ECO C10 · French Defense

French Defense: Marshall Gambit

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 c5

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

4. exd5+1.00

White is clearly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the French Defense: Marshall Gambit (C10), reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 c5, Stockfish 18 recommends 4. exd5 for White. White is clearly better (+1.00).

Top engine moves

  1. +1.004. exd5 exd5 5. dxc5 d4 6. Bb5+ Nc6 7. Qe2+ Be6 8. Ne4 Nf6
  2. +0.994. Bb5+ Bd7 5. exd5 Bxb5 6. Nxb5 a6 7. Nc3 exd5 8. dxc5 Bxc5
  3. +0.534. Nf3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 dxe4 6. Nxe4 a6 7. Be3 Nd7 8. Qf3 Qa5+

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the French Defense: Marshall Gambit?
After 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 c5, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 4. exd5 for White, continuing exd5 5. dxc5 d4 6. Bb5+ Nc6 7. Qe2+ Be6 8. Ne4 Nf6. White is clearly better (+1.00). The next best moves are 4. Bb5+ (+0.99) and 4. Nf3 (+0.53).
Is the French Defense: Marshall Gambit a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +1.00: white is clearly 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: Marshall Gambit?
C10. 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+).