French Defense: what should White play?

In the French Defense, the position following the move c3 represents a variation where White solidifies the center, often aiming to support a later d4 push. The most frequent continuation for White is exd5, played in 42.2% of games, though the engine evaluates e5 as the most precise option with a neutral +0.00 evaluation. White must choose between maintaining the central tension, closing the center, or transitioning into structures resembling the Exchange Variation.

The Advance Strategy with e5

The move e5 is the second most popular choice, appearing in 327,000 recorded games. By pushing the pawn to e5, White gains a space advantage and restricts the development of the Black knight on g8. This line typically leads to the sequence e5 d4 Nf3 Nc6 cxd4 Nge7, where White attempts to maintain a solid central wedge while Black seeks to undermine the base of the pawn chain.

The Exchange Variation Transition

Choosing exd5 is the most common approach, accounting for 475,000 games in the database. This move leads to a highly symmetrical structure after exd5 exd5 d4 Nf6 Nf3 Bd6, resulting in an engine evaluation of -0.06. While this path reduces the complexity of the position, White scores 46.4% from this point, as the open lines often allow Black easy development and equalizing chances.

Alternative Setups and Deviations

White may also consider less common continuations such as d3 or d4. The move d3 is found in 4.1% of games and often leads to King's Indian Attack structures, scoring a relatively high 49.2% for White. Conversely, d4 is a more aggressive central strike played in 10.3% of games, though it carries a lower engine evaluation of -0.42. In this line, play often proceeds with d4 dxe4 Nd2 Nf6 Qc2 Qd5, where White sacrifices central stability for active piece play.