Caissa Codex
C18

French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation Declined

Chess diagram: French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation Declined after 8. Bd3

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Statistics from Lichess

22,519 games: White 49.9% / Draw 5.4% / Black 44.7%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
14,35014K
4,3784,378
2,0672,067
370370
248248
222222
198198
167167

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.51 White is slightly better

Best play: 8... cxd4 9. Ne2 dxc3 10. Qxg7 Rg8 11. Qxh7 Qxe5 12. Bf4 Qf6 13. h4

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

Overview

French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation Declined (ECO C18, Open Games) is a variation of the French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 Qc7 8. Bd3 (8 moves).

In 22,519 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.9%, Black 44.7% and 5.4% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 8…cxd4, in 64% of those games.

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How to play against the French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation Declined

The most played answer, 8…cxd4, also scores best for Black: 48.0%, with Black winning 45.2% and White 49.1% of 14K games. Of the main answers, 8…Nbc6 scores lowest: 44.7%. Stockfish's first choice is also 8…cxd4.

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 8. Bd3, the position after French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation also goes on to:

Transpositions

This position is also reached from these lines, by another move order:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation Declined (C18)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/french-defense-winawer-variation-poisoned-pawn-variation-declined

https://chesscodex.org/openings/french-defense-winawer-variation-poisoned-pawn-variation-declined