Caissa Codex
C15

French Defense: Winawer Variation, Kondratiyev Variation

Chess diagram: French Defense: Winawer Variation, Kondratiyev Variation after 6. Bd2

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Statistics from Lichess

1,497 games: White 59.1% / Draw 5.3% / Black 35.6%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
1,0341,034
234234
169169
4040
88
33
22
22

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 25, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.10 The position is about equal

Best play: 6... Bxc3 7. Bxc3 cxd4 8. Bxd4 e5 9. Bc3 Nf6 10. Qd2 Nc6 11. Ne2

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

Overview

French Defense: Winawer Variation, Kondratiyev Variation (ECO C15, Open Games) is a variation of the French Defense: Winawer Variation, reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd3 c5 5. exd5 Qxd5 6. Bd2 (6 moves).

In 1,497 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 59.1%, Black 35.6% and 5.3% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 6…Bxc3, in 69% of those games.

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How to play against the French Defense: Winawer Variation, Kondratiyev Variation

6…Qxd4 scores best for Black: 44.4%, with Black winning 42.0% and White 53.3% of 169 games. The most played, 6…Bxc3, scores 42.9% in 1,034 games, and 6…Qxg2 scores lowest: 21.6%. Stockfish's first choice is 6…Bxc3.

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. Bd3 c5 5. exd5 Qxd5 6. Bd2, the position after French Defense: Winawer Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “French Defense: Winawer Variation, Kondratiyev Variation (C15)”. Lichess data as of 25 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/french-defense-winawer-variation-kondratiyev-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/french-defense-winawer-variation-kondratiyev-variation