ECO C13 · French Defense

French Defense: Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Ne4

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

6. Nxe4+0.55

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation (C13), reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Ne4, Stockfish 18 recommends 6. Nxe4 for White. White is slightly better (+0.55).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.556. Nxe4 dxe4 7. Be3 c5 8. dxc5 Qc7 9. Qd4 Bd7 10. Qxe4 Bc6
  2. +0.446. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. Nxe4 dxe4 8. a3 f5 9. Bc4 Nd7 10. Ne2 Nb6
  3. +0.036. Bb5+ Bd7 7. Bxe7 Qxe7 8. Bxd7+ Nxd7 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Qe2 O-O-O

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation?
After 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Ne4, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 6. Nxe4 for White, continuing dxe4 7. Be3 c5 8. dxc5 Qc7 9. Qd4 Bd7 10. Qxe4 Bc6. White is slightly better (+0.55). The next best moves are 6. Bxe7 (+0.44) and 6. Bb5+ (+0.03).
Is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.55: 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, Tartakower Variation?
C13. 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+).