Caissa Codex
D34

Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Spassky Variation

Chess diagram: Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Spassky Variation after 11…Bg4

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Statistics from Lichess

3,169 games: White 45.8% / Draw 8.8% / Black 45.4%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
1,5501,550
530530
430430
213213
149149
7373
6363
5656

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 26, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.35 White is slightly better

Best play: 12. h3 Be6 13. Rc1 Rc8 14. Nxe6 fxe6 15. Nb5 a6 16. Nd4 Qd7

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

Overview

Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Spassky 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 cxd4 10. Nxd4 h6 11. Be3 Bg4 (11 moves).

In 3,169 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 45.8%, Black 45.4% and 8.8% were drawn. White's most played move here is 12. h3, in 49% of those games.

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

12. Qb3 scores best for White: 52.6%, with White winning 48.4% and Black 43.2% of 213 games. The most played, 12. h3, scores 50.3% in 1,550 games, and 12. Rc1 scores lowest: 49.7%. Stockfish's first choice is 12. h3.

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…cxd4 10. Nxd4 h6 11. Be3 Bg4, the position after Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Carlsbad Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Spassky Variation (D34)”. Lichess data as of 26 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/tarrasch-defense-classical-variation-spassky-variation

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