French Defense: Rubinstein Variation

The Rubinstein Variation is 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4: in the French Defense Black gives up the centre at once by taking on e4. It is named after Akiba Rubinstein and can also arise from the Tarrasch Variation, 3.Nd2 dxe4. After 4.Nxe4 White has freer development and more space in the centre, which Black plans to neutralise by playing ...c5 at some point.

The idea

Black accepts White's space advantage in return for a solid position. This line has had a modest revival and appears in many grandmaster games as a drawing weapon, but theory still gives White a slight edge.

Main lines

After 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Black has two main set-ups.

• 4...Nd7, the main line, whose most frequent top-level exponent is Georg Meier. Play might continue 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6, and Black is ready for ...c5.
• 4...Bd7 5.Nf3 Bc6, the Fort Knox Variation, which activates the light-squared bishop. Alexander Rustemov often plays it.

The numbers

On Lichess White wins 50.7% of the 4.5 million games and Black 43.4%. White leads at every level: 49.6% against 46.1% under 1400, and 49.3% against 41.9% from 2200 up. Masters over the board draw half their games: in 5,832 games 49.8% were drawn, White won 36.0% and Black 14.2%.