ECO C17 · French Defense

French Defense: Winawer Variation, Maróczy-Wallis Variation

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 cxd4 6. axb4 dxc3

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

7. Qg4+1.07

White is clearly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the French Defense: Winawer Variation, Maróczy-Wallis Variation (C17), reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 cxd4 6. axb4 dxc3, Stockfish 18 recommends 7. Qg4 for White. White is clearly better (+1.07).

Top engine moves

  1. +1.077. Qg4 cxb2 8. Bxb2 Ne7 9. Qxg7 Rg8 10. Qxh7 Qb6 11. c3 Nbc6
  2. +0.947. bxc3 Qc7 8. f4 Ne7 9. Bd3 Qxc3+ 10. Bd2 Qc7 11. Nf3 a6
  3. +0.687. Nf3 Ne7 8. Qd4 Nbc6 9. Qxc3 d4 10. Qb3 Qc7 11. b5 Nxe5

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the French Defense: Winawer Variation, Maróczy-Wallis Variation?
After 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 cxd4 6. axb4 dxc3, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 7. Qg4 for White, continuing cxb2 8. Bxb2 Ne7 9. Qxg7 Rg8 10. Qxh7 Qb6 11. c3 Nbc6. White is clearly better (+1.07). The next best moves are 7. bxc3 (+0.94) and 7. Nf3 (+0.68).
Is the French Defense: Winawer Variation, Maróczy-Wallis Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +1.07: 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: Winawer Variation, Maróczy-Wallis Variation?
C17. 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+).