Tarrasch Defense
You play Black · 15 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
Take a quiz
10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 9
- Classical Variation, Chandler VariationD341. 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 Re8 12. Rc1 Be612 moves
- Classical Variation, Spassky VariationD341. 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 Bg411 moves
- Classical Variation, Bogoljubow VariationD341. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. Nf3 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. g3 Nc6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. Bg5 Be6 10. Rc1 c410 moves
- Classical Variation, Petursson VariationD341. 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 Re810 moves
- Classical Variation, Réti VariationD341. 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. dxc5 Bxc5 10. Na410 moves
- Classical Variation, Advance VariationD341. 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 c49 moves
- Classical Variation, Classical Tarrasch GambitD341. 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. dxc5 d49 moves
- Symmetrical VariationD321. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. d4 d5 6. cxd5 exd56 moves
- Swedish Variation, Central BreakD331. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 c4 7. e47 moves
Other variations · 6
- Dubov TarraschD331. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bc58 moves
- Grünfeld GambitD321. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. dxc5 d4 7. Na4 b57 moves
- Marshall GambitD321. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. e45 moves
- Tarrasch GambitD321. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. dxc5 d4 6. Na4 b56 moves
- von Hennig GambitD321. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 cxd4 5. Qxd4 Nc6 6. Qd1 exd5 7. Qxd5 Be67 moves
- Wagner VariationD331. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Bg47 moves
What is the Tarrasch Defense?
The Tarrasch Defense arises after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5. Instead of defending d5 passively, you strike at the centre at once and accept that after an exchange on d5 you may be left with an isolated d-pawn. In return you get free piece play, open lines for your bishops and easy development. It is a classical but dynamic, open defence and a well-established choice against the Queen's Gambit, named after Siegbert Tarrasch, who championed active pieces over static pawn weaknesses.
Main ideas and plans
White's most respected set-up is the Rubinstein System with g3 and Bg2: the bishop aims at d5, and White wants to blockade the isolated pawn, win it or trade into a good endgame. Your answer is activity. In the Main Line of the Classical Variation, 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 Re8, your pieces are ready for play on the kingside, and a well-timed ...d4 frees your game. The Spassky Variation puts the bishop on g4 instead of the rook move. The Swedish Variation, with ...c4 on move six, avoids the isolated pawn by gaining queenside space, but allows White the central break e4.
If White avoids the fianchetto, the Symmetrical Variation, 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nc6, gives a calmer, more balanced game. White also has gambits such as the Marshall Gambit, 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.e4, and in the Tarrasch Gambit, 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.dxc5 d4 6.Na4 b5, White takes a pawn while you gain space and time. You can also seize the initiative yourself with the Schara Gambit, 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 cxd4, sacrificing a pawn for rapid development and open lines.
Who is it for?
The Tarrasch suits active players who like open positions and are comfortable with an isolated queen's pawn. It is also very instructive: you learn both how to use an isolated pawn and how to defend one. The risk is structural, because if too many pieces are exchanged the d5 pawn becomes a long-term weakness in the endgame. First study the typical isolated-pawn middlegames (where your pieces belong and when to push ...d4) and the fianchetto main line, which you will meet most often.