Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e6/2. e5

Steinitz attack C00 French defence 2. e5?! · Steinitz attack An unconventional continuation. This disrupts the usual continuation of the French, so may be useful as an anti-theoretical surprise weapon, but it is not thought to be as sound as 2. d4. If Black plays 2...d5 or 2...d6 (on turn two or later, e.g. 2...c5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. c3 d6), White is ready to capture 3. exd6. White trades the e-pawn for the d-pawn, but unlike the exchange French (2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5) they avoid the drawish, symmetrical pawn structure. History Wilhelm Steinitz (1836―1900) debuted this opening in the 1882 Vienna tournament, where he played it six times including against Winawer (1838―1919), who played 2...f6.Wilhelm Stenitz's games at the Vienna 1882 tournament, Chessgames.com Though Steinitz played it occasionally for a short while afterwards (e.g. against Blackburne in 1883Steinitz v Blackburne, Chessgames.com) it did not become his preferred line and he described it later as an "experiment".Steinitz Wilhelm 1886 Game no 128 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nnc1.cu09207198 International Chess Magazine 2 8 244 25 January 2026 In Die Französische Partie (German: The French Game) (1891), the first book of analysis dedicated to the French defence, Albert Heyde described it as (translating from German) "[having] the advantage of surprising the opponent, but it is significantly inferior theoretically to the usual continuation, 2. d4" and recommended the continuation 2...d5 anyway, allowing 3. d4 to transpose into an advance French or 3. exd6 e.p. Bxe6 4. d4 (4. Nf3 e5 5. d3 f5 6. Be2 Nf6 7. O-O O-O) 4...Nf6 5. Nf3 O-O.Die Französische Partie Heyde Albert Oskar Löbbecke 1891 Braunschweig 68-72 German https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Die_franz%C3%B6sische_Partie.html?id=yVu4NSN_5DoC It has not seen much serious tournament play since. Theory table 0 2...d5 3. exd6 Bxd6 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 O-O - Steinitz attack 2. ... ... 3. d4 Advance French(by transposition) References See also