French Defense: Tarrasch Variation
ECO C03 · 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
The Tarrasch Variation, 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2, supports e4 with the queen's knight instead of the c3 square. It avoids the Winawer pin, keeps the c-pawn free to support d4, and was championed by Siegbert Tarrasch and later by Anatoly Karpov.
Plans for White
White develops with Ngf3, Bd3 and O-O, and often plays c3 to keep the d4 pawn solid. Against ...c5 lines White aims to blockade and attack an isolated pawn on d5; against ...Nf6 White pushes e5 and builds a kingside attack.
Plans for Black
Black can play 3...c5, accepting an isolated queen's pawn after exd5 exd5 in exchange for active pieces; 3...Nf6, leading to closed French chains after e5; or the flexible 3...Be7 and 3...Nc6.
Typical pawn structures
Isolated queen's pawn positions after 3...c5, or the classic d4-e5 French chain after 3...Nf6 4.e5.
Who it suits
Positional players who want a sound, flexible system against the French.
Common traps
The knight on d2 temporarily blocks the c1 bishop, so slow play gives Black time for ...c5 and ...Nc6 pressure on d4. In the IQP lines, White must not trade too few pieces and let Black's activity grow.
Variations
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System — 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Guimard Defense — 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Closed Variation — 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Chistyakov Defense — 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 Qxd5
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Haberditz Variation — 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 f5
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Modern System — 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 a6
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Morozevich Variation — 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Be7
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Pawn Center Variation — 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Botvinnik Variation — 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 b6
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Eliskases Variation — 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Ngf3 cxd4 6. Bc4 Qd8
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Leningrad Variation — 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ne2 cxd4 8. cxd4 Nb6
Related variations
- French Defense: Advance Variation
- French Defense: Exchange Variation
- French Defense: Winawer Variation
- French Defense: Banzai-Leong Gambit
- French Defense: Horwitz Attack
- French Defense: King's Indian Attack
- French Defense: Knight Variation
- French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation
- French Defense: St. George Defense
- French Defense: Classical Variation
- French Defense: Rubinstein Variation
- French Defense: McCutcheon Variation
- French Defense: Steinitz Variation
- French Defense: Alekhine-Chatard Attack
- French Defense: Bird Invitation
- French Defense: Chigorin Variation
- French Defense: Normal Variation
- French Defense: Queen's Knight
- French Defense: Réti-Spielmann Attack
- French Defense: Steiner Variation
- French Defense: Steinitz Attack
- French Defense: Baeuerle Gambit
- French Defense: Franco-Hiva Gambit
- French Defense: Franco-Sicilian Defense
- French Defense: Mediterranean Defense
- French Defense: Alapin Gambit
- French Defense: Diemer-Duhm Gambit
- French Defense: Franco-Hiva Gambit Accepted
- French Defense: Morphy Gambit
- French Defense: Paulsen Variation