French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine-Maróczy Gambit

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO C15), reached after 7 half-moves: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Ne2.

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

Black knight — 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: Winawer Variation, Alekhine-Maróczy Gambit is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code C15. 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 7 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Ne2.

It belongs to the French Defense family. Within that family this is a level-2 branch (the Winawer Variation → Alekhine-Maróczy Gambit line). The immediate parent line is French Defense: Winawer Variation, transitioned via 4.Ne2.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.e4 e6, 2.d4 d5, 3.Nc3 Bb4, 4.Ne2. 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.