French Defense: Advance Variation
ECO C02intermediate
After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5, White stakes out a big space advantage and fixes the central pawn chain. The battle lines are drawn immediately: Black attacks the chain's base with ...c5, ...Nc6 and ...Qb6 — when the d4 pawn can become a permanent target — while White defends with c3 and Nf3 and uses the space edge to attack on the kingside, where Black's pieces struggle to defend. It is the most instructive pawn-chain position in chess.
Main line
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.a3 c4 7.Nbd2 Na5
Diagram shows the position after 6 half-moves of the main line. On SpeakChess you can drill this line move by move — the trainer plays the other side and corrects you instantly, then spaced repetition schedules each variation so you review it right before you would forget it.
Win rates by rating
Results from real online games, measured after the line shown in each row. Most opening sites show one aggregate number — how an opening scores depends heavily on who is playing it.
| Rating | Games | White wins | Draws | Black wins | Position after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400-600 | 44 | 36.4% | 2.3% | 61.4% | 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 |
| 600-800 | 49 | 30.6% | 2% | 67.3% | 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 |
| 800-1000 | 52 | 57.7% | 0% | 42.3% | 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.a3 |
| 1000-1200 | 267 | 48.7% | 1.9% | 49.4% | 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.a3 |
| 1200-1400 | 29 | 37.9% | 3.4% | 58.6% | 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.a3 c4 |
Most played continuations (1000-1200 rating)
After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.a3:
- cxd4 — played 27.3% of the time (White wins 46.6%, draws 1.4%, Black wins 52%)
- Bd7 — played 25.5% of the time (White wins 58.8%, draws 0%, Black wins 41.2%)
- Nge7 — played 21.3% of the time (White wins 50.9%, draws 1.8%, Black wins 47.4%)
Related openings
Frequently asked questions
What is White's plan in the Advance French?
Hold d4, then convert the space advantage into a kingside attack: typical ideas include Bd3, h4-h5, and the Nf3-g5 or Bxh7 motifs once Black castles short. The advanced e5 pawn cramps Black's kingside defenders, which is the variation's whole point.
How does Black get counterplay against 3.e5?
Relentless pressure on d4: ...c5, ...Nc6, ...Qb6 and often ...Nh6-f5. If White overextends defending it, breaks like ...f6 against e5 or piece sacrifices on d4 follow. Black usually delays castling until the queenside play is rolling.
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