French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Hector Variation

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO C02), reached after 13 half-moves: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. O-O.

Black rook — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

Black bishop — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

End of this line

No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

About this opening

French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, Hector Variation is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code C02. ECO group C (C00–C99) covers open games (1.e4 e5) and the French Defence, including the Ruy Lopez, Italian, Scotch and King's Gambit. This particular variation is reached after 13 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Qb6 6. Bd3 cxd4 7. O-O.

It belongs to the French Defense family. Within that family this is a level-3 branch (the Advance Variation → Milner-Barry Gambit → Hector Variation line). The immediate parent line is French Defense: Advance Variation, Milner-Barry Gambit, transitioned via 7.O-O.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.e4 e6, 2.d4 d5, 3.e5 c5, 4.c3 Nc6, 5.Nf3 Qb6, 6.Bd3 cxd4. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.