French Defense: Tarrasch Variation

The Tarrasch Variation of the French Defense (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2) is named after Siegbert Tarrasch. White defends e4 with the queen's knight from d2 instead of c3, a less aggressive choice than 3.Nc3 that is still used by top players looking for a small, safe advantage.

Origins

The Tarrasch became particularly popular in the 1970s and early 1980s, when Anatoly Karpov used it to great effect. The line 3...c5 4.exd5 exd5 was a staple of the Karpov–Korchnoi battles, including seven games of their 1974 Candidates match.

The idea

Unlike 3.Nc3, the knight on d2 does not block the c-pawn, so White can support d4 with c3. That also takes the sting out of the Winawer, since 3...Bb4 can be met by 4.c3. On the other hand, the knight is on a less active square and shuts in the dark-squared bishop, so White usually has to spend a tempo moving it before developing the bishop.

Main lines

• 3...c5, the Open System:
  • 4.exd5 exd5, usually leaving Black with an isolated queen's pawn. The main line runs 5.Ngf3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd6 7.O-O Ne7 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Nb3 Bb6; if White neutralises Black's active pieces, White has a slight advantage in the ending;
  • 4.exd5 Qxd5, the Chistyakov Defense, trading Black's c- and d-pawns for White's d- and e-pawns to get an extra centre pawn, in return for losing time with the queen;
  • 4.Ngf3, the Euwe-Keres Line, played by Paul Keres and Max Euwe;
  • 4.c3 (Süchting Line) gives White no advantage after 4...cxd4 5.cxd4 dxe4 6.Nxe4 Nf6.
• 3...Nf6, the Closed Variation, aiming to close the centre: 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ne2 cxd4 8.cxd4 (main line) f6, freeing Black's pieces at the cost of a backward e6-pawn. 5.f4 is the Pawn Center Variation.
• 3...Be7, the Morozevich Variation, a fashionable waiting move among top grandmasters.
• 3...Nc6, the Guimard Defense; White should keep a slight advantage.
• 3...dxe4, entering the Rubinstein Variation and avoiding Tarrasch-specific theory.

Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

• Avoids the Winawer and keeps the option of c3.
• Solid, aiming for a small, safe advantage.

Weaknesses

• The knight on d2 blocks the dark-squared bishop.
• Less aggressive than 3.Nc3.

Who should play it

The Tarrasch suits White players who want a solid, positional answer to the French without facing the Winawer.

The numbers

On Lichess White leads at every level: 52.4% against 44.4% under 1400, 52.4% against 43.6% at 1400–1799, 50.7% against 43.8% at 1800–2199 and 48.7% against 43.3% from 2200 up. In about 43,700 master games White won 35.7%, Black 22.2%, and 42.1% were drawn.