This opening is defined by the position shown on the board below. The moves displayed are a typical sequence that leads to it, but different sequences can reach the same position and still carry the same opening name.
Opening Name: French Defense: Advance Variation, 5.Nf3 Qb6
Moves: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6
Description: In this line of the French Advance, Black plays 5...Qb6 to immediately pressure White's central pawn on d4 and the b2 pawn. This move is characteristic for its dual purpose: it attacks White’s center indirectly by targeting d4, and it also challenges White to defend on the queenside. The queen’s early activity aims to create counterplay and provoke weaknesses in White's pawn structure.
Characteristic of 5...Qb6: The move is a flexible, somewhat aggressive choice that puts immediate pressure on White's center and queenside. It often forces White to commit to a defensive setup, such as protecting the b2 pawn with b3 or defending d4 carefully, potentially slowing White’s development.
Attacking or Defensive: From Black's perspective, 5...Qb6 is an attacking move aimed at undermining White’s center and creating tactical opportunities. For White, responding to this requires a more defensive approach to maintain the integrity of the center and avoid losing material.
Center Control: This opening line is very much about contesting the center. White has advanced the e-pawn to e5 to gain space, while Black’s c5 and Qb6 moves directly challenge White’s d4 pawn, making the fight for central control a key theme of the position.
Practice puzzles and train your tactics with real positions from games that used the French: Advance, 5.Nf3 Qb6, and sharpen your opening mastery.
Puzzle 1 of 33 - Move #7 black
You can also discover how top players used French: Advance, 5.Nf3 Qb6 to leverage key strategies to secure victories in these classic matchups.