Editing French Defence (section)

====Rubinstein Variation: 3...dxe4 <span class="anchor" id="Rubinstein Variation"></span>====
{{Chess diagram
| tright
|
|rd|nd|bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd
|pd|pd|pd|  |  |pd|pd|pd
|  |  |  |  |pd|  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |pl|nl|  |  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|pl|pl|pl|  |  |pl|pl|pl
|rl|  |bl|ql|kl|bl|nl|rl
| Rubinstein Variation after 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4
}}
This variation is named after [[Akiba Rubinstein]] and can also arise from a different move order: 3.Nd2 dxe4. White has freer development and more space in the centre, which Black intends to neutralise by playing c7–c5 at some point. This solid line has undergone a modest revival, featuring in many [[Grandmaster (chess)|grandmaster]] (GM) games as a drawing weapon but theory still gives White a slight edge. After 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4, Black has the following options:
* The mainline 4...Nd7 (the most frequent high-level exponent of this variation is [[Georg Meier (chess player)|Georg Meier]]). Play might typically proceed 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 when Black is ready for ...c5.
* 4...Bd7 5.Nf3 Bc6 (the Fort Knox Variation) activating the light-square bishop, which is often played by [[Alexander Rustemov]].
{{Clear}}