French Defense: Advance Variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5

ECO C02

The French Defense: Advance Variation is a chess opening line in the French Defense complex, reached after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5.

It is catalogued under code C02 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO).

The defining move e5 is chosen by White on move 3.

14 named continuations branch from this position, including the Euwe Variation and the Extended Bishop Swap.

Named variations

Study this line with a grandmaster

This position is covered in the French Defense course: a GM-authored repertoire you study move by move, then practice against a human-like AI opponent.

Every chess term used here is defined in the chess terms glossary. Browse all opening courses or the full ECO code index.