- ECO code
- C11
- Moves
- 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3
- Family
- French Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 512
- Average game length
- 45 moves
- Years covered
- 1931–2026
French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation is the opening filed under ECO code C11, reached after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3. It belongs to the French Defense family and is known as the Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 512 games on this line — the 208th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1931 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 193 games. An average game here lasts 45 moves.
White wins 41% of those games, 35% end in a draw, and Black wins 24%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 4 percentage points.
From this position the most popular move is 7...a6, played in 183 games, followed by 7...cxd4 (146) and 7...Be7 (120). After 7...a6 White scores 39% and Black 20%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Karjakin,Sergey (33 games); on the Black side, Erigaisi,Arjun (22).
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Results in master games
- White 41% (210)
- Draws 35% (177)
- Black 24% (125)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7...a6 | 183 | 39/41/20 | — |
| 7...cxd4 | 146 | 38/39/23 | — |
| 7...Be7 | 120 | 47/20/33 | — |
| 7...Qb6 | 38 | 45/29/26 | — |
| 7...Rb8 | 19 | 42/32/26 | — |
| 7...h6 | 4 | 25/50/25 | — |
| 7...b6 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
| 7...Qa5 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
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, Steinitz Variation · 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 · 731 games
- French Defense: Steinitz Variation · 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 · 582 games
Played most often by
As White
- Karjakin,Sergey 33
- Hou Yifan 29
- Firouzja,Alireza 25
As Black
- Erigaisi,Arjun 22
- Kortschnoj, Viktor 19
- Shirov,A 19
Games per decade
- 1930s 1
- 1960s 4
- 1980s 15
- 1990s 31
- 2000s 95
- 2010s 173
- 2020s 193
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daneshvar,Bardiya | Aronian,L | 1-0 | 2026 | Chess.com Open PlayIn2 |
| Hou Yifan | Lu,Miaoyi | 0-1 | 2026 | TCh-CHN DivA Finals 2025 |
| Firouzja,Alireza | Wan Yunguo | 1-0 | 2026 | FIDE World Bl Team Pool C |
| Grischuk,A | Szpar,Milosz | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Feb 2026 |
| Wei Yi | Praggnanandhaa,R | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | FIDE Candidates 2026 |
| Niemann,Hans Moke | Erigaisi,Arjun | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 3rd Feb 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code C11, reached after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3. It belongs to the French Defense family.
Is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation good for White or for Black?
In 512 master games on this line White wins 41%, 35% are drawn and Black wins 24%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation?
7...a6 — played in 183 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation?
On the White side Karjakin,Sergey (33), Hou Yifan (29), Firouzja,Alireza (25); on the Black side Erigaisi,Arjun (22), Kortschnoj, Viktor (19), Shirov,A (19).
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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