French Defence





The French Defence is a solid defence for Black. We saw in the Caro how Black can respond to 1.e4 with 1...c6. But there are plenty of other options you can try if you don't want that one.



Another very playable option is the French Defence which is 1.e4 e6. Again the d5 pawn is supported and it can be a passive play for Black as his queenside bishop is restricted to a fair degree.



White usually concentrates on kingside attacks as his advanced central pawns serve to cramp Black's position significantly. His light-square bishop often gets stationed at d3, bearing down on h7 worrying the king. There are 20 entries in the ECO Index devoted to the French Defence. You can talk about your own French D games or famous French games that you found interesting.


FD Variations




French Defence: 1.e4 e6







French Defence: 1.e4 e6

This opening is a broad tent and there are countless possibilities coming off it. It runs from C00 through to C19 in the ECO Index. Each of these has up to 10 or 12 variations running sometimes 10 moves deep. They are named after players from previous times so clearly this particular opening has been deeply analyzed.


Here are the more common lines:

Exchange V: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5
Advance V: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5
Tarrasch V: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2
Paulsen V: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3
Winawer (Nimzovich) V: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4
All of these lines are analyzed fully. Here are some notable French Defence games.








Play Back Your Best French Defense Master Class

Have you ever played the French Defense? What are the strengths of this defense in your opinion? What do you like about the positions you get from it? What kind of endgame does it usually give you? If it's not part of your repertoire you've no doubt had to face it. How do you handle it when your opponent brings it to you? Talk us through your game move by move. Or if you prefer you can talk about a famous French Defense Game. Annotate a French Defense game played by a chess legend. Play Back Your Best French Defense Master Class.

French Defense Games Left by other Contributors

Click below to see French Defense Games by other Contributors...

French Defense Technique 
French people had a great respect for the game of chess and they actively participated in improving and discovering new dimensions in chess. The following …

Blackburne - Fish Not rated yet
This game is a masterpiece chess game played by Joseph Henry Blackburne and J Fish in year 1879, in London. White-Joseph Henry Blackburne Black-J …

French Defence Special Not rated yet
French Defense is a type of chess opening that can be identified by the move 1.e4 e6 and usually continues 2.d4 d5. Here White expands claim …

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Moving On




Sicilian Defence







Moving on to the Sicilian Defence

Generally Black knows that his king is going to feel some heat as White will have space on the kingside. What he must do is get his queenside bishop mobile and create some counterplay on this side of the board.


If he can weather the storm on his castled position and create chances on the queenside, Black can do okay. It is certainly a counter punchers ploy. Do you enjoy soaking up the pressure, deflecting White's attacks and then striking back? If so this might be your kind of game.


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