French Defense: Two Knights Variation
1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nc3
The French Defense: Two Knights Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C00, reached after 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nc3. 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 10,096 times by this move order. White won 49%, 4% were drawn and Black won 47%. The most popular continuation is 3… Nf6 (25% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.07 (Stockfish, depth 60; best line 3… d4 4. Ne2 c5 5. c3 Nf6 6. e5)
- ECO
- C00
- Moves
- 5 plies
- FEN
rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p4/4P3/2N2N2/PPPP1PPP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 1 3- PGN
1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nc3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 3,676 | |
| 1500-1999 | 4,220 | |
| 2000+ | 2,200 | |
| All | 10,096 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 3… Nf6 | 2,574 (25%) | |
| 3… d4 | 2,563 (25%) | |
| 3… dxe4 | 2,430 (24%) | |
| 3… c5 | 1,399 (14%) | |
| 3… c6 | 316 (3%) | |
| 3… Bb4 | 303 (3%) | |
| 3… Nc6 | 162 (2%) | |
| 3… a6 | 64 (1%) |
Master games
2,652 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 44%, draw 16%, Black 40%). The strongest:
- Fire 8_beta (3729) – Stockfish 202005232210 (3796) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 18 Premier 2020 · 2020-06-11
- Stockfish 202005232210 (3796) – Fire 8_beta (3729) 1-0 · TCEC 18 Premier 2020 · 2020-06-08
- ScorpioNN 3.0.15.5 (3514) – Igel 3.0.10 (3495) 1-0 · TCEC 22 Premier 2022 · 2022-03-27
- Igel 3.0.10 (3495) – ScorpioNN 3.0.15.5 (3514) 1-0 · TCEC 22 Premier 2022 · 2022-03-25
- GM Javokhir Sindarov (2706) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2837) 0-1 · Titled Tue 13th May Late · 2025-05-13
Search all games of the French Defense: Two Knights Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- GM BIZOO (2783) – classic_chess3456 (2655) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- Commonitorium (2620) – BishopAndSons (2676) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- Commonitorium (2617) – BishopAndSons (2680) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
French Defense: Knight Variation 1. e4 e6 2. 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.