Franco-Nimzowitsch Variation

After 2. Nf3, the Declined Variation, Black can decline the transposition to the open games with 2...e5 and instead play 2...e6, the Franco-Nimzowitsch Variation. The move prepares ...d5 and a structure resembling the French Defense, but with a significant difference. In the French, Black usually undermines White's center with ...c5. Here the knight on c6 stands in front of the c-pawn, so that break is unavailable. Black must therefore find other ways to pressure the center, while the knight on c6 already bears down on d4.

White has several reasonable choices. The most popular by a wide margin is 3. d4, which takes the full center and tests whether Black's setup can challenge it without ...c5. Next in popularity, and about equally common, are 3. Nc3 and 3. Bc4, the latter yielding roughly level results in practice. The engine rates the position as a slight edge for White, and White scores somewhat better in the large body of online games. The line is a less common branch of an already offbeat defense.