ECO C02 · French Defense

French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Sørensen Variation

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. Ng5

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Black to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

9… Nc6−0.68

Black is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Sørensen Variation (C02), reached after 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. Ng5, Stockfish 18 recommends 9… Nc6 for Black. Black is slightly better (−0.68).

Top engine moves

  1. −0.689… Nc6 10. Re1 Bc5 11. Qf3 Nh6 12. Nc3 Nd4 13. Qh3 Nhf5 14. Rb1
  2. −0.579… Ne7 10. Nxh7 Rxh7 11. Bxh7 g6 12. Re1 Bg7 13. Nc3 Ndc6 14. h4
  3. −0.399… Nh6 10. Nxh7 Be7 11. Nc3 Nhf5 12. Ng5 Rc8 13. Rb1 g6 14. Bd2

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Sørensen Variation?
After 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. Ng5, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 9… Nc6 for Black, continuing 10. Re1 Bc5 11. Qf3 Nh6 12. Nc3 Nd4 13. Qh3 Nhf5 14. Rb1. Black is slightly better (−0.68). The next best moves are 9… Ne7 (−0.57) and 9… Nh6 (−0.39).
Is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Sørensen Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at −0.68: black is slightly better. Evaluations this early in the game are small, so practical results depend far more on knowing the plans and typical structures than on the engine's number.
What is the ECO code of the French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Sørensen Variation?
C02. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; C is the volume for open games and the French Defense.

Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).