Chess Codex
Tree path 9 levels French Defense › Normal Variation › French Defense › Advance Variation › French Defense: Advance Variation › French Defense: Advance Variation › French Defense: Advance Variation › Paulsen Attack › French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit
  1. Chess Codex
  2. French Defense C00
  3. Normal Variation C00
  4. French Defense C00
  5. Advance Variation C02
  6. French Defense: Advance Variation C02
  7. French Defense: Advance Variation C02
  8. French Defense: Advance Variation C02
  9. Paulsen Attack C02
  10. French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit C02 you are here
C02

French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit

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Overview

French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit is a sacrificial opening line filed under ECO C02 in the Open Games group. The defining idea is the early concession of material to seize the initiative and unbalance the position.

The Open Games group covers open games — classical 1.e4 e5 openings where both sides contest the centre directly with pawns.

The line arises from 11 plies — specifically the moves 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Bd3.

In the opening tree, this line branches off from French Defense: Advance Variation, Paulsen Attack, part of the broader French Defense system.

2 named variations grow from this line, including Hector Variation, Main Line.

Together the deeper variations number 4 across the full subtree.

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ECO code
C02
Group
Open Games (C)
Plies
11
Parent
French Defense: Advance Variation, Paulsen Attack
Direct variations
2
Total in subtree
4

This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.

Statistics from Lichess

2,164,476 games · White 50.3% / Draw 4.2% / Black 45.5%

MovesGamesW / D / B
Bd71,123,967
cxd4764,137
Nge7129,273
Nh670,935
c423,513
f620,080
a56,684
h65,767

Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 02:27:07

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Variations (2)

Related variations at the same level

Sister lines that share the same parent French Defense: Advance Variation, Paulsen Attack:

Show all 4 sub-variations (full subtree)

https://chesscodex.org/openings/french-defense-advance-variation-milner-barry-gambit