French Defense: Paulsen Variation

French Defense: Paulsen Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code C10, part of the French Defense family. It goes 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... e6. After 5 moves it is Black to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.

The moves

• 1. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4
• 1... e6 – Black plays the pawn to e6
• 2. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
• 2... d5 – Black plays the pawn to d5
• 3. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 3... Bb4, 3... Nf6, 3... dxe4.

About the French Defense

Black answers 1.e4 with 1...e6 and then ...d5, attacking White's centre. Black accepts a little less space for a very solid position.

• If White plays e5, pawn chains form: White attacks on the kingside, Black on the queenside.
• Black hits the chain at its base with ...c5 and adds pressure with ...Nc6 and ...Qb6.
• The light-squared bishop on c8 is often passive; Black may trade it or free it with ...b6 and ...Ba6.

chessGM has a full course for this line: open the French Defense: Paulsen Variation course lesson.

Related openings

• It extends: French Defense (1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5)
• Continues with: French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation – adds 3... Nc6
• Continues with: French Defense: Marshall Gambit – adds 3... c5
• Continues with: French Defense: Rubinstein Variation – adds 3... dxe4
• Continues with: French Defense: Classical Variation – adds 3... Nf6
• Continues with: French Defense: Steinitz Variation – adds 3... a6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. e5
• Continues with: French Defense: Winawer Variation – adds 3... Bb4
• Related line: French Defense: Marshall Gambit (1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 c5)
• Related line: French Defense: Rubinstein Variation (1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4)
• Related line: French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation (1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nc6)
• Related line: French Defense: Rubinstein Variation, Blackburne Defense (1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7)
• Related line: French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System, Main Line (1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Ngf3 Nc6 6. Bb5 Bd6 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. O-O Ne7 9. c3)
• Related line: French Defense: Rubinstein Variation, Capablanca Line (1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. Ne5)

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