Caissa Codex
C15

French Defense: Winawer Variation, Fingerslip Variation, Main Line

Chess diagram: French Defense: Winawer Variation, Fingerslip Variation, Main Line after 7. Qh6

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Statistics from Lichess

11,101 games: White 49.0% / Draw 6.4% / Black 44.6%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
4,4704,470
3,7393,739
977977
645645
426426
303303
201201
176176

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 2, 2026

Engine evaluation

−0.17 The position is about equal

Best play: 7... Qxd4 8. O-O-O Nbd7 9. f3 a6 10. Nxe4 Bf8 11. Qh3 Nxe4 12. fxe4

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

Overview

French Defense: Winawer Variation, Fingerslip Variation, Main Line (ECO C15, Open Games) is a variation of the French Defense: Winawer Variation, Fingerslip Variation, reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 dxe4 5. Qg4 Nf6 6. Qxg7 Rg8 7. Qh6 (7 moves).

In 11,101 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.0%, Black 44.6% and 6.4% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 7…Qxd4, in 40% of those games.

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How to play against the French Defense: Winawer Variation, Fingerslip Variation, Main Line

7…Nc6 scores best for Black: 50.7%, with Black winning 47.2% and White 45.9% of 977 games. The most played, 7…Qxd4, scores 49.2% in 4,470 games, and 7…Rg6 scores lowest: 45.1%. Stockfish's first choice is 7…Qxd4.

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

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 4…dxe4 5. Qg4 Nf6 6. Qxg7 Rg8 7. Qh6, the position after French Defense: Winawer Variation, Fingerslip Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “French Defense: Winawer Variation, Fingerslip Variation, Main Line (C15)”. Lichess data as of 2 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/french-defense-winawer-variation-fingerslip-variation-main-line

https://chesscodex.org/openings/french-defense-winawer-variation-fingerslip-variation-main-line