Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e6/2. e5

An unconventional continuation. This disrupts the usual continuation of the French, so may be useful as an anti-theoretical surprise weapon, but it is not thought to be as sound as 2. d4.

If Black plays 2...d5 or 2...d6 (on turn two or later, e.g. 2...c5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. c3 d6), White is ready to capture 3. exd6. White trades the e-pawn for the d-pawn, but unlike the exchange French (2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5) they avoid the drawish, symmetrical pawn structure.

Wilhelm Steinitz (1836―1900) debuted this opening in the 1882 Vienna tournament, where he played it six times including against Winawer (1838―1919), who played 2...f6.^[1] Though Steinitz played it occasionally for a short while afterwards (e.g. against Blackburne in 1883^[2]) it did not become his preferred line and he described it later as an "experiment".^[3]

In Die Französische Partie (German: The French Game) (1891), the first book of analysis dedicated to the French defence, Albert Heyde described it as (translating from German) "[having] the advantage of surprising the opponent, but it is significantly inferior theoretically to the usual continuation, 2. d4" and recommended the continuation 2...d5 anyway, allowing 3. d4 to transpose into an advance French or 3. exd6 e.p. Bxe6 4. d4 (4. Nf3 e5 5. d3 f5 6. Be2 Nf6 7. O-O O-O) 4...Nf6 5. Nf3 O-O.^[4]

It has not seen much serious tournament play since.

1. e4 e6 2. e5