French Defense: Henneberger Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
63,602 games: White 52.0% / Draw 3.9% / Black 44.1%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 31,68232K | ||
| 11,58012K | ||
| 8,9788,978 | ||
| 3,3073,307 | ||
| 2,5862,586 | ||
| 1,5211,521 | ||
| 907907 | ||
| 854854 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.73 Black is better
Best play: 4... dxe4 5. a3 b6 6. f3 Bb7 7. fxe4 Nxe4 8. Nxe4 Bxe4 9. Nf3
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
French Defense: Henneberger Variation (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. Be3 (4 moves).
In 63,602 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 52.0%, Black 44.1% and 3.9% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…dxe4, in 50% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the French Defense: Henneberger Variation
4…Bb4 scores best for Black: 51.0%, with Black winning 49.1% and White 47.1% of 12K games. The most played answer, 4…dxe4, scores lowest: 43.6% in 32K games. Stockfish's first choice is 4…dxe4.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “French Defense: Henneberger Variation (C11)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/french-defense-henneberger-variation