Chess openings / French Defense
French Defense: Paulsen Variation
French Defense: Paulsen Variation (C10) starts 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3. In 37,893 games between strong players, White wins 46%, 17% are drawn and Black wins 37%; the most played move is 3…Nf6 (52%).
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3
- ECO
- C10
- Games between strong players
- 37,893
- To move
- Black
White wins, draws and Black wins, from this position.
What strong players play next
The moves played most from this position in over-the-board broadcasts and the Lichess Elite Database, how often, and how the games ended.
| Move | Played | Results | Leads to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3…Nf6 | 52% (19,512) | French Defense: Classical Variation | |
| 3…Bb4 | 32% (11,923) | French Defense: Winawer Variation | |
| 3…dxe4 | 11% (3,992) | French Defense: Rubinstein Variation | |
| 3…Nc6 | 2% (826) | French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation | |
| 3…Be7 | 2% (680) | – | |
| 3…a6 | 1% (381) | – |
Where it comes from and where it goes
Branches from French Defense: Normal Variation 1.e4 e6 2.d4
- French Defense: Classical Variation 20,772 games
- French Defense: Winawer Variation 11,959 games
- French Defense: Rubinstein Variation 4,002 games
- French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation 934 games
- French Defense: Marshall Gambit 190 games
More French Defense lines
- French Defense 99,820 games
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation 17,534 games
- French Defense: Advance Variation 16,826 games
- French Defense: Classical Variation, Steinitz Variation 12,957 games
- French Defense: Advance Variation, Paulsen Attack 12,083 games
- French Defense: Steinitz Variation 10,175 games
- French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation 8,299 games
- French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation 8,033 games
- French Defense: Exchange Variation 7,826 games
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System 7,278 games
- French Defense: Knight Variation 5,600 games
- French Defense: Advance Variation, Euwe Variation 5,473 games
Played the French Defense lately?
Enter your Chess.com or Lichess username: every move of your game labelled from Brilliant to Blunder, and where you left theory. Free, no account.