French Defense: Classical Variation (3. Nc3 Nf6)
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6
The French Defense: Classical Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C11, reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6. It is a line of the French Defense. White is to move. 5 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 17,181 times by this move order. White won 48%, 6% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 4. e5 (52% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.32 (Stockfish, depth 60; best line 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6)
- ECO
- C11
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/4pn2/3p4/3PP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 2 4- PGN
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1,395 | |
| 1500-1999 | 8,185 | |
| 2000+ | 7,601 | |
| All | 17,181 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. e5 Classical Variation, Steinitz Variation (3… Nf6 4. e5) | 8,948 (52%) | |
| 4. Bg5 Classical Variation (3… Nf6 4. Bg5) | 5,766 (34%) | |
| 4. Bd3 Classical Variation, Swiss Variation | 1,025 (6%) | |
| 4. exd5 Classical Variation, Delayed Exchange Variation | 923 (5%) | |
| 4. f3 | 186 (1%) | |
| 4. Nf3 | 150 (1%) | |
| 4. Be3 Henneberger Variation | 63 (0%) | |
| 4. Bb5+ | 27 (0%) |
Master games
79 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 43%, draw 14%, Black 43%). The strongest:
- GM Alexandr Predke (2676) – GM Rinat Jumabayev (2646) 1/2-1/2 · World Rapid 2019 · 2019-12-28
- GM Jorden Van Foreest (2679) – GM Conrad Holt (2540) 0-1 · World Rapid 2023 · 2023-12-26
- GM Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara (2606) – GM Varuzhan Akobian (2564) 1-0 · Titled Tue 21st Jan Late · 2025-01-21
- IM Almas Rakhmatullaev (2425) – GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2731) 1-0 · Titled Tue 16th Apr Early · 2024-04-16
- GM Olexandr Bortnyk (2604) – GM Conrad Holt (2540) 1-0 · Titled Tue 13th Dec Late · 2022-12-13
Search all games of the French Defense: Classical Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- puziko52 (2854) – FM Guary1 (2884) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- evg85 (2817) – Sunrise34 (2857) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- FleakyGorgoz (2866) – FM Guary1 (2797) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
French Defense: Paulsen Variation 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
Continuations
- French Defense: Classical Variation (3… Nf6 4. Bg5) C11 · 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5
- French Defense: Classical Variation, Delayed Exchange Variation C11 · 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. exd5
- French Defense: Classical Variation, Steinitz Variation (3… Nf6 4. e5) C11 · 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5
- French Defense: Classical Variation, Swiss Variation C11 · 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bd3
- French Defense: Henneberger Variation C11 · 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Be3
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.