The French Defense: St. George Defense with 3.Nc3

The St. George Defense (1.e4 e6 2.d4 a6) gets its name from a famous game in which, as the story goes, the then-world champion was caught off guard. The idea is simple: Black delays committing the d-pawn and instead prepares ...b5, aiming to challenge White's centre from the flank. After 2...a6, White's most principled reply is 3.Nc3, and only then does Black play 3...d5, transposing into a French-like structure. The position is rich in ideas — Black keeps both ...c5 and ...b5 as options, and the early ...a6 can prove useful in some lines. At the same time, White's 3.Nc3 is a flexible, developing move that fights for the centre.

Stockfish evaluates this position at +0.64, which is a clear edge for White. That means you, as Black, are slightly worse right from the starting point. Don't let that discourage you — a small plus for White is normal in many French lines, and the statistics bear that out. Across over 133,000 games, White scores 50.3%, Black scores 46.2%, and draws are rare at 3.5%. You are fighting for full points, not just survival. The key is knowing which White moves are most dangerous and which ones give you real counterplay.

White has several reasonable continuations from this position. Here are the most common ones, with their scoring rates (White wins + draws):- Nf3 (38,201 games, White scores 52.8%): The engine's top choice and the most popular. White develops naturally and prepares to meet ...Nf6 with e5.- e5 (28,580 games, White scores 45.7%): Surprisingly, White scores below 50% here! This is the move you should be happiest to see.- exd5 (26,382 games, White scores 50.6%): Opening the centre immediately. You can recapture with ...exd5 or ...Qxd5, each leading to a different type of game.- Bd3 (10,784 games, White scores 53.0%): A developing move that eyes the kingside, but your ...b5 plan is still possible.- Bf4 (6,670 games, White scores 49.1%): Another development that gives you nearly even chances.Notice the pattern: when White pushes e5 early, your winning chances actually improve. That's a useful clue for how to approach this opening.

According to the engine analysis, e5 is actually an inaccuracy in this position, costing White about half a pawn. The better move was Nf3. So if White advances the e-pawn on move 4, they have slipped up — and that's your moment. After 4.e5, you can play ...Nfd7, blockading the pawn chain and preparing to chip away at White's centre with ...c5 and ...b6 or ...f6. The statistics back this up: White scores only 45.7% after e5, below your opponent's expected share. Keep an eye out for this advance and be ready to seize the slight advantage it gives you.

The engine's recommendation is 4.Nf3, and it's also the most-played move by a wide margin. After 4.Nf3, the best continuation is 4...Nf6 5.e5 Nfd7, leading to a locked centre typical of the French Advance. Your plan is clear: finish development with ...Be7, ...0-0, and then challenge White's centre with ...c5. The pawn on e5 gives you a target, and your light-squared bishop (not blocked by your own e6-pawn in some lines) can often become active. White's edge is small — with accurate play, you have every chance to outplay them in the middlegame.