White holding an isolated d-pawn.
1. e4 e6 2. c4 d5 3. cxd5 exd5 4. Qb3 dxe4 5. Bc4 Qd7 6. d3 Nc6 ...
The Orthoschnapp Gambit, 2.c4 d5 3.cxd5 exd5 4.Qb3, sets up a queen and bishop battery against f7. Black defends with ...Qd7, hits the battery with ...Nc6-a5 and emerges with the bishop pair and the safer king.