C19 French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation
C19 holds 14 named lines, all under the name French Defense. It leaves C18 (French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation) with 7.Nf3. At 13 plies, its reference line is the second-longest of the 19 French Defense codes. Black’s pieces and pawns attack four squares in White’s half, the third-lowest count of the 19 French Defense codes. Black, to move in that position, has 30 legal moves, the fourth-lowest count of the 19 French Defense codes.
| # | White | Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | e4 | e6 |
| 2 | d4 | d5 |
| 3 | Nc3 | Bb4 |
| 4 | e5 | c5 |
| 5 | a3 | Bxc3+ |
| 6 | bxc3 | Ne7 |
| 7 | Nf3 |
Moves only C19 plays
Same as C18 up to 6.bxc3, then:
- 6...Ne7 The knight leaves g8 for e7, opening a line for the rook on h8.
- 7.Nf3 The knight leaves g1 for f3, opening a line for the rook on h1.
Lines filed under C19
All 14 share the start 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 and then split two ways at Black’s move 4.
| Name | After the shared start | Plies |
|---|---|---|
| French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, Smyslov Variation | 4...Ne7 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.a4 | 13 |
| French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation | 4...c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Nf3 | 13 |
| French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, Smyslov Variation | 4...Ne7 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.a4 Qc7 | 14 |
| French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation | 4...c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Nc6 7.Nf3 Nge7 | 14 |
| French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation | 4...c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Nf3 Qc7 | 14 |
| French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation | 4...c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.a4 Nbc6 8.Nf3 | 15 |
| French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation | 4...c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Nf3 Qc7 8.h4 | 15 |
| French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation | 4...c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Bd3 Nbc6 8.Nf3 | 15 |
| French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation | 4...c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Nc6 7.Nf3 Qa5 8.Bd2 Nge7 | 16 |
| French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation | 4...c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.a4 Nbc6 8.Nf3 Qa5 9.Qd2 | 17 |
| French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation | 4...c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.a4 Nbc6 8.Nf3 Qa5 9.Bd2 | 17 |
| French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation | 4...c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.a4 Nbc6 8.Nf3 Qa5 9.Qd2 Bd7 | 18 |
| French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation | 4...c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.a4 Nbc6 8.Nf3 Qa5 9.Bd2 Bd7 | 18 |
| French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation | 4...c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.a4 Nbc6 8.Nf3 Qa5 9.Bd2 c4 | 18 |
The road to C19
- 1.e4 … 5...Bxc3+nine earlier stops: B00, C00, C10, C15, C16, C17
- 6.bxc3C18 Advance Variation
- 6...Ne7C18 Advance Variation
- 7.Nf3C19
The position after 7.Nf3
White has brought out the knight on f3; Black the knight on e7. White has a half-open b-file. Black could capture with cxd4.
Closest boards in other codes
| Code | Line | Differs on |
|---|---|---|
| C17 | French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation | nine squares: g1, a2, b2, a3, c3, f3, b4, e7 … |
| E25 | Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation | nine squares: g1, c2, e2, f2, f3, d5, e5, f6 … |
| E26 | Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation | ten squares: g1, c2, e3, f3, c4, d5, e5, f6 … |
| C16 | French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation | 11 squares: g1, a2, b2, a3, c3, f3, b4, c5 … |
| D40 | Queen’s Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense | 11 squares: a2, b2, c2, e2, a3, c3, c4, e5 … |
| D41 | Queen’s Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense | 11 squares: a2, b2, c2, e2, a3, c3, d5, e5 … |
| B04 | Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation | 12 squares: b1, a2, b2, a3, c3, c5, d5, d6 … |