French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System, Advance Line
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Ngf3 c4
The French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System, Advance Line is a chess opening classified as ECO C08, reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Ngf3 c4. It is a line of the French Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 32 times by this move order. White won 63%, 6% were drawn and Black won 31%. The most popular continuation is 6. c3 (44% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.45 (Stockfish, depth 44; best line 6. b3 cxb3 7. Bb5+ Bd7 8. Bxd7+ Nxd7)
- ECO
- C08
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/pp3ppp/8/3p4/2pP4/5N2/PPPN1PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 6- PGN
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Ngf3 c4
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1500-1999 | 20 | |
| 2000+ | 12 | |
| All | 32 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. c3 | 14 (44%) | |
| 6. b3 | 9 (28%) | |
| 6. Be2 | 8 (25%) | |
| 6. Ne5 | 1 (3%) |
Master games
33 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 33%, draw 28%, Black 39%). The strongest:
- IM Benjamin Bok (2575) – GM Eduardas Rozentalis (2623) 1/2-1/2 · Karpos Open 2014 · 2014-04-01
- GM Mykhaylo Oleksiyenko (2588) – GM Eduardas Rozentalis (2531) 1-0 · Skolernes 50 years GM · 2022-07-15
- IM Akshat Chandra (2510) – GM Zviad Izoria (2589) 0-1 · 99th Edward Lasker Mem · 2015-12-13
- IM Igor Janik (2500) – GM Eduardas Rozentalis (2520) 0-1 · 5th Irena Warakomska Mem · 2021-08-03
- IM Bryce Tiglon (2385) – GM Zviad Izoria (2599) 0-1 · PRO League Group Stage · 2018-02-28
Highest-rated Lichess games
- SonradanGurme (2350) – Askeladd00 (2398) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 2s
- Victor_Resicknovich (2281) – Meysa_2024 (2351) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- BesStephane (2134) – cat_on_the_chair (2175) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-07 · 600 + 0s
Comes from
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System (4. exd5 exd5) 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 exd5
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.