Sicilian Defense: French Variation
Chess opening · ECO B40 · 4 half-moves
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6
The Sicilian Defense: French Variation is reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6. It is White's move in the position shown.
It branches from the Sicilian Defense with 2. Nf3 e6.
How often it is played
The Sicilian Defense: French Variation and its variations appeared in 1.3% of games — 38,155 of 3,000,000 rated games sampled from Lichess in September 2026. That makes it number 39 of the openings listed here.
Results
White won 47%, 3.9% were drawn and Black won 49%. These are games between players of every strength and time control, so they say how the opening does in practice rather than how sound it is.
What the engine thinks
Stockfish, at depth 18, evaluates the position at +0.41 — a small edge for White. Positive numbers favour White; see reading the evaluation bar.
Similar openings
The most-played alternatives — what else could have been chosen around the move where this opening begins.
| Opening | Moves | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 | 2.1% |
| Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 | 1.2% |
| Sicilian Defense: Closed | 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 | 0.99% |
Main continuations
| Variation | Moves | Share of games |
|---|---|---|
| Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Open | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 | 0.68% |
| Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with e6 | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c3 | 0.14% |
| Sicilian Defense: Marshall Counterattack | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 d5 | 0.05% |
| Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 a6 | 0.02% |
| Sicilian Defense: Kramnik Variation | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 | 0.02% |
| Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Westerinen Attack | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. b3 | 0.01% |
| Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit Deferred | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. b4 | 0.01% |
| Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation, Wing Attack, Fianchetto Variation | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nc3 a6 4. g3 b5 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 | 0.00% |
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