French Defense | Lesson 41


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This is the main page to learn the French Defense on this website, and this lesson is designed for chess beginners. Here you can find official data, explanations, general description of the French Defense chess opening in Part I (below) and see the "French Defense General Information" video in Part II (at the middle).

Here you can also find more links to this chess opening in Part III (at the bottom of this page) to understand how to play its main variations: Exchange Variation, Advance Variation, Main Line 3.Nc3 or Paulsen Variation, and Tarrasch Variation 3.Nd2. French Defense is an Semi-Open Game opening -- it begins with 1.e4   other than e5.

I. French Defense: Data and Description


Chess Opening: French Defense (1.e4 e6)
Type: Semi-Open Game (1.e4 other than e5)
Moves: 1.e4 e6
ECO Codes: C00-C19

French Defense chess opening

After the Sicilian Defense, the French Defense is the 2nd most popular semi-open game chess opening. It was named after an 1834 correspondence match between London and Paris. During it, a French chess player insisted to try 1... e6. White usually presses on kingside and Black on queenside.

The next is the answering statistics to the French Defense:
• 2.d4 ~ 80%. • 2.d3 ~ 10%.
• other moves ~ 10% (2.Nf3, 2.Nc3, 2.Qe2, 2.b3, 2.c4, ..).

The following is 5 main (most common) variations of the French Defense:
• French Defense, Exchange variation: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 - C01.
• French Defense, Advance variation: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 - C02.

• French Defense, Tarrasch variation: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 - C03.
• French Defense, Paulsen variation: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 - C10.
• French Defense, Winawer (Nimzovich) variation: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 - C15.

To see the French Defense in a visible way, please find the video below.

II. French Defense: Video General Information


The video will show the designated moves of the French Defense, ECO codes, general description, answering statistics, 5 most common variations, and the most common line. The video consists of 4 parts and runs 3 minutes 16 seconds. To see the video on French Defense General Information, click the Play button below:




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III. French Defense: Find More Links


More links on this chess opening will follow on. And they will show how to correctly play the main variations of the French Defense... Thank you!

French Defense, Exchange Variation [text, video]

French Defense, Advance Variation [text, video]

French Defense, Main Line 3.Nc3 or Paulsen Variation [text, video]

French Defense, Tarrasch Variation 3.Nd2 [text, video]

See all opening lessons on this website:

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Here, on chess-openings-for-beginners.blogspot.com you have studied the French Defense chess opening... This is the Main page on this chess opening website and Lesson 41 for beginners and intermediate players for the French Defense. The French Defense is a popular semi-open game, starts with 1.e4 e6, and occupies ECO Codes C00-C19 in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings. Thank you!

Caro-Kann Defense Classical Variation


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This lesson will give you initial knowledge about the Classical variation of the Caro-Kann Defense. The Classical variation is the 4th most popular variation of the Caro-Kann. To learn how to correctly play it, please find below the official data, textual description and a chess video on the Classical variation of the Caro-Kann.

Caro-Kann Defense, Classical Variation: Official Data


Variation Name: Classical variation of the Caro-Kann Defense
Variation Moves: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5
ECO Code: B18

Classical variation of Caro Kann Defense

The variation is the classics of the Caro-Kann Defense chess opening. The Classical variation is considered "the most correct" Caro-Kann Defense. The White knight on e4 is under attack after 4... Bf5 and the Classical variation has 2 playing lines: with 5.Ng3 (main) and with 5.Nc5 (rare).

The line 5.Ng3 mostly runs 5... Bg6 6.h4 h6 - then this variation line goes as usual development for the both parties. White usually makes long or short castle while Black long. The typical moves are h4, Nf3, Bd3 for the White player and h6, Nd7, Qc7 for the Black player.

The line 5.Nc5 is rare because Black can easily get at least equal position, sometimes with an initiative. Within this variation line, Black may answer 5... Qc7, 5... Nd7 or attacking the White knight with b6 or e5. You can see this in Part III of the video which follows.

Caro-Kann Defense, Classical Variation: Video


See the video below to get an idea of what is the Classical variation of the Caro-Kann. The video consists of 3 parts and runs for 3 minutes 54 seconds. Part I is introduction. Part II will show how to play a most common line with 5.Ng3. Part III will show how to play a proven line with 5.Nc5 and more.




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To the Main Page of Caro-Cann Defense

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On this page of chess-openings-for-beginners.blogspot.com you have studied the Classical variation of the Caro-Kann Defense chess opening. The variation starts with 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5; it is ECO code B18 in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings. The variation is considered the "most correct" Caro-Kann.

Caro-Kann Defense Advance Variation


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This lesson will give you initial knowledge on the Advance variation of the Caro-Kann Defense. The Advance variation is the 3rd most popular variation of the Caro-Kann. Please find below on this page the official data, textual description and a chess video on the Advance variation of the Caro-Kann Defense to learn.

Caro-Kann Defense, Advance Variation: Official Data


Variation Name: Advance variation of the Caro-Kann Defense
Variation Moves: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5
ECO Code: B12

Advance variation of Caro Kann Defense

The variation is named Advance because the White pawn e2-e4 moves (advances) later on e5. Usually, it is not recommended to move a chess piece twice at the opening, but moving twice here is OK because of extra space. Black has to begin the chess game in a small room...

There are 2 play lines of the Advance variation - with 3... Bf5 (main) and with 3... c5 (rare). With 3... Bf5, White usually answers 4.Nf3 or 4.Nc3. Black plays 4... e6 and may develop the g8 knight on e7, g6. Black must be ready to play h6 or h5 to hide the Bf5 bishop.

With 3... c5, White may answers 4.dxc5, 4.c3, or 4.Nf3. With 3... c5, Black is going to undermine the White base pawn on d4. The typical Black moves here are Nc6 and e6. Under correct play, Black must get equal opening positions within the both lines of the Advance...

Caro-Kann Defense, Advance Variation: Video


See the video below to get an idea of what is the Advance variation of the Caro-Kann. The video consists of 3 parts and runs for 3 minutes 42 seconds. Part I is introduction. Part II will show how to play a most common line with 3... Bf5. Part III will show how to play a proven line with 3... c5.




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To the Main Page of Caro-Kann Defense

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On this page of chess-openings-for-beginners.blogspot.com you have studied the Advance variation of the Caro-Kann Defense chess opening. The variation starts with 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5; in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings it occupies ECO code B12. The variation has 2 playing lines.