French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Bradford Attack Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
8,693 games: White 57.5% / Draw 3.8% / Black 38.6%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 5,5075,507 | ||
| 1,8601,860 | ||
| 596596 | ||
| 231231 | ||
| 218218 | ||
| 106106 | ||
| 8585 | ||
| 5252 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 2, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.08 The position is about equal
Best play: 7... O-O 8. Nf3 Nc6 9. Qh3 Qe8 10. Na4 Be7 11. Bd2 a6 12. Bd3
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Bradford Attack Variation (ECO C11, Open Games) is a variation of the French Defense: Classical Variation, Steinitz Variation, reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. dxc5 Bxc5 7. Qg4 (7 moves).
In 8,693 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 57.5%, Black 38.6% and 3.8% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 7…O-O, in 63% 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: Steinitz Variation, Bradford Attack Variation
7…g6 scores best for Black: 46.1%, with Black winning 43.7% and White 51.5% of 1,860 games. The most played answer, 7…O-O, scores lowest: 38.8% in 5,507 games. Stockfish's first choice is 7…O-O.
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: Steinitz Variation, Bradford Attack Variation (C11)”. Lichess data as of 2 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/french-defense-steinitz-variation-bradford-attack-variation