Tree path 5 levels King's Pawn Game › Sicilian Defense › Sicilian Defense › French Variation › Open
- Chess Codex
- King's Pawn Game B00
- Sicilian Defense B20
- Sicilian Defense B27
- French Variation B40
- Open B40 you are here
Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Open
Overview
Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Open is a named branch in the Semi-Open Games group of chess theory, classified under ECO B40.
The Semi-Open Games group covers semi-open games — replies to 1.e4 where Black declines the symmetrical 1…e5 in favour of an asymmetric pawn structure.
Play reaches this position via 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4, after 6 plies of opening development.
In the opening tree, this line branches off from Sicilian Defense: French Variation, part of the broader King's Pawn Game system.
6 distinct sub-variations branch from this opening; prominent examples include Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Normal, Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Sicilian Defense: Kveinis Variation, and others.
Below the direct variations, the full subtree contains 50 documented sub-variations.
Use the board to walk through every move, check how the position has scored on Lichess, or take it head-to-head against Stockfish.
- ECO code
- B40
- Group
- Semi-Open Games (B)
- Plies
- 6
- Direct variations
- 6
- Total in subtree
- 50
This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Statistics from Lichess
20,499,235 games · White 45.9% / Draw 4.9% / Black 49.2%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Nxd4 | 18,688,371 | |
| c3 | 965,102 | |
| Qxd4 | 645,486 | |
| Bc4 | 117,837 | |
| Bg5 | 25,872 | |
| Bd3 | 17,878 | |
| e5 | 9,434 | |
| Ng5 | 5,735 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 01:21:57
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Variations (6)
Show all 50 sub-variations (full subtree)
- B40 Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Normal 8-ply
- B41 Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation 8-ply
- B40 Sicilian Defense: Kveinis Variation 8-ply
- B40 Sicilian Defense: Paulsen-Basman Defense 8-ply
- B40 Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Deferred 7-ply
- B44 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation 8-ply
- B40 Sicilian Defense: Gaw-Paw Variation 10-ply
- B43 Knight Variation 9-ply
- B41 Maróczy Bind, Réti Variation 9-ply
- B42 Modern Variation 9-ply
- B40 Sicilian Defense: Pin Variation 10-ply
- B80 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation 10-ply
- B45 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation 9-ply
- B44 Szén Variation 9-ply
- B45 Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation 10-ply
- B42 Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Gipslis Variation 14-ply
- B41 Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Bronstein Variation 14-ply
- B41 Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Hedgehog Variation 10-ply
- B42 Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Polugaevsky Variation 10-ply
- B42 Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Swiss Cheese Variation 10-ply
- B43 Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Wing Attack 10-ply
- B40 Jaffe Variation 12-ply
- B40 Koch Variation 11-ply
- B83 Classical Variation 11-ply
- B80 Fianchetto Variation 11-ply
- B81 Keres Attack 11-ply
- B82 Matanovic Attack 11-ply
- B83 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Modern Variation 12-ply
- B80 Vitolins Variation 11-ply
- B86 Sicilian Defense: Sozin Attack 11-ply
- B46 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation 10-ply
- B47 Bastrikov Variation 10-ply
- B44 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Gary Gambit 16-ply
- B44 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Modern Line 20-ply
- B45 American Attack 13-ply
- B45 Cobra Variation 12-ply
- B45 Exchange Variation 11-ply
- B45 Sveshnikov Transfer 12-ply
- B41 Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Maróczy Bind, Bronstein Variation 15-ply
- B43 Christiansen's Dream 15-ply
- B43 Spraggett Attack 13-ply
- B85 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Main Line 20-ply
- B85 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation 17-ply
- B85 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Variation, Paulsen Variation 19-ply
- B83 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Modern Variation 17-ply
- B82 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Tal Variation 15-ply
- B48 English Attack 11-ply
- B47 Ponomariov Gambit 15-ply
- B83 Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Modern Variation 19-ply
- B49 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation 13-ply