Caissa Codex
C11

French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation, Morozevich Line

Chess diagram: French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation, Morozevich Line after 6…gxf6

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

137,226 games: White 49.8% / Draw 6.4% / Black 43.8%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
102,766103K
14,77715K
5,1335,133
3,2633,263
2,9382,938
1,5951,595
1,2241,224
1,1981,198

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.29 The position is about equal

Best play: 7. Nf3 f5 8. Nc3 a6 9. g3 b5 10. Bg2 Bb7 11. Qe2 b4

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation, Morozevich Line (ECO C11, Open Games) is a variation of the French Defense: Classical Variation, reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Be7 6. Bxf6 gxf6 (6 moves).

In 137,226 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.8%, Black 43.8% and 6.4% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. Nf3, in 75% of those games.

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How to play against the French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation, Morozevich Line

The most played answer, 7. Nf3, also scores best for White: 54.1%, with White winning 50.8% and Black 42.7% of 103K games. Of the main answers, 7. c3 scores lowest: 49.9%. Stockfish's first choice is also 7. Nf3.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 6. Bxf6 gxf6, the position after French Defense: Classical Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation, Morozevich Line (C11)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/french-defense-classical-variation-burn-variation-morozevich-line

https://chesscodex.org/openings/french-defense-classical-variation-burn-variation-morozevich-line