Editing French Defence (section)

{{Short description|Chess opening}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2013}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox chess opening
|openingname = French Defence
|image = {{Chess diagram
|
|
|rd|nd|bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd
|pd|pd|pd|pd|  |pd|pd|pd
|  |  |  |  |pd|  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  |pl|  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|pl|pl|pl|pl|  |pl|pl|pl
|rl|nl|bl|ql|kl|bl|nl|rl
|
}}
|moves=1.e4 e6
|ECO=C00–C19
|birth =
|nameorigin = London vs. Paris correspondence match (1834–1836)<ref name="London–Paris" />
|parentopening = [[King's Pawn Game]]
|AKA =
|chessgid=39913&move=2&moves=e4.e6&nodes=21720.39913
}}

The '''French Defence''' is a [[chess opening]] characterised by the moves:

:1. [[b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4|e4]] [[b:Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e6|e6]]

This is most commonly followed by 2.d4 d5. Black usually plays ...c5 soon after, attacking White's {{chessgloss|pawn centre}} and gaining {{chessgloss|space}} on the {{chessgloss|queenside}}.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Petrov |first=Marian |title=French Defense - A Complete Guide for Beginners |url=https://chessklub.com/french-defense/ |website=chessklub.com}}</ref> The French has a reputation for solidity and resilience, although some lines such as the [[#Winawer Variation|Winawer Variation]] can lead to {{chessgloss|sharp}} complications. Black's position is often somewhat {{chessgloss|cramped}} in the early game; in particular, the pawn on e6 can impede the {{chessgloss|development}} of the bishop on c8, known by many players as the French bishop.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Vitiugov |first=Nikita |title=The French Defence: A Complete Black Repertoire |publisher=Chess Stars |year=2010 |pages=7}}</ref>

{{AN chess|pos=toc}}