French Defense Main Line Tartakower Variation
French Defense – Main Line, Tartakower Variation
Definition
The Tartakower Variation arises in the Classical (or Main-Line) French Defense after the moves: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7. Instead of the sharper 4…Bb4 (MacCutcheon) or 4…dxe4 (Burn), Black simply asks the bishop on g5 what it intends to do, while quietly preparing to complete development. The line is named after the witty Polish-French grandmaster Savielly Tartakower, who popularized 4…Be7 in the 1920s.
Typical Move-Order
The most common continuation is:
- 5. e5 Nfd7
- 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 (or 6…Kxe7 in older games)
- 7. f4 a6 (…c5 is also frequent)
- 8. Nf3 c5
White has also tried 5. exd5, 5. Nf3, and even the waiting move 5. Qd2, each leading to different pawn-structure nuances.
Strategic Themes
- Flexible King Safety. By postponing …O-O, Black keeps castling options open. In some lines the king stays in the center until the pawn structure clarifies.
- Light-Squared Bishop Trade. After 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Bxe7, the troublesome French bishop is exchanged. Black accepts slightly cramped piece play in return for a sound structure when the central tension eventually resolves.
- Central Pawn Chain. White’s e5–d4 chain gains space. Black relies on breaks with …c5 and …f6 to undermine it.
- Minor-Piece Manoeuvres. Typical ideas include Nf6–d7–b6/d7–f8, while White often reroutes the c3-knight to e2–f4 or b5–d6.
Usage in Practice
The Tartakower has a reputation as a “solid but venomous” weapon. Because it avoids forcing theory, it is a favorite of players who wish to steer the game into strategic channels:
- At club level: A safe choice for Black against opponents booked-up on sharper French lines.
- In top events: Adopted occasionally by grandmasters such as Vassily Smyslov, Viktor Korchnoi, and more recently Fabiano Caruana (e.g., Caruana–Mamedyarov, Candidates 2018).
Illustrative Game
A classical model showing Black’s typical plans is:
(Tarrasch–Tartakower, Vienna 1922) – Black demonstrated the timely break …c5 followed by queenside expansion.
Plans for Both Sides
-
White
- Expand on the kingside with f4–f5, g4, and sometimes h4–h5.
- Occupy the d6 outpost with a knight after cxd4 exf6 or Nb5.
- Keep the center closed to facilitate a pawn storm.
-
Black
- Break with …c5 (most common) or …f6 at the right moment.
- Pressure the d4-pawn via …Nc6, …Qb6, and rooks on c8/e8.
- Use the half-open f-file after …f6 exf6 Qxf6 to drum up counterplay.
Common Pitfalls
- 6.Bxe7? Qxe7 7.Nb5? fails tactically to 7…Qb4+, hitting both b2 and d4.
- Over-extension with 7.f4?! and 8.g4?! can backfire if Black is ready with …h5 or a timely …f6.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Tartakower allegedly quipped, “The bishop may retreat, but my intention will not,” after first unveiling 4…Be7, hinting at the latent counterplay in the position.
- In the 1954 World Championship match, Smyslov used the variation as Black versus Botvinnik, equalizing comfortably – proof of its resilience at the very highest level.
- Computers initially underrated the line due to the space advantage granted to White, but modern engines show that Black’s breaks are fully adequate, leading to a near-balanced evaluation (≈0.20 on current top engines).