French Defense: Advance Variation, Nimzowitsch System
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3
The French Defense: Advance Variation, Nimzowitsch System is a chess opening classified as ECO C02, reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3. It is a line of the French Defense. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 13,938 times by this move order. White won 44%, 4% were drawn and Black won 52%. The most popular continuation is 4… Nc6 (59% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.16 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 4… cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3)
- ECO
- C02
- Moves
- 7 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp3ppp/4p3/2ppP3/3P4/5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 1 4- PGN
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 6,509 | |
| 1500-1999 | 6,739 | |
| 2000+ | 690 | |
| All | 13,938 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4… Nc6 | 8,172 (59%) | |
| 4… cxd4 | 3,002 (22%) | |
| 4… Qb6 | 1,547 (11%) | |
| 4… c4 | 308 (2%) | |
| 4… Bd7 | 279 (2%) | |
| 4… a6 | 201 (1%) | |
| 4… Ne7 | 128 (1%) | |
| 4… f6 | 70 (1%) |
Master games
661 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 36%, draw 13%, Black 51%). The strongest:
- GM Ian Nepomniachtchi (2771) – GM Erigaisi Arjun (2712) 1-0 · chess.com SpeedChess 2023 · 2023-09-14
- GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2713) – GM Erigaisi Arjun (2722) 0-1 · Tata Steel India Blitz · 2022-12-03
- GM Naroditsky, D. (2619) – GM Erigaisi Arjun (2782) 1-0 · Chess.com Classic Play-In · 2025-05-19
- GM Naroditsky, D. (2619) – GM Erigaisi Arjun (2777) 1-0 · Titled Tue 4th Mar Late · 2025-03-04
- GM Alexander Motylev (2641) – GM Nikita Vitiugov (2722) 0-1 · 33rd Leon Blitz Open 2020 · 2020-07-14
Search all games of the French Defense: Advance Variation, Nimzowitsch System and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- ShadowNinja7i (2614) – Americanchampion (2807) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 600 + 0s
- MiroulLaSurie (2533) – chaaa116 (2714) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- MiroulLaSurie (2538) – MothToTheFlame (2678) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
French Defense: Advance Variation (3. e5 c5) 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5
Continuations
- French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit C02 · 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 cxd4 5. Bd3
More French Defense lines (all)
- French Defense (1. e4 e6) C00
- French Defense (2. d4 d5) C00
- French Defense: Alapin Gambit C00
- French Defense: Baeuerle Gambit C00
- French Defense: Banzai-Leong Gambit C00
- French Defense: Banzai-Leong Gambit, Pinova Gambit C00
- French Defense: Bird Invitation C00
- French Defense: Carlson Gambit C00
- French Defense: Chigorin Variation C00
- French Defense: Diemer-Duhm Gambit C00
- French Defense: Diemer-Duhm Gambit Accepted C00
- French Defense: Franco-Hiva Gambit C00
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.