For Black· 18 lines

French Defense - Exchange Variation (3.exd5)

Let's learn the Exchange Variation! White trades on d5, leading to a symmetrical pawn structure, and we recapture freely to open lines for development. 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. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bd3 Bd6 6. O-O O-O 7. Bg5 Bg4 8. Nbd2 Nbd7 9. c3 c6 10. Qc2 Qc7 11. Rfe1 Rfe8
    Main Line

    … 9. c3 c6 10. Qc2 Qc7 11. Rfe1 Rfe8

  2. 4. Bd3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. Ne2 Ne7 6. Bf4 c6
    4. Bd3

    … 3... exd5 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. Ne2 Ne7 6. Bf4 c6

  3. 4. Bd3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. Ne2 Ne7 6. O-O O-O
    4. Bd3

    … 3... exd5 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. Ne2 Ne7 6. O-O O-O

  4. 4. Bd3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. h3 Nc6 6. c3 Nge7
    4. Bd3

    … 3... exd5 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. h3 Nc6 6. c3 Nge7

  5. 4. Bd3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. h3 Nc6 6. Nf3 Nb4
    4. Bd3

    … 3... exd5 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. h3 Nc6 6. Nf3 Nb4

  6. 4. Bd3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. Nf3 Ne7 6. O-O O-O 7. Bg5 Nbc6
    4. Bd3

    … 3... exd5 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. Nf3 Ne7 6. O-O O-O 7. Bg5 Nbc6

  7. 4. Bd3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. Nf3 Ne7 6. O-O O-O 7. h3 Bf5 8. Re1 h6
    4. Bd3

    … 3... exd5 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. Nf3 Ne7 6. O-O O-O 7. h3 Bf5 8. Re1 h6

  8. 4. Bd3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. Nf3 Ne7 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 h6
    4. Bd3

    … 3... exd5 4. Bd3 Bd6 5. Nf3 Ne7 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 h6

  9. 4. c4: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Nc6
    4. c4

    … 3... exd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Nc6

  10. 4. c4: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Be2 dxc4 8. Bxc4 Bg4 9. O-O Nc6
    4. c4

    … 3... exd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Be2 dxc4 8. Bxc4 Bg4 9. O-O Nc6

  11. 4. Nc3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. Bd3 O-O
    4. Nc3

    … 3... exd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. Bd3 O-O

  12. 4. Nc3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bd6 6. Bd3 O-O
    4. Nc3

    … 3... exd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bd6 6. Bd3 O-O

  13. 4. Nc3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bd6 6. Bg5 c6
    4. Nc3

    … 3... exd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bd6 6. Bg5 c6

  14. 5. Nc3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bd6 6. Bd3 O-O
    5. Nc3

    … 4... Nf6 5. Nc3 Bd6 6. Bd3 O-O

  15. 5. c4: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. c4 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Nc6
    5. c4

    … 4... Nf6 5. c4 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Nc6

  16. 5. c4: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. c4 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Be2 dxc4 8. Bxc4 Bg4 9. O-O Nc6
    5. c4

    … 4... Nf6 5. c4 Bb4+ 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Be2 dxc4 8. Bxc4 Bg4 9. O-O Nc6

  17. 7. h3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bd3 Bd6 6. O-O O-O 7. h3 h6 8. Re1 Nc6
    7. h3

    … 6... O-O 7. h3 h6 8. Re1 Nc6

  18. 7. Re1: position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bd3 Bd6 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 h6
    7. Re1

    … 6... O-O 7. Re1 h6

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