French Defense Tarrasch Open
French Defense
Definition
The French Defense is the opening that begins with the moves 1. e4 e6. Black immediately prepares to challenge White’s center with …d5 on the next move while avoiding the symmetry of 1…e5. The ECO (Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings) codes for the French run from C00 to C19.
Typical Move-Order
- e4 e6
- d4 d5
From this branching point, White chooses among the Advance (3.e5), Exchange (3.exd5), Tarrasch (3.Nd2), Classical (3.Nc3), and other lesser-played options.
Strategic Themes
- Counter-attack against the pawn center. By challenging e4 with …d5, Black hopes either to create pawn tension (e4–d4 vs. e6–d5) or to exchange on e4, opening the position for the light-squared bishop.
- Asymmetrical pawn structure. In most lines Black obtains a pawn chain pointing toward the queenside (e6-d5-c4) while White’s chain (d4-e5) points toward the kingside. Plans frequently revolve around pawn breaks …c5 or …f6 for Black, and f4–f5 or g4 for White.
- Bad “French Bishop.” Black’s light-squared bishop on c8 is hemmed in by the e6 pawn; solving this problem (via …b6, …Ba6, or timely exchanges) is a central motif.
Historical Significance
The name “French Defense” dates back to an 1834 London–Paris correspondence match in which the Parisian team adopted 1…e6 as their main reply to 1.e4. Over time it became a mainstay of world champions such as Botvinnik, Korchnoi, Karpov, and Carlsen (in rapid & blitz).
Illustrative Mini-Game
In this sharp Winawer (3.Nc3 Bb4) skirmish, White lands a tactic based on the exposed black king, underscoring how double-edged the French can become.
Interesting Facts
- In the first Kasparov–Karpov title match (Moscow 1984), nine French Defenses appeared—an unusually high number for a World Championship.
- The setup …Be7, …b6, …Ba6 was pioneered by Mikhail Botvinnik and remains a fashionable way to “liberate” the c8 bishop.
- GM Ulf Andersson was famous for squeezing endgames out of the apparently solid but passive French structures.
Tarrasch
Definition
“Tarrasch” in chess is most commonly shorthand for either (a) openings championed by the German grandmaster and theorist Siegbert Tarrasch (1862-1934) or (b) strategic principles he expounded (“The open file must be occupied by a rook,” “The knight on the rim is dim,” etc.). Two specific opening systems still bear his name:
- French Defense, Tarrasch Variation: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 (ECO C03-C09).
- Queen’s Gambit Declined, Tarrasch Defense: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 (ECO D32-D34).
How It Is Used
Players and writers will say “I play the Tarrasch” or “He went for a Tarrasch structure” to indicate one of the two systems above. The unifying theme is early central tension and dynamic counter-play at the cost of structural concessions (an isolated queen’s pawn in the QGD Tarrasch, or slightly cramped piece placement in the French Tarrasch).
Strategic Significance
- French Tarrasch (3.Nd2). White avoids pinning lines like 3.Nc3 Bb4 (the Winawer) and holds the option of f2-f4 in many setups. The move 3.Nd2 also supports e4-e5 pushes without blocking the c-pawn.
- QGD Tarrasch. By playing …c5 early, Black accepts the possibility of an isolated d-pawn after dxc5 but gains active piece play. Tarrasch himself was a great believer in the “initiative over structure” philosophy, decades before it became mainstream.
Illustrative Game
Karpov – Kasparov, World Championship (Game 17), Moscow 1985
Karpov met Kasparov’s QGD Tarrasch with the Gligorić System (9.Be3). After 20 moves a typical IQP middlegame arose where White sought blockades while Black pursued piece activity. Kasparov eventually drew the ending but never equalized fully—showing both the potential and the risks of the Tarrasch.
Interesting Anecdotes
- Tarrasch famously quipped, “Chess, like love, like music, has the power to make men happy.” The quote often appears alongside annotations of games where the Tarrasch Variation yields sparkling tactics.
- Bobby Fischer used the French Tarrasch to defeat Petrosian in the 1958 Interzonal, praising the line as “simplest for a win.”
- Viktor Korchnoi revived the QGD Tarrasch in the 1970s, baffling Soviet preparation and almost wresting the World Championship from Anatoly Karpov in 1978.
Open
Definition
In chess literature the adjective “open” can modify several different concepts:
- Open Game. Any opening beginning with 1.e4 e5 (e.g., the Ruy López, Scotch, Italian).
- Open File. A vertical column (file) containing no pawns of either color.
- Open Position. A middlegame where pawn structures leave many files/diagonals unobstructed, increasing piece mobility.
Usage in Play and Commentary
- “After the exchange of d-pawns the d-file became open, so White immediately doubled rooks there.”
- “The Petroff is an Open Game, but it often transposes into semi-open structures.”
- “With both pawn chains demolished, the position is completely open; bishops and rooks gain in value while knights struggle.”
Strategic Implications
- Piece Activity. In open positions long-range pieces (bishops, rooks, queen) dominate. Development speed often outweighs material considerations.
- Tactical Opportunities. Because lines are clear, tactical motifs like pins, skewers, x-rays, and discovered attacks occur more frequently.
- Endgame Trends. Open files persist into the endgame, making rook activity decisive; conversely, passed pawns may be harder to create because pawn majorities can be fixed by piece pressure.
Classic Example
Consider the well-known game Kasparov – Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 1999. A sacrificial sequence shattered the pawn cover around both kings, producing an open board on which Kasparov’s pieces swirled. The culminating move 24.Rxd4!! exploited an open d-file and an x-ray along the long diagonal.
Interesting Facts
- An “Open Game” in the 19th century often featured gambits like the King’s Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4). Modern elite play is more positional, but a return to open positions is visible in rapid & blitz formats.
- Computer engines excel in open positions where calculation prevails; closed positions sometimes allow humans to mask engine evaluation longer.
- Many famous mating nets—e.g., Pillsbury’s “windmill” or Morphy’s Opera Game—arise because open lines provide repeated checks and skewers.