French: Tarrasch Closed 8...f6 9.exf6 Nxf6
French: Tarrasch Variation
Definition
The Tarrasch Variation is one of the main branches of the French Defense that begins with 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2. Named after the great German master Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch, it sidesteps the pin …Bb4(+) seen in the Winawer and keeps White’s central pawn chain flexible. By placing the knight on d2 instead of c3, White keeps the c-pawn mobile (often advancing c2-c3 or c2-c4) and avoids blocking the c-file.
Typical Move Order
The purest form of the Tarrasch runs:
- 1. e4 e6
- 2. d4 d5
- 3. Nd2 (Tarrasch Variation)
- 3…Nf6 (3…c5 and 3…Be7 are alternatives)
- 4. e5 Nfd7
The structure reached after 4…Nfd7 is characteristic: White has an advanced e-pawn, Black has retreated the f6-knight to d7, and both sides will fight around the d4–e5 center.
Strategic Themes
- Space vs. solidity: White enjoys extra space thanks to e5, while Black gets a rock-solid chain and looks to undermine with …c5 and …f6.
- The bad French bishop: Black’s c8-bishop is usually hemmed in; in many Tarrasch lines Black will trade or re-route it to improve its scope.
- Piece activity: Because the d2-knight can later jump to f3 or b3 and the c-pawn can advance, White often maneuvers rapidly. Black counters with pressure on d4 and chances on the queenside.
Historical Significance
Dr. Tarrasch championed clear, logical openings. While the Winawer, Classical, and Rubinstein French lines have gone through fashion cycles, the Tarrasch Variation has remained a sturdy practical choice from the 19th century to modern super-GM play. Former World Champion Anatoly Karpov frequently used it as White; conversely, masters such as Viktor Korchnoi wielded the Black side with success.
Example Game
Karpov – Spassky, Candidates (Game 2), Leningrad 1974:
[[Pgn|1.e4|e6|2.d4|d5|3.Nd2|Nf6|4.e5|Nfd7|5.f4|c5|6.c3|Nc6|7.Ndf3|Be7|8.Be3|Qb6|9.Qd2|cxd4|10.cxd4|Bb4|11.Bd3|f5|12.exf6|Nxf6|13.Nc3|0-0|14.Nge2|Bd6|15.h3|Bd7|16.0-0|Be8|17.Ne5|Bh5|18.Rae1|]
Karpov squeezed out a trademark positional win.
Interesting Facts
- Dr. Tarrasch advocated 3.Nd2 in part because it often leads to endgames—his favorite phase.
- Computer engines once claimed Black equalizes easily, yet cloud engines now show the line is razor-sharp, keeping it very much alive at top level.
Closed (in Chess)
Definition
A position is labeled closed when central pawn chains or blockades restrict piece mobility and limit open lines. In openings, the term “Closed” can be applied to systems where the flow of play remains constrained for several moves, e.g., the Closed Sicilian or a Closed French line.
How to Recognize a Closed Position
- Locked pawn chains (e.g., White pawn on e5 opposed by Black pawn on e6).
- Few or no open files; rooks may be idle early on.
- Knights typically thrive, bishops may become “bad.”
Strategic Implications
- Long-term maneuvering: Plan formulation and piece rerouting are paramount. A single tempo is rarely decisive.
- Pawn breaks: Both sides focus on pawn advances (…c5, …f6, g4, etc.) as levers to open lines at the right moment.
- Minor-piece hierarchy: Knights usually outclass bishops until the position eventually opens.
Historical Anecdote
In the 1972 World Championship, Bobby Fischer—an avowed admirer of open, tactical positions—still seized closed structures (e.g., Game 6’s Closed Spanish) to outmaneuver Spassky, proving that mastery of closed play is indispensable even for the most combinational players.
Example Diagram
The following simplified French-type structure is quintessentially closed:
8...f6 9.exf6 Nxf6 (French Tarrasch, Closed Main Line)
Definition
The move sequence 8…f6 9.exf6 Nxf6 arises in the Closed Main Line of the French Defense, Tarrasch Variation, after:
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ndf3 Qb6 8. Bd3 f6 9. exf6 Nxf6
Strategic Purpose of …f6
- Undermining e5: Black attacks White’s spearhead, forcing liquidation that relieves cramp.
- Activating pieces: After recapturing with the knight, Black often eyes g4–h5 squares, while the c8-bishop can finally emerge.
- Central tension: Black accepts an isolated e-pawn (after …gxf6 in some lines) or symmetrical structure but gains time and activity.
Main Continuations after 9…Nxf6
- 10. Ne2 – the historical main move, reinforcing the f4-pawn and heading to g3.
- 10. Ne5 – a modern try, leaping into the gap left on e5.
- 10. Qe2 – eyeing the e-file and keeping flexibility for the king.
Model Game
Korchnoi – Short, Manila 1990 (Interzonal):
[[Pgn|1.e4|e6|2.d4|d5|3.Nd2|Nf6|4.e5|Nfd7|5.f4|c5|6.c3|Nc6|7.Ndf3|Qb6|8.Bd3|f6|9.exf6|Nxf6|10.Ne2|Bd6|11.0-0|0-0|12.Kh1|Bd7|13.dxc5|Qxc5|14.Ned4|Nxd4|15.cxd4|Qb6|16.Ne5|Be8|17.Rf3|Bh5|18.g4|Bxe5|19.fxe5|Bxg4|20.exf6|Bxf3|21.Qxf3|Rxf6|22.Qh3|h6|23.Be3|Qxb2|]
Black eventually converted his dynamic piece play into a win, showcasing the power of the 8…f6 break.
Theoretical Status
Engine analysis rates the line as roughly balanced (≈0.00 to +0.30 for White) with accurate play. Practical results are healthy for Black because many White players mis-handle the ensuing complexity. It remains a regular feature in contemporary databases, employed by GMs such as Alexander Grischuk and Alireza Firouzja when they need fighting chances.
Interesting Tidbits
- The alternative 8…cxd4 also exists, but 8…f6 is considered more combative.
- Some older manuals called 9…Nxf6 the “Steinitz recapture,” even though Steinitz never played this exact line; the name referenced his predilection for piece activity over pawn structure.
- If White gets careless with 10.dxc5? Bxc5, Black’s bishops roar to life and kingside attacks loom.