Caissa Codex
C18

French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, Main Line

Chess diagram: French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, Main Line after 10. Ne2

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Statistics from Lichess

103,475 games: White 46.4% / Draw 6.1% / Black 47.5%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
66,79267K
32,23732K
3,5303,530
621621
105105
103103
2929
1919

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.72 White is better

Best play: 10... dxc3 11. h4 Nbc6 12. f4 Bd7 13. Qd3 O-O-O 14. h5 Kb8 15. Qxc3

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, Main Line (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. Qxg7 Rg8 9. Qxh7 cxd4 10. Ne2 (10 moves).

In 103,475 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.4%, Black 47.5% and 6.1% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 10…Nbc6, in 65% of those games.

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

The most played answer, 10…Nbc6, also scores best for Black: 52.2%, with Black winning 49.2% and White 44.7% of 67K games. Of the main answers, 10…dxc3 scores lowest: 48.3%. Stockfish's first choice is 10…dxc3.

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. Qxg7 Rg8 9. Qxh7 cxd4 10. Ne2, the position after French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “French Defense: Winawer Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation, Main Line (C18)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/french-defense-winawer-variation-poisoned-pawn-variation-main-line

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