ChessScreenshot

French Defense: Steinitz Variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 · C11–C14

Part of French Defense

Starting positionWhite to move

0 / 14

The retreat makes room for counterplay

  1. 1.
  2. 2.
  3. 3.
  4. 4.
  5. 5.
  6. 6.
  7. 7.

The idea

The classical French: White pushes e5, Black drops the knight back to d7 and immediately attacks d4 with ...c5, and the fight centres on the pawn chain.

Main line: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 Be7

What White wants

  • Hold the e5 pawn and support the attack with f4 and Nf3
  • Defend d4 with Be3, Qd2 and the pieces
  • Attack on the kingside once the queenside pressure is contained

What Black wants

  • Pile up on d4 with ...c5, ...Nc6 and ...Qb6
  • Free the position by taking on d4 at the right moment
  • Trade the bad c8 bishop by ...b6 and ...Ba6 or ...Bb7

Key idea

Understand this and the moves stop needing to be memorised.

The retreat makes room for counterplay

The knight retreats from the attacked f6 square to d7, where it supports ...c5 and allows the f-pawn to advance to f6. Black challenges White's d4–e5 chain instead of trying to maintain a knight in front of the advanced pawn.

Common mistake

Advancing the kingside pawns while ignoring d4. Black's ...c5, ...Nc6 and ...Qb6 can overload its defenders; secure the base of the chain before committing every piece to an attack on the other wing.

Representative position

The position this opening is aiming at. Copy the FEN, or open it in the analysis board and let the engine tell you what it is worth.

r1bqk2r/pp1nbppp/2n1p3/2ppP3/3P1P2/2N1BN2/PPP3PP/R2QKB1R w KQkq - 4 8

Analyze this position

Related openings

French Defense1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 · C00–C19Black challenges e4 with ...d5 on move two, accepting a slightly cramped position behind a solid pawn chain in exchange for a genuine fight for the centre.French Defense: Classical Variation1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 · C11–C14White pins the f6 knight with Bg5, then advances e5. In this main line, Bxe7 exchanges the dark-squared bishops before both sides prepare their pawn-chain plans.French Defense: Advance Variation1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 · C02White pushes e5 immediately, fixing the pawn chain before Black can develop and turning the game into a positional fight over d4 and the bad bishop on c8.French Defense: Winawer Variation1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 · C15–C19Black pins the knight on c3 and hands over the bishop pair for doubled white c-pawns and a permanent attack on the queenside — the most double-edged French.French Defense: Tarrasch Variation1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 exd5 · C03–C09White develops the knight to d2 to avoid the Winawer pin, keeping the c-pawn mobile and aiming for a solid, flexible centre.French Defense: Exchange Variation1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 · C01White exchanges on d5, opening the centre and creating a symmetrical pawn structure. Both bishops can develop freely, and the game depends on piece placement and timely central breaks.