For Black· 20 lines

French Defense - Advance Variation (3.e5)

Let's learn the Advance Variation! White has five tries here: 6.a3, 6.Be2, 6.b3, 6.Qb3 and 6.Bd3. We have a clear plan against each one. Let's begin with 1.e4.

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Main line

Scroll the moves: the board follows.

Key lines

The free lines of this chapter, each one trainable move by move.

  1. Main Line: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. a3 c4 7. Nbd2 Na5 8. Rb1 Bd7 9. h4 Ne7 10. h5 O-O-O
    Main Line

    … 8. Rb1 Bd7 9. h4 Ne7 10. h5 O-O-O

  2. 6. Be2: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 Nh6 8. O-O Nf5 9. Nc3 Nfxd4 10. Nxd4 Qxd4 11. Qxd4 Nxd4 12. Be3 Nxe2+ 13. Nxe2 b6
    6. Be2

    … 5... Nc6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 Nh6 8. O-O Nf5 9. Nc3 Nfxd4 10. Nxd4 Qxd4 11. Qxd4 Nxd4 12. Be3 Nxe2+ 13. Nxe2 b6

  3. 6. Be2: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 Nh6 8. Nc3 Nf5 9. Na4 Qa5+ 10. Nc3 Qb6
    6. Be2

    … 5... Nc6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 Nh6 8. Nc3 Nf5 9. Na4 Qa5+ 10. Nc3 Qb6

  4. 6. Be2: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 Nh6 8. Bxh6 Qxb2 9. Bxg7 Bxg7 10. Nbd2 Nxd4 11. O-O Nxe2+ 12. Qxe2 O-O
    6. Be2

    … 5... Nc6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 Nh6 8. Bxh6 Qxb2 9. Bxg7 Bxg7 10. Nbd2 Nxd4 11. O-O Nxe2+ 12. Qxe2 O-O

  5. 6. Be2: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 Nh6 8. Bxh6 Qxb2 9. Nbd2 gxh6 10. O-O Bd7 11. Rb1 Qxa2 12. Rxb7 Rb8 13. Rxb8+ Nxb8
    6. Be2

    … 5... Nc6 6. Be2 cxd4 7. cxd4 Nh6 8. Bxh6 Qxb2 9. Nbd2 gxh6 10. O-O Bd7 11. Rb1 Qxa2 12. Rxb7 Rb8 13. Rxb8+ Nxb8

  6. 6. b3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. b3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bb4+ 8. Bd2 Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. Bb5+ Bd7 11. Bxd7+ Kxd7 12. Bxb4 Qxa1 13. O-O Qxe5 14. Bc3 Qg5 15. f4 Qd8
    6. b3

    … 5... Nc6 6. b3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bb4+ 8. Bd2 Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. Bb5+ Bd7 11. Bxd7+ Kxd7 12. Bxb4 Qxa1 13. O-O Qxe5 14. Bc3 Qg5 15. f4 Qd8

  7. 6. b3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. b3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bb4+ 8. Bd2 Nxd4 9. Bxb4 Qxb4+ 10. Qd2 Nc2+ 11. Ke2 Qxd2+ 12. Kxd2 Nxa1 13. Nc3 Bd7
    6. b3

    … 5... Nc6 6. b3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bb4+ 8. Bd2 Nxd4 9. Bxb4 Qxb4+ 10. Qd2 Nc2+ 11. Ke2 Qxd2+ 12. Kxd2 Nxa1 13. Nc3 Bd7

  8. 6. Qb3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Qb3 Bd7 7. Qxb6 axb6 8. Bb5 Nxe5 9. Nxe5 Bxb5 10. Nd2 Bd6
    6. Qb3

    … 5... Nc6 6. Qb3 Bd7 7. Qxb6 axb6 8. Bb5 Nxe5 9. Nxe5 Bxb5 10. Nd2 Bd6

  9. 6. Bd3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. O-O Bd7 8. Re1 Nge7 9. h4 a6 10. h5 dxc3 11. Nxc3 Nd4
    6. Bd3

    … 5... Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. O-O Bd7 8. Re1 Nge7 9. h4 a6 10. h5 dxc3 11. Nxc3 Nd4

  10. 6. Bd3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. O-O Bd7 8. cxd4 Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. Nc3 a6 11. Re1 Ne7 12. Be3 Qxe5 13. Bc5 Qf6
    6. Bd3

    … 5... Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. O-O Bd7 8. cxd4 Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. Nc3 a6 11. Re1 Ne7 12. Be3 Qxe5 13. Bc5 Qf6

  11. 6. Bd3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. Bc2 Nb4 9. O-O Nxc2 10. Qxc2 Ne7 11. Nc3 h6 12. Be3 Nf5
    6. Bd3

    … 5... Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. Bc2 Nb4 9. O-O Nxc2 10. Qxc2 Ne7 11. Nc3 h6 12. Be3 Nf5

  12. 6. Bd3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. Bc2 Nb4 9. Bb3 Qa6 10. Nc3 Nd3+ 11. Kd2 Nxf2 12. Qe1 Qd3#
    6. Bd3

    … 5... Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. Bc2 Nb4 9. Bb3 Qa6 10. Nc3 Nd3+ 11. Kd2 Nxf2 12. Qe1 Qd3#

  13. 6. Bd3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. Bc2 Nb4 9. Bb3 Qa6 10. Nc3 Nd3+ 11. Kd2 Nxf2 12. Qg1 Nxh1 13. Qxh1 Bb4
    6. Bd3

    … 5... Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. Bc2 Nb4 9. Bb3 Qa6 10. Nc3 Nd3+ 11. Kd2 Nxf2 12. Qg1 Nxh1 13. Qxh1 Bb4

  14. 6. Bd3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. Bc2 Nb4 9. Nc3 Nxc2+ 10. Qxc2 Qa6
    6. Bd3

    … 5... Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. Bc2 Nb4 9. Nc3 Nxc2+ 10. Qxc2 Qa6

  15. 6. Bd3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. Nc3 Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. O-O a6 11. Re1 Ne7 12. Be3 Qxe5 13. Bc5 Qf6
    6. Bd3

    … 5... Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. Nc3 Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. O-O a6 11. Re1 Ne7 12. Be3 Qxe5 13. Bc5 Qf6

  16. 6. Bd3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. O-O Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. Nc3 a6 11. Re1 Ne7 12. Be3 Qxe5 13. Bc5 Qf6
    6. Bd3

    … 5... Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. O-O Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. Nc3 a6 11. Re1 Ne7 12. Be3 Qxe5 13. Bc5 Qf6

  17. 6. Bd3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. O-O Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. Nc3 a6 11. Qe2 Ne7 12. Kh1 Nc6
    6. Bd3

    … 5... Nc6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. O-O Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. Nc3 a6 11. Qe2 Ne7 12. Kh1 Nc6

  18. 7. Be2: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. a3 c4 7. Be2 Bd7 8. Nbd2 Na5 9. O-O Ne7
    7. Be2

    … 6... c4 7. Be2 Bd7 8. Nbd2 Na5 9. O-O Ne7

  19. 7. Be2: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. a3 c4 7. Be2 Bd7 8. O-O Nge7 9. Nbd2 Na5 10. Rb1 Qc7 11. b4 cxb3 12. Nxb3 Ba4
    7. Be2

    … 6... c4 7. Be2 Bd7 8. O-O Nge7 9. Nbd2 Na5 10. Rb1 Qc7 11. b4 cxb3 12. Nxb3 Ba4

  20. 8. Be2: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. a3 c4 7. Nbd2 Na5 8. Be2 Bd7 9. O-O Ne7 10. Rb1 Qc7 11. b4 cxb3 12. Nxb3 Ba4
    8. Be2

    … 7... Na5 8. Be2 Bd7 9. O-O Ne7 10. Rb1 Qc7 11. b4 cxb3 12. Nxb3 Ba4

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