- ECO code
- C11
- Moves
- 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4
- Family
- French Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 406
- Average game length
- 41 moves
- Years covered
- 1878–2026
French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation is the opening filed under ECO code C11, reached after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4. It belongs to the French Defense family and is known as the Classical Variation, Burn Variation; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 406 games on this line — the 244th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1878 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2000s, with 116 games. An average game here lasts 41 moves.
White wins 33% of those games, 38% end in a draw, and Black wins 29%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%).
From this position the most popular move is 5.Nxe4, played in 397 games, followed by 5.Bxf6 (9). After 5.Nxe4 White scores 33% and Black 28%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Polgar,Ju (16 games); on the Black side, Erigaisi,Arjun (21).
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Results in master games
- White 33% (133)
- Draws 38% (157)
- Black 29% (116)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.Nxe4 | 397 | 33/39/28 | — |
| 5.Bxf6 | 9 | 33/11/56 | — |
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
- French Defense · 1.e4 e6 · 6,176 games
- French Defense: Normal Variation · 1.e4 e6 2.d4 · 5,579 games
- French Defense · 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 · 5,533 games
- French Defense: Paulsen Variation · 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 · 3,079 games
- French Defense: Classical Variation · 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 · 1,548 games
- French Defense: Classical Variation · 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 · 756 games
Played most often by
As White
- Polgar,Ju 16
- Shirov,A 14
- Caruana,F 13
As Black
- Erigaisi,Arjun 21
- Shirov,A 21
- Kortschnoj, Viktor 20
Games per decade
- 1870s 1
- 1890s 4
- 1900s 9
- 1910s 6
- 1920s 17
- 1930s 14
- 1940s 6
- 1950s 5
- 1960s 26
- 1970s 10
- 1980s 10
- 1990s 47
- 2000s 116
- 2010s 48
- 2020s 87
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vokhidov,Shamsiddin | Erigaisi,Arjun | 1-0 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 12th Mar 2026 |
| Moussard,J | Erigaisi,Arjun | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 23rd Jun 2026 |
| Gharibyan,Mamikon | Erigaisi,Arjun | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 2nd Jun 2026 |
| Tikhonov,Viacheslav | Erigaisi,Arjun | 0-1 | 2026 | 2nd 3-0 Thu 14th May 2026 |
| Bortnyk,Olexandr | Erigaisi,Arjun | 0-1 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 14th May 2026 |
| Bortnyk,Olexandr | Aronian,L | 0-1 | 2026 | Chess.com Open PlayIn2 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code C11, reached after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4. It belongs to the French Defense family.
Is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation good for White or for Black?
In 406 master games on this line White wins 33%, 38% are drawn and Black wins 29%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is a slightly better bargain for Black than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation?
5.Nxe4 — played in 397 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the French Defense: Classical Variation, Burn Variation?
On the White side Polgar,Ju (16), Shirov,A (14), Caruana,F (13); on the Black side Erigaisi,Arjun (21), Shirov,A (21), Kortschnoj, Viktor (20).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
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