For Black· 20 lines

French Defense - Other 2nd moves (2.Nf3, 2.f4)

Let's learn how to meet 2.Nf3! We answer with ...d5 and have a plan for each of White's follow-ups. 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. Nf3 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 d4 5. cxd4 cxd4 6. Qa4+ Nc6 7. Bb5 Bd7 8. Bxc6 Bxc6 9. Qxd4 Ne7 10. Qxd8+ Rxd8 11. Nc3 Bxf3
    Main Line

    … 9. Qxd4 Ne7 10. Qxd8+ Rxd8 11. Nc3 Bxf3

  2. 2. f4: position after 1. e4 e6 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. d4 Nf6
    2. f4

    … 1... e6 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. d4 Nf6

  3. 2. f4: position after 1. e4 e6 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6
    2. f4

    … 1... e6 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6

  4. 2. f4: position after 1. e4 e6 2. f4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6
    2. f4

    … 1... e6 2. f4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6

  5. 2. f4: position after 1. e4 e6 2. f4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 Nc6
    2. f4

    … 1... e6 2. f4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 Nc6

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

    … 2... d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. exd5 exd5 5. d4 Bd6

  7. 3. Nc3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. d4 c5 6. Be3 Be7
    3. Nc3

    … 2... d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. d4 c5 6. Be3 Be7

  8. 3. Nc3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. d4 c5 6. Bb5 cxd4 7. Nxd4 a6 8. Bxd7+ Bxd7 9. O-O Nc6 10. Nxc6 bxc6
    3. Nc3

    … 2... d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. d4 c5 6. Bb5 cxd4 7. Nxd4 a6 8. Bxd7+ Bxd7 9. O-O Nc6 10. Nxc6 bxc6

  9. 3. Nc3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. d4 c5 6. Bg5 Qb6 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. O-O-O Qa5
    3. Nc3

    … 2... d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. d4 c5 6. Bg5 Qb6 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. O-O-O Qa5

  10. 3. Nc3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. d4 c5 6. dxc5 Nc6 7. Bf4 Nxc5 8. Bd3 Be7
    3. Nc3

    … 2... d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. d4 c5 6. dxc5 Nc6 7. Bf4 Nxc5 8. Bd3 Be7

  11. 3. exd5: position after 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. d4 Nf6
    3. exd5

    … 2... d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. d4 Nf6

  12. 4. d4: position after 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e5 c5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Bb5 Bd7
    4. d4

    … 3... c5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Bb5 Bd7

  13. 4. d4: position after 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e5 c5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. c3 Nxe5
    4. d4

    … 3... c5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. c3 Nxe5

  14. 4. d4: position after 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e5 c5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Nf3 Nge7
    4. d4

    … 3... c5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Nf3 Nge7

  15. 4. d4: position after 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e5 c5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Nc3 Nxe5
    4. d4

    … 3... c5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Nc3 Nxe5

  16. 4. d4: position after 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e5 c5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Nxc6 bxc6
    4. d4

    … 3... c5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Nxc6 bxc6

  17. 4. d4: position after 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e5 c5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Qxd4 Nc6 6. Bb5 Bd7 7. Bxc6 bxc6
    4. d4

    … 3... c5 4. d4 cxd4 5. Qxd4 Nc6 6. Bb5 Bd7 7. Bxc6 bxc6

  18. 4. b4: position after 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e5 c5 4. b4 cxb4 5. a3 Nc6 6. axb4 Bxb4 7. c3 Be7 8. d4 Bd7 9. Bd3 a6 10. O-O Rc8 11. Re1 h5
    4. b4

    … 3... c5 4. b4 cxb4 5. a3 Nc6 6. axb4 Bxb4 7. c3 Be7 8. d4 Bd7 9. Bd3 a6 10. O-O Rc8 11. Re1 h5

  19. 5. Bb5+: position after 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 d4 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. a4 Ne7
    5. Bb5+

    … 4... d4 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. a4 Ne7

  20. 5. d3: position after 1. e4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 d4 5. d3 Nc6 6. g3 Nge7
    5. d3

    … 4... d4 5. d3 Nc6 6. g3 Nge7

Other chapters

All chapters of the French Defense

Learn Other 2nd moves (2.Nf3, 2.f4) on the board

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