ECO C18 · French Defense

French Defense: Winawer Variation, Warsaw Variation

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 O-O

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

8. Nf3+0.68

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the French Defense: Winawer Variation, Warsaw Variation (C18), reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 O-O, Stockfish 18 recommends 8. Nf3 for White. White is slightly better (+0.68).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.688. Nf3 Nbc6 9. Bd3 f5 10. Qg3 c4 11. Be2 Qa5 12. Bd2 f4
  2. +0.638. Bd3 Nbc6 9. Qh3 Ng6 10. Nf3 f5 11. O-O c4 12. Be2 b5
  3. +0.398. Qh5 c4 9. Be2 Nbc6 10. Nf3 Bd7 11. O-O f6 12. exf6 Rxf6

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the French Defense: Winawer Variation, Warsaw Variation?
After 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 O-O, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 8. Nf3 for White, continuing Nbc6 9. Bd3 f5 10. Qg3 c4 11. Be2 Qa5 12. Bd2 f4. White is slightly better (+0.68). The next best moves are 8. Bd3 (+0.63) and 8. Qh5 (+0.39).
Is the French Defense: Winawer Variation, Warsaw Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.68: 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: Winawer Variation, Warsaw Variation?
C18. 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+).