Opening · played as Black

French Defense

...e6 and ...d5: give White the center, then break it with ...c5 and ...f6. Winawer sharpness, Advance counterplay, Tarrasch clarity.

A position this opening is aiming for.

You play
Black
Variations covered
50

The main line

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 Qc7 8.Qxg7 Rg8

Some of the variations

…and 44 more in the trainer.

Train it

ChessReflex drills the branch points where a line splits rather than making you replay it move by move, so a repertoire this size is a handful of decisions instead of hundreds of moves. Free, and no account needed to start.

Open French Defense