French: Tarrasch, Guimard, Main Line

French Defence – Tarrasch Variation

Definition

The Tarrasch Variation of the French Defence arises after the moves 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2. Named after the great German theoretician Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch, the line avoids the pin …Bb4 found in the Winawer and sidesteps many sharp tactical by-ways. Instead, White aims for a solid spatial advantage and chances for a long-term squeeze.

Typical Move Order

The critical positions usually develop after:

• 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 (or 3…Nf6) 4. Ngf3 Nc6 5. exd5 exd5 6. Bb5.
  Both sides complete development with chances to strike in the center or on the wings.

Strategic Themes

• “French” IQP or Isolated Pawn Structures: After …c5 and an exchange on d4, the isolated queen’s pawn often dictates play. White presses on the outposts e5 and c5; Black seeks activity for pieces.
• Flexibility: By keeping the c-pawn at home for a while, White can later play c3 or c4 depending on circumstances.
• Lack of Bishops’ Pin: Because the knight stands on d2 instead of c3, White is never saddled with doubled pawns from …Bb4+.

Historical & Modern Significance

The Tarrasch enjoyed a surge in the 1980s when Anatoly Karpov employed it to neutralize sharp Winawer specialists such as Viktor Korchnoi and Garry Kasparov. In contemporary chess, it remains a top-level weapon for players who like “play for two results.”

Illustrative Game

Karpov – Korchnoi, World Championship 1978, Game 17: Karpov demonstrated the central squeeze, eventually converting a small plus in a bishop-versus-knight ending.

Interesting Facts

• Because the knight “returns” to f3 later, Soviet writers nicknamed the variation “The Boomerang Knight.”
• The setup can transpose into the Caro–Kann Panov or even a Queen’s Gambit if the c- and e-pawns are exchanged early.
• Engines often claim the line is equal, yet human grandmasters still like the nagging pressure it gives White.

French Defence – Guimard Variation

Definition

The Guimard Variation appears after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nc6. Black develops the queen’s knight early instead of entering the sharp Winawer with 4…Bb4. The line is named after Argentine master Jorge Guimard, who explored it in the 1920s–1930s.

Main Line Continuations

1. 5. e5 h6 6. Be3 (or Bh4) Nd7 leading to complex maneuvering.
2. 5. exd5 exd5 6. Bb5 aiming to exploit the pin on c6.
3. 5. Nf3 transposing to calmer Classical French territory.

Strategic Ideas

• Piece Activity over Structure: Black accepts the blocking of the c-pawn in exchange for rapid development and possible kingside counterplay with …h6 and …g5.
• Central Tension: Because …c5 is delayed, the d5-pawn must be protected tactically; Black often relies on …Bb4, …Be7, and timely pawn breaks …f6 or …c5 when feasible.
• Flexible Knight Routes: The c6-knight sometimes swings to e7–f5 or b4–c6, echoing ideas from the Chigorin Defence to the Queen’s Gambit.

Historical Notes

Although seldom seen at absolute elite level, the Guimard remains a favorite of creative players such as Alexander Morozevich, who used it with success in the 2000s. Its surprise value and unbalanced positions appeal to those seeking to avoid the heaviest French theory.

Example Game

Shirov – Morozevich, Linares 2004: Black sacrificed material with …g5–g4 to rip open lines against White’s king, eventually scoring a dramatic win.

Trivia

• In the pre-engine era, the move 4…Nc6 was labeled “dubious” because it blocked the thematic …c5 break. Modern analysis shows the position is fully playable.
• Some databases list the Guimard under ECO code C04, but transpositions from other C-codes abound.

French Defence – “Main Line”

Definition

In opening theory, the term “Main Line” denotes the most heavily analyzed and historically accepted sequence of moves. Within the French Defence, the phrase usually refers to the Winawer Main Line:

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7.

However, in some literature “Main Line French” can also mean the Classical Variation (3…Nf6) or simply any branch in which both sides adopt the most theoretically critical continuations.

Why It Is Considered “Main”

• Historical Popularity: From the early 1900s to today, world champions from Capablanca to Carlsen have battled in the Winawer main line.
• Theoretical Depth: Modern monographs devote hundreds of pages to the resulting positions, illustrating its central place in French theory.
• Richness of Plans: The asymmetrical pawn structure (doubled c-pawns vs. Black’s damaged kingside) offers both tactical fireworks and deep positional play, making it a laboratory for new ideas.

Key Branches after 6…Ne7

1. 7. Qg4 – The “Poisoned Pawn” forcing line where Black often gambits the g-pawn in return for rapid queenside play.
2. 7. Nf3 – A calmer approach steering toward middlegames with a long-term strategic battle.
3. 7. a4 – The “Modern Main Line,” restraining …b6 and …cxd4 ideas.

Model Game

Kasparov – Short, Linares 1993: A textbook illustration of the Poisoned-Pawn complications, eventually ending in perpetual check.

Interesting Anecdotes

• When Bobby Fischer needed a must-win game against Tigran Petrosian in their 1971 Candidates match, he chose the Winawer Main Line as Black—proof of its fighting character.
• Some modern engines suggest the “old-fashioned” 7. h4!?, a move first tried in 1901, as one of White’s most challenging choices—showing that theory can be cyclical.

Broader Usage of “Main Line”

Outside the French, the label “main line” is ubiquitous—e.g., “Sicilian Najdorf Main Line” or “Ruy López Main Line”—signifying the branch with the greatest depth of professional debate. Thus, understanding the concept helps players navigate opening literature efficiently.