French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Modern System
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Statistics from Lichess
133,478 games: White 49.1% / Draw 6.5% / Black 44.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 56,12956K | ||
| 27,64528K | ||
| 19,85120K | ||
| 15,86416K | ||
| 4,4144,414 | ||
| 3,3473,347 | ||
| 2,0252,025 | ||
| 1,2071,207 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 27, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.26 The position is about equal
Best play: 4. Ngf3 c5 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. exd5 exd5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. O-O Nf6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Modern System (ECO C03, Open Games) is a variation of the French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 a6 (3 moves).
In 133,478 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.1%, Black 44.4% and 6.5% were drawn. White's most played move here is 4. Ngf3, in 42% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Modern System
4. Bd3 scores best for White: 54.1%, with White winning 51.1% and Black 42.9% of 28K games. The most played, 4. Ngf3, scores 52.8% in 56K games, and 4. e5 scores lowest: 49.9%. Stockfish's first choice is 4. Ngf3.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Modern System (C03)”. Lichess data as of 27 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/french-defense-tarrasch-variation-modern-system