Advance Variation, Steinitz Variation

The Steinitz Variation of the Advance French has White meet 3...c5 with 4. dxc5, taking the pawn instead of reinforcing d4 with 4. c3 or 4. Nf3. The capture surrenders the central pawn that Black's counterstrike was aimed at, so Black reaches the main strategic goal at once: the e5-pawn loses its base and the usual cramp of Advance structures largely disappears. White's material gain is temporary, and the c-file pawns are doubled for the moment. One rationale is that c3 stays free for the queen's knight while f2-f4 can later support e5, echoing the Classical French line also named after Steinitz, 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. dxc5 Bxc5.

The usual reply, chosen in the large majority of games, is 4...Bxc5, recovering the pawn while developing the bishop actively. 4...Nc6 is the main alternative, adding pressure on e5 before recapturing, and 4...Qa5+ is seldom seen. The engine rates the position as slightly better for Black, and online results clearly favor Black, so the line is treated as a modest sideline rather than a serious test of the French.