1. e4 e6

French Defense

5,526,931 rated games in September 2026 began with 1. e4 e6. White wins 48%, draws 4%, Black wins 48%.

Results by rating

Lichess rating	Games	White winsDrawBlack wins
Under 1200	621,340	48%48%
1200–1599	1,650,548	48%49%
1600–1999	2,210,643	48%48%
2000 and up	1,044,400	49%46%
All ratings	5,526,931	48%48%

By time control

Time control	Games
Bullet	2,024,759	49%48%
Blitz	2,627,535	48%47%
Rapid	844,631	48%47%
Classical	30,006	47%47%

Variations (40)

Opening	Games	White winsDrawBlack wins
Exchange VariationC01	1,138,564	48%48%
Advance VariationC02	839,509	47%49%
Knight VariationC00	738,949	48%48%
Normal VariationC00	417,299	51%46%
La Bourdonnais VariationC00	215,699	49%48%
Queen's KnightC00	204,949	49%47%
King's Indian AttackC00	197,590	49%47%
Classical VariationC11	157,809	50%46%
Rubinstein VariationC10	135,262	50%45%
Two Knights VariationC00	129,774	49%47%
Tarrasch VariationC03	124,366	50%45%
Franco-Sicilian DefenseC00	104,861	48%49%
Steinitz AttackC00	94,972	48%48%
Winawer VariationC15	86,346	50%46%
Steiner VariationC00	83,632	50%46%
Marshall GambitC10	56,189	51%46%
Mediterranean DefenseC00	40,716	52%45%
Steinitz VariationC11	39,179	48%47%
Paulsen VariationC10	37,530	51%45%
Horwitz AttackC00	37,092	50%47%
Schlechter VariationC00	35,985	50%46%
St. George DefenseC00	28,149	50%47%
Perseus GambitC00	25,585	47%51%
Chigorin VariationC00	22,265	52%44%
Wing GambitC00	18,727	53%43%
Pelikan VariationC00	15,137	50%46%
Hecht-Reefschläger VariationC10	14,687	51%46%
Réti-Spielmann AttackC00	14,639	50%46%
Alapin GambitC00	9,379	52%45%
Carlson GambitC00	9,176	46%50%
Diemer-Duhm Gambit AcceptedC00	8,907	48%48%
Alekhine-Chatard AttackC13	8,313	53%43%
Bird InvitationC00	7,698	45%51%
Orthoschnapp GambitC00	7,214	55%41%
McCutcheon VariationC12	7,114	49%46%
Franco-Hiva GambitC00	5,078	52%45%
Diemer-Duhm GambitC00	5,010	51%46%
Franco-Hiva Gambit AcceptedC00	4,084	50%46%
Henneberger VariationC11	3,023	52%44%
Baeuerle GambitC00	1,116	52%45%