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The French Bastion

A French Defence repertoire with central counterplay against the Advance, Classical, Tarrasch, Exchange and early sidelines.

We meet 1.e4 with the French Defence, supporting a firm d5 centre with e6. White often gains space, so our pieces and pawn breaks must challenge the base of the central chain before a kingside attack develops. The repertoire combines active development with concrete central exchanges, including sharper lines where king placement needs care. We learn the purpose of the structure first, then the precise moves that make it work.

SolidCounterattack
chapters
9
lines
60
moves to know
470
Try the first line free

1. Advance: challenge the pawn chain

10 lines

We challenge the Advance centre at its base with c5 and develop pieces toward d4. White can support the chain with c3, exchange on c5 or develop before reinforcing the centre, and those choices change the tactical details. Our bishop and queen moves should earn useful tempi, while the kingside knight seeks a central route without being trapped behind the e6 pawn. King safety remains essential even when the centre closes.

  1. Line 11.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bd7 6.Be2 Nge7 7.O-O Nf5 8.dxc5 a5 9.Bd3 Bxc5 10.a4 h6 11.Nbd2 Ba7 12.Bc2 O-OFreeLearn
  2. Line 2… 6…Nge7 7.a3 Nf5 8.b4 cxd4 9.cxd4 Qb6 10.Bb2 Be7 11.O-O h5 12.Qd3 g5Premium
  3. Line 3… 5…Bd7 6.Na3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Bxa3 8.bxa3 Qa5+ 9.Bd2 Qxa3 10.Be2 Nge7 11.Rb1 Qxa2Premium
  4. Line 4… 5…Bd7 6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.b4 Bb6 8.Bd3 Bc7 9.Qe2 a6 10.Bf4 Nge7 11.O-O O-O 12.Nbd2 f5Premium
  5. Line 5… 5…Bd7 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Qb6 8.Be2 Nh6 9.Nc3 Nf5 10.Na4 Qa5+ 11.Nc3 Qb6 12.Na4 Qa5+Premium
  6. Line 6… 5…Bd7 6.a3 c4 7.Be2 f6 8.O-O fxe5 9.Nxe5 Nxe5 10.dxe5 Qc7 11.f4 Bc5+ 12.Kh1 Nh6Premium
  7. Line 7… 3…c5 4.Nf3 cxd4 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.O-O Bc5 7.Nbd2 Nge7 8.Nb3 Bb6 9.Re1 f6 10.exf6 gxf6 11.a4 a5 12.Nh4 e5 13.Qh5+ Kd7Premium
  8. Line 8… 4…cxd4 5.Qxd4 Nc6 6.Qf4 f6 7.Nc3 a6 8.Bd3 Qc7 9.exf6 Qxf4 10.Bxf4 gxf6 11.Be2 h5 12.O-O h4Premium
  9. Line 9… 4…cxd4 5.Nxd4 Ne7 6.Bd3 Nbc6 7.Nxc6 Nxc6 8.Qe2 Qc7 9.f4 Bc5 10.c3 Bd7 11.Nd2 a5 12.Nf3 Qb6Premium
  10. Line 10… 3…c5 4.dxc5 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bxc5 6.Bd3 f6 7.Qe2 fxe5 8.Nxe5 Nxe5 9.Qxe5 Nf6 10.O-O O-OPremium

2. Classical: answer White’s fourth-move choices

8 lines

We develop the kingside knight to f6 and ask White how to maintain the e4 pawn. Quiet bishop and queen moves allow central exchanges, while e5 gains space by attacking our knight. The retreat to d7 supports the usual c5 challenge, so losing a tempo does not mean abandoning counterplay. We distinguish concrete pawn recovery from development, then coordinate the pieces against the base of White’s central formation.

  1. Line 11.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Qd3 c5 5.exd5 cxd4 6.Qxd4 Nc6 7.Bb5 exd5 8.Bg5 Be7 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Qc5 Bxc3+ 11.Qxc3 O-O 12.Ne2 d4 13.Qd2 Qb6Premium
  2. Line 2… 3…Nf6 4.Be3 dxe4 5.a3 b6 6.f3 Bb7 7.fxe4 Nxe4 8.Nxe4 Bxe4 9.Nf3 Be7Premium
  3. Line 3… 3…Nf6 4.Bd3 c5 5.Nf3 cxd4 6.Nxd4 e5 7.Nf3 d4 8.Ne2 Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 Nc6 11.h3 O-O 12.O-O Qd6Premium
  4. Line 4… 3…Nf6 4.exd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Bd6 6.Nb5 Bb4+ 7.c3 Ba5 8.Bd3 O-O 9.O-O c6 10.Na3 Bg4 11.Nc2 Bc7 12.Ne3 Bh5 13.Nf5 Re8Premium
  5. Line 5… 3…Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nce2 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.f4 Be7 8.Nf3 O-O 9.Be3 f6 10.g3 Qb6 11.Bh3 cxd4 12.Bxd4 Qxb2 13.Bxe6+ Kh8Premium
  6. Line 6… 6…Nc6 7.a3 cxd4 8.cxd4 f6 9.exf6 Nxf6 10.Nf3 Bd6 11.g3 Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Qb6Premium
  7. Line 7… 4…Nfd7 5.Qg4 c5 6.Nf3 cxd4 7.Qxd4 Nc6 8.Qf4 a6Premium
  8. Line 8… 4…Nfd7 5.Nf3 c5 6.dxc5 Nc6 7.Bf4 Nxc5 8.h4 Be7 9.Bb5 a6 10.Bxc6+ bxc6 11.h5 a5 12.Qd2 h6Premium

3. Steinitz: counter the f4 centre

8 lines

White supports the advanced e5 pawn with f4 and builds a broad central formation. We challenge it with c5, develop the queenside knight actively and look for useful queen pressure after a central exchange. Some branches become sharp because the kings remain exposed or the queen collects material. Each forcing sequence needs calculation; the strategic aim is to make White’s space cost time and leave our pieces active.

  1. Line 11.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.dxc5 Nc6 7.a3 Bxc5 8.b4 Bb6 9.Bd3 O-O 10.Qh5 g6 11.Qh6 f6 12.Bxg6 Qe7Premium
  2. Line 2… 9…O-O 10.Nf3 f6Premium
  3. Line 3… 7…Bxc5 8.Qg4 O-O 9.Nf3 Qb6 10.Nd1 a5 11.Bd3 f5 12.Qh3 Nd4 13.Nxd4 Bxd4Premium
  4. Line 4… 6…Nc6 7.Nf3 Bxc5 8.Bd3 a6 9.Qe2 b5 10.a3 h6 11.Bd2 Ba7Premium
  5. Line 5… 5…c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Qb6 9.Qd2 Qxb2 10.Rb1 Qa3 11.Ncb5 Qxa2 12.Rb3 Qa1+ 13.Ke2 Kd8Premium
  6. Line 6… 8…Qb6 9.a3 Bc5 10.Ncb5 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 O-O 12.Bxc5 Qxc5 13.Nd4 Qb6Premium
  7. Line 7… 8…Qb6 9.Be2 Bc5 10.Na4 Qa5+ 11.Nc3 Qb6Premium
  8. Line 8… 8…Qb6 9.Ncb5 a6 10.Nf5 Bc5 11.Nbd6+ Kd8 12.Nxf7+ Kc7Premium

4. Early Bg5: exchange and activate

4 lines

White develops the bishop to g5 and pressures the f6 knight before we castle. We exchange on e4 and choose active piece play, accepting different structural changes depending on which White piece captures f6. Doubled f-pawns can provide central flexibility and open lines, but they also demand careful king safety. The bishop pair becomes useful only through development, so our plans connect the central breaks with the queenside pieces.

  1. Line 11.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 gxf6 7.Nf3 f5 8.Nc3 a6 9.g3 b5 10.Bg2 Bb7 11.O-O O-O 12.Ne2 c5 13.dxc5 Bxc5Premium
  2. Line 2… 6…gxf6 7.Nc3 c6 8.g3 Qb6 9.Rb1 O-O 10.Qg4+ Kh8 11.Qh4 Qd8 12.Nf3 b5Premium
  3. Line 3… 6…gxf6 7.Bc4 f5 8.Ng3 Qd6 9.c3 Nd7 10.Nf3 a6 11.a4 h5 12.h4 Nf6Premium
  4. Line 4… 5…Be7 6.Nxf6+ Bxf6 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.Nf3 O-O 9.Qe2 c5 10.Qe5 Qxe5+ 11.dxe5 b6 12.O-O-O Bb7Premium

5. Tarrasch: meet quiet fourth moves

8 lines

We answer the Tarrasch knight development with an immediate c5 challenge, preventing White from building the centre without resistance. White may exchange on c5, support d4 with c3, check on b5 or develop the kingside knight before resolving the tension. Those choices determine our recapture and development sequence. The common thread is active central pieces: a pawn break should improve their prospects rather than simply release White’s cramped position.

  1. Line 11.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.dxc5 Bxc5 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.Qe2 Nc6 7.Ngf3 O-O 8.O-O Qc7 9.c3 h6 10.exd5 exd5 11.Nb3 Re8Premium
  2. Line 2… 4…Bxc5 5.exd5 exd5 6.Nb3 Bb6 7.Nf3 Nf6 8.Bd3 O-O 9.O-O Nc6 10.Re1 Bg4 11.h3 Bh5 12.Be3 Re8 13.Bxb6 Qxb6Premium
  3. Line 3… 3…c5 4.Bb5+ Bd7 5.Bxd7+ Qxd7 6.Ngf3 cxd4 7.Nxd4 dxe4 8.Nxe4 e5 9.Nb3 Qxd1+ 10.Kxd1 Nc6 11.c3 f5 12.Ned2 Nf6Premium
  4. Line 4… 3…c5 4.c3 cxd4 5.cxd4 dxe4 6.Nxe4 Nf6 7.Bd3 Nxe4 8.Bxe4 Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 Nd7 11.Ne2 Nf6 12.Bf3 O-O 13.O-O Qb6 14.Rac1 Rd8Premium
  5. Line 5… 3…c5 4.Ngf3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.N2f3 Bb4+ 8.Bd2 Bc5 9.c3 O-O 10.Bd3 Bxd4 11.Nxd4 e5 12.Nf3 e4Premium
  6. Line 6… 5…Nf6 6.Bd3 e5 7.N4f3 dxe4 8.Nxe4 Nxe4 9.Bxe4 Qxd1+ 10.Kxd1 f6Premium
  7. Line 7… 5…Nf6 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.exd5 Bxb5 8.Nxb5 a6 9.Nc3 Nxd5Premium
  8. Line 8… 5…Nf6 6.e5 Nfd7 7.N2f3 Nc6 8.Bf4 Be7 9.c3 g5 10.Bg3 Qb6 11.Qc2 h5 12.h3 Nc5Premium

6. Tarrasch: central queen recaptures

8 lines

We meet the central exchange with a queen recapture on d5, keeping the e6 pawn as a support point while accepting possible attacks against the queen. White can develop with tempo, exchange further central pawns or arrange a fianchetto. Our retreats must therefore serve development and central coordination. We learn when a queen exchange changes the king’s position, and when an advanced d-pawn should be exchanged rather than defended indefinitely.

  1. Line 11.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.dxc5 Nf6 6.Ngf3 Qxc5 7.Bd3 Nbd7 8.O-O Qc7 9.Qe2 Nc5 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.Bxd7+ Ncxd7 12.Ne4 Be7Premium
  2. Line 2… 6…Qxc5 7.g3 Qc7 8.Bg2 Be7 9.O-O O-O 10.b3 Rd8 11.Bb2 Bd7 12.c4 Bc6 13.Qe2 a5Premium
  3. Line 3… 5…Nf6 6.Nb3 Qxd1+ 7.Kxd1 Nbd7 8.Bb5 a6 9.Ba4 Be7 10.c6 b5 11.cxd7+ Nxd7 12.Bxb5 axb5Premium
  4. Line 4… 5…Nf6 6.c3 Bxc5 7.Ngf3 O-O 8.Bc4 Qc6 9.Qe2 Nbd7 10.Nb3 Bd6Premium
  5. Line 5… 4…Qxd5 5.Ngf3 cxd4 6.Bc4 Qd7 7.O-O Nc6 8.Nb3 a6 9.Nbxd4 Nxd4 10.Nxd4 Qc7 11.Bb3 Bd6 12.h3 Ne7Premium
  6. Line 6… 6…Qd7 7.Nb3 Qc7 8.Qxd4 Nc6 9.Bb5 Bd7 10.Bxc6 Bxc6 11.Bf4 Qb6 12.Qxb6 axb6 13.Nbd4 Ne7Premium
  7. Line 7… 5…cxd4 6.Nb3 e5 7.c3 Nc6 8.cxd4 Bg4 9.Be2 Bxf3 10.Bxf3 e4 11.Be2 Bb4+ 12.Bd2 Nf6Premium
  8. Line 8… 5…cxd4 6.g3 Nf6 7.Bg2 Nc6 8.O-O Be7 9.Nb3 d3 10.cxd3 Qd8 11.d4 O-O 12.Ne5 Bd7Premium

7. Exchange: active pieces in a balanced centre

5 lines

White exchanges the e-pawn early and creates a more symmetrical central structure. The resulting position still contains active bishop diagonals, open files and meaningful choices about central pawn contacts. We develop smoothly, secure the king and contest the e-file instead of assuming symmetry removes the need for a plan. When queens are exchanged, king placement changes; when they remain, coordinated pieces and well-timed central exchanges retain practical importance.

  1. Line 11.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.Qe2+ Qe7 7.Qxe7+ Kxe7 8.Nc3 a6 9.Ne5 Re8 10.Be3 Kf8 11.O-O-O Nbd7 12.f4 Nb6Premium
  2. Line 2… 5…Bd6 6.O-O O-O 7.Bg5 Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.Re1 h6 10.Bh4 Nbd7 11.c4 dxc4 12.Bxc4 Re8Premium
  3. Line 3… 4…Nf6 5.Bg5 Be6 6.Bd3 h6 7.Bf4 c5 8.Bxb8 Rxb8 9.Bb5+ Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.O-O Be7 12.dxc5 O-OPremium
  4. Line 4… 4…Nf6 5.h3 Bd6 6.c4 O-O 7.c5 Re8+ 8.Be2 Bf8 9.Nc3 b6 10.cxb6 axb6 11.O-O c6Premium
  5. Line 5… 3…exd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 O-O 8.Ne2 Nbd7 9.O-O Nb6 10.Bb3 c6 11.Ng3 Re8Premium

8. Early Bd3: release the central tension

3 lines

White develops the bishop to d3 before supporting e4 with a knight, allowing us to capture in the centre and develop with tempo against that bishop. The resulting open structure gives both sides active pieces, so our c5 challenge and king safety must work together. We distinguish the timing of White’s castling and knight development, then use central exchanges to improve our pieces rather than chase the bishop without a purpose.

  1. Line 11.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Bd3 dxe4 4.Bxe4 Nf6 5.Bf3 c5 6.Ne2 Be7 7.Nbc3 O-O 8.Be3 Qa5 9.O-O Nc6 10.Qe1 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Ne5Premium
  2. Line 2… 6…Be7 7.Be3 O-O 8.dxc5 Qc7Premium
  3. Line 3… 6…Be7 7.O-O O-O 8.Nbc3 Nc6 9.d5 exd5 10.Nxd5 Nxd5 11.Bxd5 Bf5 12.c4 Qd7Premium

9. Second-move alternatives: occupy the centre

6 lines

White may avoid the main d4 centre through d3, b3, an early queen move or knight-first development. We still seek central space, but the precise pawn formation should match White’s choices rather than reproduce one setup automatically. A d4 advance can gain time against a knight, while a restrained centre allows queenside expansion or a fianchetto. Early queen exchanges bring a different task: active pieces against a king that has lost castling rights.

  1. Line 11.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.g3 Nc6 5.Bg2 Nf6 6.Ngf3 Be7 7.O-O O-O 8.Re1 b5 9.e5 Nd7 10.Nf1 a5 11.h4 a4 12.N1h2 a3 13.b3 b4Premium
  2. Line 2… 1…e6 2.b3 d5 3.Bb2 Nc6 4.e5 d4 5.Nf3 Qd5 6.Qe2 b6 7.Qc4 Qxc4 8.Bxc4 Bb7 9.Nxd4 Nxd4 10.Bxd4 O-O-O 11.Be3 Bxg2 12.Rg1 Bb7Premium
  3. Line 3… 1…e6 2.Qe2 c5 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 g6 5.d3 Bg7 6.f4 Nge7 7.Nf3 d6 8.O-O O-O 9.a4 b6 10.c3 Bb7 11.Be3 Qd7 12.Nbd2 Rad8Premium
  4. Line 4… 1…e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 d4 4.Ne2 c5 5.c3 Nf6 6.e5 Nfd7 7.cxd4 cxd4 8.Nexd4 Nxe5 9.Bb5+ Nec6 10.Nxc6 Nxc6 11.O-O Bd7 12.d4 Be7 13.Be3 O-OPremium
  5. Line 5… 4…c5 5.b4 a6 6.bxc5 Bxc5 7.Bb2 Nc6 8.c3 dxc3 9.Bxc3 Nf6 10.d4 Ba7 11.Ng3 e5 12.dxe5 Qb6 13.Qd2 Ng4Premium
  6. Line 6… 2…d5 3.d3 dxe4 4.dxe4 Qxd1+ 5.Kxd1 Bc5 6.Ke1 Nf6 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.Bf4 Bb4 9.Bd3 Bd6 10.e5 Nh5Premium