French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 cxd4 5. Bd3
The French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit is a chess opening classified as ECO C02, reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 cxd4 5. Bd3. It is a line of the French Defense. Black is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 209 times by this move order. White won 46%, 3% were drawn and Black won 51%. The most popular continuation is 5… Nc6 (85% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.19 (Stockfish, depth 48; best line 5… Nc6 6. O-O a6 7. Qe2 f6 8. Re1)
- ECO
- C02
- Moves
- 9 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp3ppp/4p3/3pP3/3p4/3B1N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQK2R b KQkq - 1 5- PGN
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 cxd4 5. Bd3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 18 | |
| 1500-1999 | 109 | |
| 2000+ | 82 | |
| All | 209 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5… Nc6 | 178 (85%) | |
| 5… Bc5 | 6 (3%) | |
| 5… Ne7 | 6 (3%) | |
| 5… a6 | 5 (2%) | |
| 5… Bb4+ | 5 (2%) | |
| 5… h6 | 2 (1%) | |
| 5… Bd7 | 2 (1%) | |
| 5… Qb6 | 2 (1%) |
Master games
102 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 40%, draw 19%, Black 41%). The strongest:
- GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2713) – GM Richard Rapport (2740) 1/2-1/2 · 8th Gashimov Mem Rapid · 2022-12-20
- GM Olexandr Bortnyk (2608) – GM Conrad Holt (2540) 1-0 · Titled Tue 16th Jan Late · 2024-01-16
- GM Olexandr Bortnyk (2601) – GM Aleksandra Goryachkina (2544) 1-0 · Titled Tue 3rd Jun Early · 2025-06-03
- GM Naroditsky, D. (2619) – GM Alexander Rustemov (2525) 1-0 · Titled Tue 16th Apr Late · 2024-04-16
- GM Naroditsky, D. (2619) – GM Andrew Tang (2523) 1-0 · Bullet Chess Winners 2023 · 2023-07-18
Search all games of the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- MiroulLaSurie (2533) – chaaa116 (2714) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- FM AlexVerzhansky (2449) – laogun (2605) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- FM ArdianJashari (2442) – laogun (2607) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
French Defense: Advance Variation, Nimzowitsch System 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3
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.