French Defense Tarrasch Closed Botvinnik Variation
French Defense
Definition
The French Defense is a classical reply to 1.e4 that begins 1…e6. Black immediately prepares …d5, challenging White’s center while keeping the light-squared bishop inside the pawn chain for the moment. It is regarded as one of the most resilient counter-attacking openings in chess.
Typical Starting Moves
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5
Strategic Themes
- Pawn Chain Logic: Black often places pawns on e6–d5–c5 (or …f6) to undermine White’s center from a distance.
- Bad Bishop vs. Good Pieces: The French bishop on c8 is notoriously “bad,” but in compensation Black gains dynamic counterplay on the dark squares.
- Counter-punching: Rather than striving for equal space immediately, Black attacks White’s center with timely pawn breaks (…c5, …f6).
Historical Significance
The opening derives its name from a 1834 correspondence match between London and a Parisian club led by Jacques Chamouillet. The “French players” chose 1…e6 so consistently that the name stuck. Over the next two centuries it became a staple of grandmasters such as Aron Nimzowitsch, Mikhail Botvinnik, Viktor Korchnoi, and current elite players like Ding Liren.
Model Game
Korchnoi – Karpov, Candidates 1974, illustrates Black’s counterplay in the Winawer:
.Interesting Facts
- The French is one of the very few 1…e6 openings where Black can keep the game semi-closed yet dynamic.
- It spawned numerous named systems—Winawer, Classical, Tarrasch, Rubinstein, Burn—each with its own literature.
Tarrasch Variation (in the French Defense)
Definition
The Tarrasch Variation arises after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2. White avoids the pin 3.Nc3 Bb4 (Winawer) and prepares to recapture on e4 with the knight. The line is named after Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch, who championed it in the late 19th century.
Main Branches
- 3…Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 –> Closed Tarrasch (most popular)
- 3…c5 –> Open Tarrasch / Guimard
- 3…Be7 –> Rubinstein-style development
Strategic Ideas for White
- Create a broad pawn center with e5–d4 while keeping pieces flexible.
- Use the f1–bishop (often developed to d3 or b5) to pressure Black’s kingside.
- A typical minority attack with c2–c4 can fix Black’s d-pawn.
Strategic Ideas for Black
- Undermine with …c5, …f6, or …g5 depending on the setup.
- Exploit the slight awkwardness of White’s d2-knight, which can block queen and bishop coordination.
Historical & Modern Adoption
The line was fashionable in the 1960s thanks to players like Boris Spassky, and remains a reliable weapon at every level because it sidesteps most of the notorious French Defense theory bombs.
Example Game
Spassky – Uhlmann, Palma de Mallorca 1969:
.Closed Tarrasch (a.k.a. French Defense, Tarrasch, Closed)
Definition
The term “Closed Tarrasch” denotes positions after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7, where White’s advanced e-pawn locks the center, creating the characteristic closed pawn chain e5–d4 vs. e6–d5.
Typical Continuations
5.f4 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ngf3 (or 7.Ndf3) produces the tabiya of the French Defense ECO codes C05–C07.
Plans and Counter-Plans
- White
- King-side initiative: f4–f5 pawn storm or piece play along the g- and h-files.
- Pressure on d5 and c5 squares, often preparing c2-c4 or a4 to chip away at Black’s queenside.
- Black
- Thematic breaks: …f6 (central) or …cxd4 followed by …f6 to undermine e5.
- Long-term minor-piece maneuvering: …b6, …Ba6 or bringing the c8-bishop to the a6–f1 diagonal.
Positional Hallmarks
The board is split into two theaters: kingside attacking chances for White versus central and queenside counterplay for Black. Knights frequently hop via f1–e3–g4 or b6–c4, echoing classic French motifs.
Classic Encounter
Tarrasch himself employed the structure against Emanuel Lasker (St. Petersburg 1895), but a clearer modern example is Botvinnik – Keres, USSR Championship 1941.
Botvinnik Variation (French Defense, Tarrasch, Closed)
Definition
The Botvinnik Variation is a precise sub-line of the Closed Tarrasch beginning with:
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ngf3 Qb6
Named after former World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik, who analyzed and employed the queen sortie to b6 as a dynamic antidote to White’s space advantage.
Key Ideas
- Immediate Pressure: …Qb6 hits both d4 and b2, forcing White to decide how to defend.
- Flexibility: Depending on White’s response (8.a3, 8.Qb3, 8.Be2), Black chooses between …cxd4, …Be7, or …f6.
- Speed of Development: Black often castles queenside, launching opposite-side attacks.
Theoretical Branches
- 8.a3 a5! – Botvinnik’s own recommendation, restraining b2–b4.
- 8.Qb3 cxd4 9.Qxb6 Nxb6 10.cxd4 Bd7 – heading for an IQP structure.
- 8.Be2 cxd4 9.cxd4 Bb4+ 10.Kf2 f6 – Botvinnik–style pawn break.
Illustrative Game
Botvinnik – Alekhin, Leningrad 1939 (training game): Botvinnik successfully defends the pawn chain before rolling his kingside pawns.
.Legacy & Anecdotes
- Botvinnik reportedly analyzed this system for months before unveiling it in Soviet team events, leading to a surge of popularity in the 1940s.
- Despite modern engine prep, the variation survives in practical play because it gives Black clear plans without heavy memorization.