Don Chess

Learn the French Defense

You build a fortress with e6 and d5, then hit back with …c5 at the right moment. Patience pays off here.

You play with Black. How you learn it with Don Chess: watch first, then play it with an arrow, then from memory – with spaced repetition until it sticks. Free, no sign-up.

Train the French Defense now →

The main line

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Bxe7 Qxe7 7.f4 O-O

C14 · French Defense: Classical Variation, Steinitz Variation

The position after the main line

The moves explained

Why is each move played? The explanations come from the opening trainer – there you play the moves yourself afterwards.

1.e4 Occupies the centre with a pawn on e4.
1…e6 Prepares the pawn move to d5.
2.d4 Occupies the centre with a pawn on d4.
2…d5 Attacks the pawn on e4 – the fight for the centre begins.
3.Nc3 Develops the knight to c3 – pieces out first, then attack.
3…Nf6 Develops the knight to f6 – pieces out first, then attack.
4.Bg5 Develops the bishop to g5 – pieces out first, then attack.
4…Be7 Develops the bishop to e7 – pieces out first, then attack.
5.e5 Occupies the centre with a pawn on e5.
5…Nfd7 The knight was attacked and goes to safety on d7.
6.Bxe7 Takes the bishop on e7.
6…Qxe7 Takes back on e7 – material is level again.
7.f4 Fights for the centre from the side with the pawn on f4.
7…O-O Castles: the king is safe and the rook joins the game.

Idea and plans

The idea

With 1…e6 and 2…d5 Black challenges the centre. The price: the c8 bishop is shut in behind its own pawns at first.

Plan for White

Gain space with e5 and attack on the kingside (often f4, Qg4, the Bxh7 sacrifice as a motif).

Plan for Black

Attack White’s pawn chain at its base: …c5 against d4 and …f6 against e5. Activate the “bad” c8 bishop (…b6/…Ba6 or …Bd7–b5).

Tip

After e5, beware of the classic bishop sacrifice on h7.

The 10 lines in the course

Grey: the moves shared with the main line. Bold: the move where the line leaves it.

French Defense: Classical Variation, Steinitz Variation C14Main line
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Bxe7 Qxe7 7.f4 O-O
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation C18
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 3…Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7
French Defense: Advance Variation, Paulsen Attack C02
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6
French Defense: Exchange Variation C01
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.O-O O-O
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Chistyakov Defense C07
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Ngf3 cxd4 6.Bc4 Qd6
French Defense: Advance Variation, Main Line C02
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.a3 c4 7.Nbd2 Na5
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, Main Line C18
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 3…Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 Qc7 8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 cxd4 10.Ne2
French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation C11
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5
French Defense: King's Indian Attack C00
1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.Ngf3 c5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 Be7 7.O-O O-O
French Defense: Exchange Variation, Monte Carlo Variation C01
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Nf3