ECO C14 · French Defense

French Defense: Classical Variation, Stahlberg Variation

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. f4 O-O 8. Nf3 c5 9. Qd2 Nc6 10. O-O-O c4

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

11. g4+0.45

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the French Defense: Classical Variation, Stahlberg Variation (C14), reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. f4 O-O 8. Nf3 c5 9. Qd2 Nc6 10. O-O-O c4, Stockfish 18 recommends 11. g4 for White. White is slightly better (+0.45).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.4511. g4 b5 12. Nxb5 Rb8 13. Nd6 Nb6 14. Qe3 Qc7 15. f5 f6
  2. +0.3911. Nb5 Nb6 12. g4 Bd7 13. Nc3 Qb4 14. a3 Qa5 15. f5 exf5
  3. +0.3011. h4 a6 12. g4 b5 13. f5 f6 14. fxe6 Nb6 15. g5 fxe5

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the French Defense: Classical Variation, Stahlberg Variation?
After 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. f4 O-O 8. Nf3 c5 9. Qd2 Nc6 10. O-O-O c4, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 11. g4 for White, continuing b5 12. Nxb5 Rb8 13. Nd6 Nb6 14. Qe3 Qc7 15. f5 f6. White is slightly better (+0.45). The next best moves are 11. Nb5 (+0.39) and 11. h4 (+0.30).
Is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Stahlberg Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.45: white 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: Classical Variation, Stahlberg Variation?
C14. 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+).