Tarrasch variant
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Diagram 1 : The French Tarrasch Variation after 3. Nb1 – d2
The Tarrasch Variation in the French Defense is an opening variation in chess . It is classified under the keys C03 to C09 in the opening system of the ECO codes .
The Tarrasch variant arises after the moves:
- 1. e2 – e4 e7 – e6 2. d2 – d4 d7 – d5 3. Nb1 – d2
Siegbert Tarrasch introduced the cautious knight move 3.Nd2 against French around 1889. In this way White prevents a pin like in the Winawer variant and the MacCutcheon variant , keeps his center flexible and is equipped to counter the thematic lever c7 – c5 with c2 – c3, which supports the d4 pawn. White has to pay with reduced center influence and the self-blockade of Bc1. This enables the black to make a relatively large number of different countermoves.
Interestingly enough, Tarrasch didn't think much of his own line any more, because the player who followed comes after 3.… c7 – c5 (Black immediately attacks White's center) 4. e4xd5 e6xd5 easily to an Isolani , whom Tarrasch judged to be advantageous for Black. After 5. Ng1 – f3 Nb8 – c6 6. Bf1 – b5 Bf8 – d6 7. d4xc5 Bd6xc5 8. 0–0 Ng8 – e7 9. Nd2 – b3 Bc5 – b6 the knight d2 has achieved an excellent performance by gaining speed on the black bishop The piece that covers the d4-square directly in front of Isolani.
4.… Qd8xd5 avoids this. In addition, Black will gain a majority on the kingside. After 5. Ng1 – f3 c5xd4 6. Bf1 – c4 Qd5 – d6 7. 0–0 Ng8 – f6 8. Nd2 – b3 one of the white knights will take a centralized position on d4.
The other main answer 3.… Ng8 – f6 wants to induce the pawn chain, which occurs frequently in the French defense, by provoking 4. e4 – e5 to get it after Nf6 – d7 5. Bf1 – d3 c7 – c5 6. c2 – c3 Nb8 – c6 7. Ng1 – e2 with c5xd4 8. c3xd4 f7 – f6 9. e5xf6 Nd7xf6 and to develop after 10. Nd2 – f3 Qd8 – b6 11. 0–0 Bf8 – d6.
Maintaining his center, White achieves 5. f2 – f4 (instead of 5. Bd3) with the sequence 5.… c7 – c5 6. c2 – c3 Nb8 – c6 7. Nd2 – f3 Qd8 – b6 8. g2 – g3 c5xd4 9. c3xd4 Bf8-b4 + 10th Ke1-f2
The answer, named after Carlos Guimard , 3.… Nb8 – c6, also wants to bring about the pawn chain by provoking e4 – e5. Since the Nc6 hinders the pawn lever c7 – c5 against the base d4 of the white pawn chain, you can only proceed with f7-f6 against the tip of the white pawn chain. 4. Ng1 – f3 Ng8 – f6 5. e4 – e5 Nf6 – d7 6. c2 – c3 f7 – f6 7. Bf1 – b5 is a sequence of moves that shows the direct and indirect battle for e5.
They also played 3.… a7 – a6, 3.… Bf8 – e7, 3.… b7 – b6, 3.… h7 – h6.