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| Moves | 1.d4 e6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ECO | A40 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Origin | 19th century | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Named after | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Queen's Pawn Game | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Synonym(s) | Horwitz Defence | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Franco-Indian Defence (also Horwitz Defence) is a chess opening defined by the moves:
Contents
- 1. d4 e6
This response to White's 1.d4 is so named "because it may lead to the French Defence, or to one of the Indian Defences; it may, however, take a different course." [1] Alternatively, author Eric Schiller has proposed the name "Horwitz Defence", after the German chess master and writer Bernhard Horwitz (1807–1885), who played it against Daniel Harrwitz between 1849 and 1852. [2] [3]
The opening has little independent significance and is likely to transpose into other openings. English grandmaster Simon Williams often uses 1.d4 e6 as a way of playing for the Dutch Defence while avoiding the Staunton Gambit (1.d4 f5 2.e4!?). [4] [5] One of the few independent lines is the Keres Defence (1.d4 e6 2.c4 Bb4+), where White usually plays 3.Bd2, avoiding a transposition to the Nimzo-Indian Defence; however, transpositions to other openings such as the Bogo-Indian Defence are still possible.
The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings code for the Franco-Indian Defence is A40.