Caissa Codex
D34

Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Advance Variation

Chess diagram: Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Advance Variation after 9…c4

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

45,372 games: White 44.3% / Draw 9.7% / Black 46.0%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
29,01329K
6,4926,492
3,0973,097
2,8352,835
1,0201,020
957957
506506
347347

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.31 White is slightly better

Best play: 10. e3 Be6 11. b3 cxb3 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. axb3 Nb4 14. Na2 Be7

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Advance Variation (ECO D34, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a variation of the Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Carlsbad Variation, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. Bg5 c4 (9 moves).

In 45,372 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 44.3%, Black 46.0% and 9.7% were drawn. White's most played move here is 10. Ne5, in 64% of those games.

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How to play against the Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Advance Variation

10. e3 scores best for White: 54.2%, with White winning 50.2% and Black 41.8% of 3,097 games. The most played, 10. Ne5, scores 48.9% in 29K games, and 10. Re1 scores lowest: 46.3%. Stockfish's first choice is also 10. e3.

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

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 9…c4, the position after Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Carlsbad Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Advance Variation (D34)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/tarrasch-defense-classical-variation-advance-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/tarrasch-defense-classical-variation-advance-variation