French Defense: Exchange Variation, Svenonius Variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.exd5 exd5 5.Bg5

ECO C01

The French Defense: Exchange Variation, Svenonius Variation is a chess opening line in the French Defense complex, reached after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.exd5 exd5 5.Bg5.

It is catalogued under code C01 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO).

The defining move Bg5 is chosen by White on move 5.

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.