Caissa Codex
D34

Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Endgame Variation

Chess diagram: Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Endgame Variation after 9…Be6

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Statistics from Lichess

30,846 games: White 50.8% / Draw 8.7% / Black 40.5%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
10,54311K
8,8598,859
4,3614,361
3,2943,294
850850
653653
629629
456456

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 24, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.38 White is slightly better

Best play: 10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Rc1 Be7 12. Nd4 Nxd4 13. Qxd4 Qa5 14. Bd2 Qa6

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

Overview

Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Endgame 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 Be6 (9 moves).

In 30,846 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 50.8%, Black 40.5% and 8.7% were drawn. White's most played move here is 10. dxc5, in 34% of those games.

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

10. Bxf6 scores best for White: 58.0%, with White winning 53.3% and Black 37.2% of 3,294 games. The most played, 10. dxc5, scores 57.4% in 11K games, and 10. e3 scores lowest: 52.8%. Stockfish's first choice is 10. dxc5.

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…Be6, the position after Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Carlsbad Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Endgame Variation (D34)”. Lichess data as of 24 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/tarrasch-defense-classical-variation-endgame-variation

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