Caissa Codex
C15

French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine Gambit, Alatortsev Variation

Chess diagram: French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine Gambit, Alatortsev Variation after 8…Nc6

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Statistics from Lichess

21 games: White 52.4% / Draw 9.5% / Black 38.1%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
1717
33
11

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 23, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.23 The position is about equal

Best play: 9. Nxf6+ Bxf6 10. c3 e5 11. d5 Ne7 12. c4 Nf5 13. Nxf5 Bxf5

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

Overview

French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine Gambit, Alatortsev Variation (ECO C15, Open Games) is a gambit in the French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine-Maróczy Gambit, reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Ne2 dxe4 5. a3 Be7 6. Nxe4 Nf6 7. N2g3 O-O 8. Be2 Nc6 (8 moves).

In 21 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 52.4%, Black 38.1% and 9.5% were drawn. White's most played move here is 9. c3, in 81% of those games. That is too few games for the percentages to mean much.

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Other lines from the same position

Instead of 4…dxe4 5. a3 Be7 6. Nxe4 Nf6 7. N2g3 O-O 8. Be2 Nc6, the position after French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine-Maróczy Gambit also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine Gambit, Alatortsev Variation (C15)”. Lichess data as of 23 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/french-defense-winawer-variation-alekhine-gambit-alatortsev-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/french-defense-winawer-variation-alekhine-gambit-alatortsev-variation