French: Tarrasch, Guimard, Main Line, 6.c3

French: Tarrasch

Definition

The French Defence – Tarrasch Variation arises after the moves 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2. With 3.Nd2 White avoids the pin …Bb4 found in the Winawer and keeps the c-pawn free to advance later to c4. The variation is named after the German master and theoretician Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch, who championed the idea at the end of the 19th century.

Typical Move Order

1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5
3. Nd2

Against 3.Nd2 Black’s most common replies are:

• 3…Nf6 – the Rubinstein or Closed Tarrasch
• 3…c5 – the Open Tarrasch
• 3…Nc6 – the Guimard Variation (see separate entry)

Strategic Themes

• Flexibility for White: The knight on d2 can later head to f3, b3 or e4, depending on Black’s setup.
• c-pawn mobility: Because the knight no longer blocks c2, White can undermine Black’s center with c2-c4.
• Reduced tactical complexity: By side-stepping …Bb4+, White steers the game toward more strategic battles, a reason many positional players prefer the line.
• Space vs. structure: Black’s usual counterplay involves pressuring d4 after …c5 or targeting e5 once the pawn advances.

Historical Significance

Tarrasch introduced 3.Nd2 in the 1890s to avoid the fashionable Winawer. His advocacy made the line a mainstay of opening theory. In the 1980s and 1990s, the variation enjoyed a renaissance thanks to grandmasters such as Anatoly Karpov and Ulf Andersson, who used it to grind out positional wins.

Illustrative Game

Anatoly Karpov – Viktor Korchnoi, Candidates Final (Game 10), Merano 1974.

In this strategic masterpiece Karpov demonstrated the long-term pressure White can generate on the d-file and kingside light squares.

Interesting Facts

• Because the line is less forcing than 3.Nc3, top players often adopt it as a “must-win with White” weapon where they want to keep pieces on the board.
• Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch called 3.Nd2 the “most logical” move because it develops while preserving the option of c2-c4.

French: Guimard

Definition

The Guimard Variation is a dynamic response to the Tarrasch, beginning 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6. Named after the French master Lucien Guimard (1888-1977), it immediately challenges White’s center with a developing knight rather than the customary …Nf6 or …c5.

Typical Continuations

Main branches after 3…Nc6 include:

• 4. Ngf3 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Nf6 (leading to an IQP structure)
• 4. Bb5 Nge7 5. Ngf3 a6 6. Ba4 b5 (a modern, combative line)
• 4. c3 Nf6 5. e5 Nd7 6. Bd3 (a closed central setup)

Strategic Ideas

• Early piece play: By postponing …c5, Black gains rapid development and keeps the tension.
• Structural imbalance: Many lines yield an isolated queen’s pawn (IQP) position, giving Black activity but a long-term weakness.
• Flexible knight routes: Black’s c6-knight may swing to b4, d4, or e7-f5 depending on the middlegame.

Historical & Practical Significance

While the Guimard was long considered dubious, extensive analysis and computer support have rehabilitated it as a respectable fighting choice. Grandmasters Étienne Bacrot, Alexei Shirov, and Alexander Morozevich have all employed it to create complicated struggles.

Example Game

Shirov – Morozevich, Wijk aan Zee 2001.

Black willingly accepted an IQP but generated strong piece activity, ultimately prevailing in a sharp endgame.

Fun Anecdote

Lucien Guimard was known more for his adventurous openings than his tournament results; according to contemporary accounts he once quipped, “If I cannot surprise my opponent in the first ten moves, the rest of the game bores me.” His variation certainly lives up to that philosophy!

French: Main Line

Definition

In French-Defence parlance, “Main Line” most commonly refers to the Classical Variation starting 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4. This sequence has been the theoretical backbone of the opening for decades and produces some of the sharpest strategic battles in the French.

Standard Move Order

1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5
3. Nc3 Nf6
4. Bg5 Bb4

Key Branches

1. Burn Variation: 5. e5 h6 6. Bh4 g5 7. exf6 gxh4 – extremely tactical.
2. Steinitz Variation: 5. e5 h6 6. Bh4 g5 7. Bg3 Ne4 seeking simplifications.
3. Short (Bayonet) Variation: 5. e5 h6 6. Be3 aiming for a calmer setup.
4. Alekhine-Chatard Attack: 5. exd5 exd5 6. Qe2+ when White gambits the e-pawn.

Strategic Hallmarks

• Pin and counter-pin: White’s Bg5 pins the f6-knight; Black’s …Bb4 pins the knight on c3 in return, creating mutual tension.
• Pawn chain battle: After e4-e5 and …c5, both sides attempt to hit the base of the opponent’s pawn chain.
• Imbalance of space vs. structure: White grabs kingside space; Black relies on piece pressure and dark-square control.

Historical Usage

The Main Line has featured in World Championship matches from Capablanca-Alekhine (1927) to Kasparov-Karpov (1984-1990). Its double-edged nature suits fighting players; Garry Kasparov used it with both colors, while Bobby Fischer famously eschewed it, preferring 3.Nc3 Bb4 (Winawer) as Black.

Illustrative Game

Kasparov – Short, Candidates Final (Game 4), London 1993.

The game embodies the violent possibilities in the French Main Line: opposite-side castling, pawn storms, and tactical melees.

Interesting Facts

• Because theory runs 25+ moves deep, some grandmasters prepare forcing sidelines (e.g. 7.Qd2!?) to surprise their opponents.
• Modern engines still rate the position after 7…gxh4 roughly equal, testifying to the line’s rich dynamic balance.

French: 6.c3

Definition

The move 6.c3 most often references the Closed Tarrasch position reached after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3. By supporting the d4-pawn and preparing a solid center, White aims for a long-term space advantage.

Purpose of 6.c3

• Bolster d4: The c-pawn backs up the cornerstone of White’s center, making …cxd4 less effective.
• Prepare queenside expansion: After c3-b4 White can seize space on the queenside.
• Open the c-file: If the pawns eventually trade on c5/c4, the half-open c-file often favors White’s rooks.

Typical Continuations

1. 6…Nc6 7. Ne2 cxd4 8. cxd4 f6 – Black strikes the base of the chain.
2. 6…Qb6 7. Ne2 cxd4 8. cxd4 Nc6 entering IQP territory.
3. 6…cxd4 7. cxd4 Nc6 8. Ne2 f6 aiming to undermine e5.

Strategic Considerations

Positions after 6.c3 resemble the Advance Variation of the French but with the knight on d2 instead of c3. White enjoys more central space; Black seeks breaks with …f6 or …cxd4 followed by …f6.

Historical Perspective

6.c3 was championed by World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik, who valued its solid structure. In the computer era, it remains a main weapon for positional players such as Sergey Karjakin and Anish Giri.

Example Game

Botvinnik – Petrosian, Moscow 1960.

Botvinnik demonstrated how to maintain the central wedge and slowly out-maneuver a world-class defender.

Interesting Tidbits

• The move c2-c3 is so central to the Closed Tarrasch that many databases label the entire line “Tarrasch 6.c3”.
• Players who like the Caro-Kann Advance or French Advance will find similar pawn structures and plans here.