Forever Chess GamesForever Chess Games Logo
CreateGiftsProductsGamesPlayersOpeningsTop 100FAQ

Explore

  • Players
  • Openings
  • Famous Games
  • Top 100 Games
  • World Championships

Create

  • Create Visualisation
  • How It Works
  • Gift Ideas

Eras

  • 1880s – Classical
  • 1960s – Fischer Era
  • 1990s – Kasparov Era
  • 2020s – Modern

Info

  • FAQ
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use

© 2026 Forever Chess Games. All Rights Reserved

  1. Home
  2. /Openings
  3. /French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation (C19)
C19

French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation

Key moves: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3/Nd2 dxe4

In the Rubinstein Variation, Black captures on e4, leading to open positions. White gets a slight space advantage but Black has solid development.

History & Notable Players

Named after Akiba Rubinstein, the legendary endgame player.

Top Players in this Opening

Nepomniachtchi,I31 gamesGrischuk,A21 gamesTimman, Jan H19 gamesShort, Nigel D18 gamesSo,W16 gamesCaruana,F15 gamesIvanchuk,V14 gamesSmyslov, Vassily14 gamesKamsky,G14 gamesSpassky, Boris V14 games

Related Openings

C10 - French Defense: Marshall Gambit747C11 - French Defense: Steinitz Variation1538C12 - French Defense: McCutcheon Variation175C13 - French Defense: Classical Variation93C14 - French Defense: Classical Variation104C15 - French Defense: Winawer Variation278C16 - French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation263C17 - French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation225C18 - French Defense: Winawer Variation, Warsaw Variation487

Best Games

Karjakin,Sergey vs Livaic,Leon0-1
PNWCC Online Blitz JP 8 2020Notable
Vachier Lagrave,M vs Nepomniachtchi,I1-0
FIDE Candidates 2020 2020Notable
Alekseenko,K vs Nepomniachtchi,I1/2-1/2
FIDE Candidates 2020 2020Notable
Giri,A vs Carlsen,M1/2-1/2
80th Tata Steel GpA 2018Notable
Anand,V vs Ivanchuk,V1-0
18th Amber Rapid 2009Notable
Kamsky,G vs Ivanchuk,V1-0
38th Olympiad 2008Notable
Anand, Viswanathan vs Ivanchuk, Vassily1-0
Dortmund 1997Notable
Predke,A vs Giri,A1/2-1/2
45th Olympiad 2024 2024
Carlsen,M vs Rapport,R1-0
GRENKE Chess Playoffs 1-2 2024
Dominguez Perez,L vs Nepomniachtchi,I1-0
Titled Tue 9th Jan Early 2024
So,W vs Abdusattorov,Nodirbek1-0
Armageddon Grand Finale L 2023
Erigaisi,Arjun vs Nepomniachtchi,I0-1
chess.com SpeedChess 2023 2023
Aronian,L vs So,W1-0
chess.com SpeedChess 2023 2023
Caruana,F vs Abdusattorov,Nodirbek1-0
ChessKid Cup Div 1 W 2023
Ivanchuk,V vs Duda,J0-1
Duda-Ivanchuk Help UKR m 2022
Karjakin,Sergey vs Grischuk,A1/2-1/2
18th Moscow Stars Prelim 2022
Aronian,L vs Duda,J0-1
Meltwater Tour Final 2021 2021
Aronian,L vs Duda,J1/2-1/2
Meltwater Tour Final 2021 2021
Aronian,L vs Nepomniachtchi,I1/2-1/2
chess.com Speed 2020 2020
Aronian,L vs Nepomniachtchi,I0-1
chess.com Speed 2020 2020

Explore More

All OpeningsAll Players