French Advance Variation
You play White · 11 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
Take a quiz
10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 5
- Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Sørensen VariationC021. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bd7 8. O-O Nxd4 9. Ng59 moves
- Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Hector VariationC021. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. O-O Bd7 8. Re18 moves
- Advance Variation, Euwe VariationC021. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bd75 moves
- Advance Variation, Lputian VariationC021. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. a3 Nh66 moves
- Advance Variation, Wade VariationC021. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Bd75 moves
Other variations · 6
- Advance Variation, Kupreichik VariationC021. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Be35 moves
- Advance Variation, Nimzowitsch GambitC021. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Qg4 cxd4 5. Nf35 moves
- Advance Variation, Ruisdonk GambitC021. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Nf3 cxd4 5. Bd35 moves
- Advance Variation, Frenkel GambitC021. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. b44 moves
- Advance Variation, Steinitz VariationC021. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. dxc54 moves
- Advance Variation, Extended Bishop SwapC021. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bd73 moves
What is the French Advance Variation?
The French Advance Variation starts 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5. White pushes the e-pawn at once, locks the center and gains space on the kingside. Black replies with ...c5 to attack the base of the chain, and the classical main line is 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6. The character is closed and strategic: White has space and kingside attacking chances, while Black has counterplay against d4 and a light-squared bishop hemmed in by its own pawns. It is a mainstream system at every level and meets the French with clear plans and less theory than the Nc3 lines.
Main ideas and plans
Your first job is to keep d4 solid. After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 the Main Line continues with a3, preparing b4 to gain queenside space and secure d4. If Black piles up on d4 with ...Ne7-f5 or, as in the Lputian Variation, ...Nh6-f5, you defend with Bd3 or Be2, Bd2 or Be3, and sometimes b4. Playing Bd3 on move six instead is the Milner-Barry Gambit: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Bd7 8.O-O Nxd4 9.Nxd4 Qxd4 10.Nc3, giving a pawn for fast development and attacking chances.
Black has several ways to fight. In the Euwe Variation Black plays ...Bd7 on move five, and in the Wade Variation the order is 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 Bd7; in both, Black prepares ...Bb5 to trade the bad bishop. The ...f6 break attacks the head of the chain, and if White takes with exf6 the e6 pawn can become weak. Older tries on move four are the Nimzowitsch System with Nf3, the Nimzowitsch Attack with Qg4, and the Steinitz Variation with dxc5. In the long run your plans are a kingside attack based on the e5 pawn and play against Black's bad bishop.
Who is it for?
The Advance suits players who like space and clear plans and prefer understanding structures to memorising long lines. The risks are overextension and the pressure on d4: if the pawn falls without compensation, your space turns into weaknesses. Learn first how to defend d4, and know the classic Milner-Barry trick if Black grabs too soon: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Nxd4 8.Nxd4 Qxd4 9.Bb5+ gives check and uncovers an attack from your queen on d1, winning Black's queen.