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Analyzer

French Defense

176 variations · 131M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

Key Finding

French Defense is balanced for White at 50.4% expected score.

This opening produces roughly even results, with outcomes depending more on middlegame play than opening choice.

You play
Playable
Rating
Time
White Expected Score0.0%Range (90% confident): 50.4% – 50.4%Aggregated from 176 variations
0%50.4%100%
Range (90% confident): 50.4% – 50.4%
ContextOverall · n=131M
Outcome Distribution
48.4%3.9%47.6%
Win
Draw
Loss
2...d5
French Defense
Variations176
Games (Context)131M
Avg Length34 moves
Draw Rate3.9%

What Should I Play?

Player-controlled continuations for White · Overall

#1French Defense: Classical Variation, Alapin VariationTop Pick
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Bxe7 Qxe7 7.Nb5
Min adv +17.5% · n=20K
59.3%
#2French Defense: Winawer Variation, Winckelmann-Reimer Gambit
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 dxe4 6.f3
Min adv +16.2% · n=24K
58.7%
#3French Defense: Winawer Variation, Kondratiyev Variation
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd3 c5 5.exd5 Qxd5 6.Bd2
Min adv +14.7% · n=436
61.2%
#4French Defense: Advance Variation, Nimzowitsch Gambit
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.Qg4 cxd4 5.Nf3
Min adv +13.8% · n=55K
57.3%
#5French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Bradford Attack Variation
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.Qg4
Min adv +13.6% · n=3.4K
58.2%
#6French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Hector Variation
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.O-O
Min adv +12.3% · n=43K
56.6%
#7French Defense: Orthoschnapp Gambit
1.e4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.cxd5 exd5 4.Qb3
Min adv +12.2% · n=202K
56.3%
#8French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Sørensen Variation
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Bd7 8.O-O Nxd4 9.Ng5
Min adv +11.5% · n=2.0K
57.6%
#9French Defense: Winawer Variation, Exchange Variation, Canal Attack
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.exd5 exd5 5.Bd3 Ne7 6.Qh5
Min adv +10.9% · n=2.2K
57.2%
#10French Defense: Wing Gambit
1.e4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e5 c5 4.b4
Min adv +10.8% · n=458K
55.6%

Continuations show the most common variations from this opening. Higher expected scores indicate better statistical outcomes, but familiarity and playstyle matter too.

What is the French Defense expected score for White?

Snapshot

Overall, the French Defense family has a 50.4% expected score for White (we're 90% confident it's between 50.4% and 50.4%), aggregated from 176 variations and 131M Lichess games.

White Win% by Rating

Improves with rating: 47% → 51%

0
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
2200
2500+

  • 0-999: 47.1% win rate (5,271,481 games)
  • 1000-1199: 48.5% win rate (9,360,020 games)
  • 1200-1399: 48.2% win rate (15,580,409 games)
  • 1400-1599: 47.9% win rate (22,482,522 games)
  • 1600-1799: 48.1% win rate (26,797,056 games)
  • 1800-1999: 48.3% win rate (25,835,593 games)
  • 2000-2199: 49.1% win rate (16,355,550 games)
  • 2200-2499: 50.2% win rate (8,205,967 games)
  • 2500+: 51.0% win rate (1,508,325 games)

White Win% by Time Control

Similar across time controls (~49%)

UltraBullet
Bullet
Blitz
Rapid
Classical

  • UltraBullet: 47.7% win rate (846,163 games)
  • Bullet: 48.7% win rate (49,237,257 games)
  • Blitz: 48.3% win rate (63,072,431 games)
  • Rapid: 48.0% win rate (17,570,226 games)
  • Classical: 47.1% win rate (670,846 games)

Rating vs Time Control Matrix

Click cells to filter · White expected scores

White% by Rating × Time Control

Click any cell to filter. Green = above 50%, Red = below 50%.

RatingUBBulleBlitzRapidClass
0-999
1000-1199
1200-1399
1400-1599
1600-1799
1800-1999
2000-2199
2200-2499
2500+

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

  • 0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 39.0% expected score (18,465 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 47.4% expected score (1,346,880 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 49.6% expected score (2,693,824 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 49.7% expected score (1,201,521 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 47.1% expected score (10,791 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 44.1% expected score (56,323 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.9% expected score (2,796,816 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 50.5% expected score (4,722,186 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 51.0% expected score (1,744,545 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 49.4% expected score (40,150 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 45.1% expected score (139,488 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.0% expected score (4,924,319 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 50.1% expected score (7,808,868 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 50.5% expected score (2,614,030 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 50.4% expected score (93,704 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 46.4% expected score (224,335 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.1% expected score (7,283,837 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (11,255,115 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 49.8% expected score (3,539,411 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 48.8% expected score (179,824 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (210,334 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.7% expected score (9,047,494 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.2% expected score (13,522,679 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 50.1% expected score (3,830,110 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 49.5% expected score (186,439 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 53.1% expected score (131,786 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.3% expected score (9,698,040 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (12,831,490 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.6% expected score (3,053,514 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 51.1% expected score (120,763 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 55.6% expected score (47,435 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.0% expected score (7,756,289 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (7,236,193 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.3% expected score (1,282,821 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 54.2% expected score (32,812 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 57.5% expected score (16,304 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (5,154,935 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.7% expected score (2,738,915 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 55.4% expected score (290,654 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 59.4% expected score (5,159 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 58.9% expected score (1,693 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 54.9% expected score (1,228,647 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 56.4% expected score (263,161 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 57.9% expected score (13,620 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 58.2% expected score (1,204 games)

Matrix view reveals how performance varies across rating brackets and time controls. Green indicates favorable, red indicates challenging contexts.

Variations (176)

1
French Defense: Classical Variation, Alapin Variation20K games
59.3%
2
French Defense: Alekhine-Chatard Attack, Albin-Chatard Gambit58K games
58.9%
3
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Winckelmann-Reimer Gambit24K games
58.7%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine Gambit Accepted26K games
58.3%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Kondratiyev Variation436 games
61.2%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation, Main Line99K games
57.4%
French Defense: Advance Variation, Nimzowitsch Gambit55K games
57.3%
French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Bradford Attack Variation3.4K games
58.2%
French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Advance Variation13K games
57.3%
French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Hector Variation43K games
56.6%
French Defense: Orthoschnapp Gambit202K games
56.3%
French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Sørensen Variation2.0K games
57.6%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Fingerslip Variation, Kunin Double Gambit733 games
58.6%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Exchange Variation, Canal Attack2.2K games
57.2%
French Defense: Wing Gambit458K games
55.6%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Advance Variation3.4K games
56.8%
French Defense: Alekhine-Chatard Attack, Breyer Variation29K games
55.8%
French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation7.5K games
56.0%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Bogoljubow Variation, Icelandic Defense2.2K games
56.8%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Pollock Variation32K games
55.4%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Rubinstein Variation8.5K games
55.7%
French Defense: Advance Variation, Nimzowitsch Attack123K games
54.7%
French Defense: Rubinstein Variation, Ellis Gambit17K games
55.1%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Bogoljubov Variation3.1K games
55.9%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Bogoljubow Variation66K games
54.6%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation714K games
54.4%
French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Duras Variation380 games
58.4%
French Defense: Henneberger Variation51K games
54.4%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Janowski Variation1.7K games
55.9%
French Defense: Rubinstein Variation, Capablanca Line6.2K games
54.8%
French Defense: Rubinstein Variation2.1M games
53.9%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Eliskases Variation15K games
54.4%
French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Gledhill Attack31K games
54.1%
French Defense: Alapin Gambit176K games
53.9%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine-Maróczy Gambit77K games
53.9%
French Defense: Burn Variation291K games
53.7%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, Moscow Variation24K games
54.0%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Closed Variation857K games
53.6%
French Defense: Chigorin Variation545K games
53.7%
French Defense: Franco-Hiva Gambit110K games
53.8%
French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Dr. Olland Variation5.0K games
54.7%
French Defense: Reversed Philidor Formation5.2K games
54.5%
French Defense: Baeuerle Gambit24K games
53.8%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Vistaneckis Variation13K games
54.0%
French Defense: Mediterranean Defense995K games
53.2%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Pawn Center Variation164K games
53.2%
French Defense: Alekhine-Chatard Attack, Spielmann Variation9.8K games
53.8%
French Defense: Horwitz Attack, Papa-Ticulat Gambit422K games
53.1%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Dr. Olland Variation1.2K games
55.3%
French Defense: Knight Variation, Franco-Hiva Gambit150K games
53.1%
French Defense: St. George Defense, Three Pawn Attack127K games
53.2%
French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Main Line100K games
53.2%
French Defense: Paulsen Variation948K games
52.9%
French Defense: Alekhine-Chatard Attack, Teichmann Variation2.4K games
54.5%
French Defense: Marshall Gambit436K games
52.8%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation75K games
52.9%
French Defense: Franco-Hiva Gambit Accepted90K games
52.9%
French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation4.9K games
53.8%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Fingerslip Variation, Main Line3.9K games
53.9%
French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit858K games
52.6%
French Defense: Advance Variation, Main Line608K games
52.6%
French Defense: Steiner Variation1.9M games
52.4%
French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit55K games
52.8%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation492K games
52.5%
French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Wolf Gambit9.4K games
53.2%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Closed Variation, Main Line138K games
52.5%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Swiss Variation181K games
52.4%
French Defense: Normal Variation10M games
52.1%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System, Main Line74K games
52.3%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Shirov-Anand Variation54K games
52.3%
French Defense: Exchange Variation, Monte Carlo Variation2.1M games
51.9%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, Paoli Variation2.1K games
53.6%
French Defense: Diemer-Duhm Gambit119K games
52.1%
French Defense: Winawer Variation421K games
52.0%
French Defense: Schlechter Variation804K games
51.9%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation, Morozevich Line61K games
52.2%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine Gambit, Kan Variation12K games
52.6%
French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation70K games
52.1%
French Defense: Alekhine-Chatard Attack68K games
52.1%
French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Grigoriev Variation1.2K games
54.1%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Botvinnik Variation11K games
52.4%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Fingerslip Variation163K games
51.8%
French Defense: St. George Defense, Traditional Line9.5K games
52.4%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System, Advance Line6.5K games
52.5%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System, Euwe-Keres Line206K games
51.6%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Steinitz Variation1.5M games
51.4%
French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation458K games
51.5%
French Defense: King's Indian Attack, Franco-Hiva Gambit26K games
51.9%
French Defense: Two Knights Variation3.1M games
51.4%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Modern System43K games
51.7%
French Defense: Réti-Spielmann Attack373K games
51.5%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Delayed Exchange Variation339K games
51.4%
French Defense: Pelikan Variation355K games
51.4%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Guimard Defense91K games
51.4%
French Defense: Rubinstein Variation, Kasparov Attack30K games
51.7%
French Defense: St. George Defense509K games
51.2%
French Defense: Rubinstein Variation, Maric Variation24K games
51.6%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Tartakower Variation1.4K games
53.2%
French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Exchange Variation8.4K games
51.9%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Wolf Gambit2.4K games
52.7%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Chistyakov Defense93K games
51.3%
French Defense: Advance Variation, Lputian Variation73K games
51.2%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation43K games
51.3%
French Defense: King's Indian Attack4.8M games
50.9%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Winckelmann-Riemer Gambit4.8K games
52.0%
French Defense: Exchange Variation, Bogoljubow Variation13K games
51.5%
French Defense: Guimard Variation, Thunderbunny Variation2.2K games
52.6%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Delayed Exchange Variation376K games
50.9%
French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Lasker Variation38K games
51.1%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation13K games
51.3%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System215K games
50.8%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Svenonius Variation69K games
50.9%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Exchange Variation1.9K games
52.4%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Chistyakov Defense, Modern Line7.8K games
51.5%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Retreat Variation35K games
50.9%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Maróczy-Wallis Variation61K games
50.8%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Morozevich Variation75K games
50.7%
French Defense: Queen's Knight6.4M games
50.4%
French Defense: Advance Variation, Extended Bishop Swap172K games
50.6%
French Defense: Alekhine-Chatard Attack, Maróczy Variation43K games
50.8%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation48K games
50.7%
French Defense: Diemer-Duhm Gambit Accepted224K games
50.5%
French Defense: Knight Variation26M games
50.3%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Richter Attack100K games
50.6%
French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation5.1M games
50.2%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Lasker Variation10K games
51.0%
French Defense: Exchange Variation15M games
50.1%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Guimard Defense, Thunderbunny Variation520 games
53.7%
French Defense: Steinitz Attack2.4M games
50.0%
French Defense: Advance Variation9.3M games
49.9%
French Defense: Horwitz Attack385K games
50.0%
French Defense: Exchange Variation, Bogoljubov Variation545 games
53.2%
French Defense: Rubinstein Variation, Blackburne Defense837K games
49.6%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Guimard Defense, Main Line63K games
49.8%
French Defense: Franco-Sicilian Defense2.6M games
49.3%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Portisch-Hook Variation47K games
49.7%
French Defense: Rubinstein Variation, Fort Knox Variation201K games
49.4%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System, Süchting Line245K games
49.3%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Classical Variation55K games
49.4%
French Defense: Exchange Variation, Svenonius Variation541K games
49.2%
French Defense: Steinitz Variation384K games
49.2%
French Defense: Advance Variation, Wade Variation224K games
49.3%
French Defense: St. George Defense, Sanky-George Gambit16K games
49.5%
French Defense: Classical Variation264K games
48.9%
French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation12K games
49.4%
French Defense: Carlson Gambit216K games
48.8%
French Defense: Advance Variation, Paulsen Attack3.3M games
48.5%
French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation, Reuter Gambit166K games
48.6%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System, Shaposhnikov Gambit620 games
51.7%
French Defense: Perseus Gambit617K games
48.5%
French Defense: Advance Variation, Euwe Variation1.1M games
48.2%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, Main Line33K games
48.7%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation3.0K games
49.6%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Normal Variation113K games
48.0%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Haberditz Variation37K games
48.1%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Petrosian Variation25K games
48.2%
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Leningrad Variation3.4K games
49.1%
French Defense: Advance Variation, Frenkel Gambit10K games
48.3%
French Defense9.8M games
47.5%
French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Bernstein Variation9.7K games
48.0%
French Defense: St. George Defense, St. George Gambit8.2K games
47.8%
French Defense: Advance Variation, Nimzowitsch System3.4M games
46.7%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation60K games
46.8%
French Defense: Bird Invitation198K games
46.5%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Bernstein Variation2.4K games
47.9%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Retreat Variation, Armenian Line14K games
47.0%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Warsaw Variation6.7K games
47.2%
French Defense: Advance Variation, Steinitz Variation402K games
45.4%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Grigoriev Variation303 games
49.7%
French Defense: McCutcheon Variation, Chigorin Variation7.6K games
45.8%
French Defense: Banzai-Leong Gambit13K games
45.5%
French Defense: MacCutcheon Variation, Chigorin Variation30K games
45.3%
French Defense: Winawer Variation, Eingorn Variation2.7K games
46.2%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Frankfurt Variation147 games
50.0%
French Defense: Morphy Gambit2.1K games
42.0%
French Defense: Classical Variation, Stahlberg Variation158 games
45.0%
Analyze French Defense PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the French Defense win rate?

The French Defense family has a 48.4% (90% CI: 48.4%-48.4%) win rate for white, aggregated from 176 variations and 131M rated games from Lichess.

How many French Defense variations are there?

This analysis covers 176 French Defense variations with sufficient game data. Each variation has its own statistics page with detailed win rates by rating and time control.

At what rating does the French Defense perform best?

The French Defense family performs best at 2500+ Elo with a 51.0% win rate for white (1.5M games). Performance may vary by specific variation.

Is the French Defense better in blitz or rapid?

Bullet (48.7%) outperforms Classical (47.1%) by 1.6% across all French Defense variations.

How sharp is the French Defense?

French Defense games are 96.1% decisive (non-draws), with an average length of 34 moves. Sharpness varies by specific variation.

Is the French Defense a good opening family?

The French Defense family is statistically balanced overall with a 48.4% (90% CI: 48.4%-48.4%) aggregated win rate. However, win rates vary significantly between the 176 variations—explore individual lines to find the best fit for your style.