French Defense: Classical Variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6

ECO C11

The French Defense: Classical Variation is a chess opening line in the French Defense complex, reached after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6.

It is catalogued under code C11 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO).

The defining move Nf6 is chosen by Black on move 3.

15 named continuations branch from this position, including the Burn Variation and the Delayed Exchange Variation.

Named variations

• French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation — ECO C11
• French Defense: Classical Variation, Delayed Exchange Variation — ECO C11
• French Defense: Classical Variation, Shirov-Anand Variation — ECO C11
• French Defense: Classical Variation, Steinitz Variation — ECO C11
• French Defense: Classical Variation, Swiss Variation — ECO C11
• French Defense: Classical Variation, Frankfurt Variation — ECO C13
• French Defense: Classical Variation, Normal Variation — ECO C13
• French Defense: Classical Variation, Richter Attack — ECO C13
• French Defense: Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation — ECO C13
• French Defense: Classical Variation, Vistaneckis Variation — ECO C13
• French Defense: Classical Variation, Alapin Variation — ECO C14
• French Defense: Classical Variation, Pollock Variation — ECO C14
• French Defense: Classical Variation, Rubinstein Variation — ECO C14
• French Defense: Classical Variation, Stahlberg Variation — ECO C14
• French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation — ECO C14

Study this line with a grandmaster

This position is covered in the Beat the French with 3.Nc3 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.