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A half open defence known since Lucena's time but only so named after 1834 when a Paris team beat London in a correspondence match. Black wishes to avoid recapturing with his queen in the event of an early pawn exchange, and so replies 1..P-K3 to White's KPawn (move 1, left) before both advance QPawns. Black's pawn chain defence usually gives his a secure but restricted position (move 8, right) due to his QBishop being shut in during the early stages. | |
| The French is popular with positional players content to work for an end-game advantage. White usually plays for a K-side attack, and often castles long. Lines include the Advance, the Winawer, the Burn, the McCutcheon, the Tarrasch and (early) the Pelikan, the 2Kts and the King's Indian Attack. | ||
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