French Defense · As Black · updated October 2026
Play the French like Frederick Waldhausen Gordon
A repertoire in the French built from 380 of Frederick Waldhausen Gordon's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Frederick Waldhausen Gordon chose most often. Where Frederick Waldhausen Gordon has fewer than 3 games, the course takes the other top-50 players' most played move, then Stockfish's. Learn a line on the board, then each position comes back in a short daily review until it sticks.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Frederick Waldhausen Gordon or Chess.com.
- Frederick Waldhausen Gordon was #43 in Chess.com blitz in October 2026 (3,210) and scored 65% against opponents averaging 2,897 in these games.
- You play Frederick Waldhausen Gordon's own move in 40 of 40 positions.
- The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.
Train lines
Learn a new line move by move. Lines due for review go to your daily review first.
Free · first 5 lines need no account
Blitz rank
#43
Chess.com
Rating
3,210
Games
380
in this opening
Score
65%
in these games
Opponents
2,897
average rating
Lines to learn
- Next
Line 1 · 6% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.exd5 exd5 5.Bd3 Ne7
- New
Line 2 · 6% at top level
2.Nf3 d5
- New
Line 3 · 6% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Nc6 7.Qg4 g6
- New
Line 4 · 5% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 h6 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Nfd7
- New
Line 5 · 4% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Nc6 7.Nf3 Bd7
- New
Line 6 · 4% at top level
2.Qe2 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.Nc3 Qa5
- New
Line 7 · 4% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 h6 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 c5 6.exd5 Nxd5
- New
Line 8 · 4% at top level
2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 c5
- New
Line 9 · 4% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.Bd2 Ne7
- New
Line 10 · 4% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bd6
- New
Line 11 · 4% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bd7 6.Be2 Nge7 7.Na3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Nf5 9.Nc2 Be7 10.O-O O-O
- New
Line 12 · 3% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Ne2 dxe4 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Nxc3 Nc6 7.d5 exd5 8.Qxd5 Be6 9.Qxe4 Nf6
- New
Line 13 · 3% at top level
2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Nc6 7.h4 Bd7 8.h5 Qa5
Ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. Learned lines join your daily review.
Frederick Waldhausen Gordon's main line in the French, move by move
The most common line at top level: 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.exd5 exd5 5.Bd3 Ne7.
- 2.d4 Reply · Frederick Waldhausen Gordon's games A common reply here is 2.d4. At top level, this comes up about 77% of the time.
- 2…d5 Your move · Frederick Waldhausen Gordon's games Frederick Waldhausen Gordon played 2…d5 in 291 games, scoring 66%.
- 3.Nc3 Reply · Frederick Waldhausen Gordon's games A common reply here is 3.Nc3. At top level, this comes up about 36% of the time.
- 3…Bb4 Your move · Frederick Waldhausen Gordon's games Frederick Waldhausen Gordon played 3…Bb4 in 110 games, scoring 65%.
- 4.exd5 Reply · Frederick Waldhausen Gordon's games A common reply here is 4.exd5. At top level, this comes up about 6% of the time.
- 4…exd5 Your move · Frederick Waldhausen Gordon's games Frederick Waldhausen Gordon played 4…exd5 in 12 games, scoring 58%.
- 5.Bd3 Reply · Frederick Waldhausen Gordon's games A common reply here is 5.Bd3.
- 5…Ne7 Your move · Frederick Waldhausen Gordon's games Frederick Waldhausen Gordon played 5…Ne7 in 9 games, scoring 61%.
Questions about this course
- How does Frederick Waldhausen Gordon play the French?
- After 1.e4 e6, Frederick Waldhausen Gordon's most common line is 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.exd5 exd5 5.Bd3 Ne7. At top level it comes up about 6% of the time.
- Is this Frederick Waldhausen Gordon's course?
- No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Frederick Waldhausen Gordon's public Chess.com blitz games.
- What is this French course based on?
- 380 of Frederick Waldhausen Gordon's Chess.com blitz games in the French Defense as Black, against opponents with an average rating of 2,897. Frederick Waldhausen Gordon scored 65% in them.
- How many lines does the course have?
- 13 lines covering 40 positions, ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. The first 5 lines need no account; saving your progress with an email unlocks the rest, free.
- Who is Frederick Waldhausen Gordon?
- IM Frederick Waldhausen Gordon was ranked number 43 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,210 when this course was built.