After 1. e4 Black plays e6 signifying his intent to play the French Defense. The move 1... e6 bolsters support for the coming advance d7-d5, providing Black with a good stake in the center and allowing Black to decline recapturing with the queen after the plausible continuation exd5. In most lines White will follow up with 2. d4, with Black's only serious reply to this being 2... d5 (over 154 times more popular than 2... c5 in master play.)
| Game | Result | Year |
| Carlsen, M. (2875) vs Grischuk, A. (2775) | 1-0 | 2019 |
| So, W. (2815) vs Carlsen, M. (2832) | 1/2-1/2 | 2017 |
| Caruana, F. (2817) vs So, W. (2822) | 0-1 | 2017 |
| Carlsen, M. (2882) vs Rapport, R. (2747) | 1-0 | 2019 |
| Aronian, L.. (2781) vs Carlsen, M.. (2847) | 1-0 | 2021 |
| Giri, A. (2760) vs Carlsen, M. (2864) | 0-1 | 2022 |
| Karjakin, Sergey (2778) vs Carlsen, Magnus (2843) | 1/2-1/2 | 2012 |
| Kasparov, Garry (2851) vs Anand, Viswanathan (2769) | 1/2-1/2 | 2000 |
| Kasparov, Garry (2851) vs Anand, Viswanathan (2769) | 1-0 | 2000 |
| Caruana, Fabiano (2835) vs Nepomniachtchi, Ian (2784) | 1/2-1/2 | 2020 |