The French Defence: a guide to the main lines, with master-game evidence
What the French is for, White's four main answers and how each scores, Black's main replies, and the two pawn breaks every French player needs. Built on 179,938 master games.
The French Defence starts 1.e4 e6, and after 2.d4 d5 Black has challenged White's centre at once. It's one of Black's most popular answers to 1.e4: in our master database it follows 1.e4 in 209,879 games, behind only 1…c5 and 1…e5.
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The French Defence. Black's pawn on d5 attacks e4; White must defend it, exchange it, or advance it.
Opens in a new tab at the position on this board, with what masters played from it.
What the French is for
Black accepts a slightly cramped position in return for a very solid one. The pawn on e6 shuts in Black's light-squared bishop, which is the French player's lasting problem. In return, Black gets a clear plan in almost every line: attack White's pawn chain with …c5, and often later with …f6.
White's four main answers
The position after 2…d5 appears in 179,938 over-the-board master games. Here is what White played in them:
| Move | Games | White's score | The idea |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.Nc3 | 76,117 | 56.7% | defend e4 with a piece; the most direct |
| 3.Nd2 | 55,180 | 56.8% | the Tarrasch: defend e4 without allowing a pin by …Bb4 |
| 3.e5 | 27,036 | 51.8% | the Advance: gain space and fix the pawn chain |
| 3.exd5 | 18,146 | 44.0% | the Exchange: release the tension at once |
The Exchange is the lowest-scoring of the four. Our research piece The "safe" 3.exd5 scores worst looks at why.
Against 3.Nc3: Black's three main replies
- 3…Nf6, the Classical (33,412 games), hits e4 again.
- 3…Bb4, the Winawer (32,194 games), pins the knight and is the sharpest choice.
- 3…dxe4, the Rubinstein (8,320 games), gives up the centre for quick development. It's solid but passive: White scores 63.7% against it in master games.
The Advance: Black's answer is almost automatic
After 3.e5, Black played 3…c5 in 26,032 of 27,092 master games, striking at the base of White's chain at once. White usually supports d4 with 4.c3 (24,297 games).
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The Advance after 4.c3: White's chain runs c3–d4–e5; Black attacks it from the base with …c5, and later often with …f6.
Opens in a new tab at the position on this board, with what masters played from it.
The two breaks every French player needs
- …c5 attacks d4, the base of White's pawn chain. In most lines it comes early.
- …f6 attacks e5, the head of the chain, usually once Black's pieces are ready to use the opened f-file.
When you look at a French position, ask first which break Black is preparing and how White is stopping it. That one question explains most of the plans in the opening.
How to practise
- Step through the boards above and name, for each position, the break Black wants next.
- Pick one answer to the French as White (3.Nc3 or 3.Nd2 if you want to keep the tension) and look up what masters play against it from the key position.
- Review your own French games and find the move where the pawn break came, or should have come.
Sources and evidence17 checked claims
Every number in this article, where it came from and how it was checked. Master-database numbers are re-read from the live database and engine values re-run whenever the page is built. How we check
| Claim | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Master games where Black answered 1.e4 with 1…e6 | 209,879 | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
| Over-the-board master games reaching the position after 2…d5 | 179,938 | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
| Games with 3.Nc3 after 2…d5 | 76,117 | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
| White's score after 3.Nc3 | 56.7% | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
| Games with 3.Nd2 | 55,180 | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
| White's score after 3.Nd2 | 56.8% | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
| Games with 3.e5 | 27,036 | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
| White's score after 3.e5 | 51.8% | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
| Games with 3.exd5 | 18,146 | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
| White's score after 3.exd5 | 44.0% | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
| Games with 3…Nf6 after 3.Nc3 | 33,412 | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
| Games with 3…Bb4 after 3.Nc3 | 32,194 | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
| Games with 3…dxe4 after 3.Nc3 | 8,320 | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
| White's score after 3.Nc3 dxe4 | 63.7% | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
| Master games reaching the position after 3.e5 (by any move order) | 27,092 | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
| Games with 3…c5 after 3.e5 | 26,032 | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
| Games with 4.c3 after 3.e5 c5 | 24,297 | ChessCanvas master database c7ccea3a87ef, Modern masters · OTB (re-read at build) |
Keep reading
Same position, different order: how transpositions work, and why your database should count them once
Four different move orders reach the same Catalan position, and every one of them finds the same 45,726 master games. What a transposition is, and how to use it in your preparation.
The "safe" 3.exd5 scores worst against the French
Club players often swap on d5 to avoid French theory. In 179,938 master games it is White's lowest-scoring main move, and Black wins more often than White.
Tired of the Pirc? The h3 + a4 system and the 10.Qd6 trap
Two quiet pawn moves take the sting out of Black's main plans, and one natural recapture walks into 10.Qd6. What 1,053 master games and Stockfish 19 say.
