Queens Gambit Declined Neo Orthodox Anti-Tartakower

Queen's Gambit Declined, Neo-Orthodox, Anti-Tartakower Variation

Definition

The phrase refers to a very specific branch of the Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD):

  • Queen's Gambit Declined (QGD) – the parent opening that begins 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6, in which Black declines the offered c-pawn.
  • Neo-Orthodox System – a classical set-up against 4.Bg5 where Black plays the quiet 4…Be7 instead of the more forcing Cambridge-Springs (4…Bb4) or Lasker Defence (4…dxc4 5.e4).
  • Tartakower (Makagonov-Bondarevsky) System – the line 5…h6 6.Bh4 0-0 7.Nf3 b6, in which Black fianchettoes the queen’s bishop on b7.
  • Anti-Tartakower Variation – White’s decision to deviate before Black comfortably completes the …b6/…Bb7 scheme, most often by the immediate 8.cxd5 (or by inserting Rc1/Qc2 first). The early capture results in a Carlsbad pawn structure and denies Black some of the dynamic counter-play of the full Tartakower.

Typical Move-order

A standard path to the Anti-Tartakower is:
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 h6 6.Bh4 0-0 7.Nf3 b6
8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bd3

The crucial move is 8.cxd5. If White instead castles (8.0-0), the game usually continues into the accepted Tartakower proper with …Bb7.

Strategic Ideas & Plans

  1. White
    • Adopts the Carlsbad structure (pawns: d4-c4 vs d5-c6 or d5-e6) aiming for a minority attack with b2-b4-b5.
    • Keeps the dark-squared bishop on d3 to increase pressure against h7 and the e4-square.
    • Retains tension for a later central breakthrough with e3-e4 or sometimes Ne5-f3 ideas.
  2. Black
    • Seeks fluid piece play based on …c5 or …Ne4 and eventual liquidation on c5 or e5.
    • The bishop usually reaches b7 anyway, but only after the center is clarified, reducing White’s attacking chances.
    • In the resulting IQP-or Carlsbad-type middlegame, Black’s minor pieces are quite active; the main drawback is the slightly passive light-squared bishop.

ECO Codes

Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings: D58–D59. Positions reached after 8.cxd5 are generally classified as D59.

Historical Background

  • The Tartakower System was championed by Savielly Tartakower in the 1920s and later refined by Soviet theoreticians Makagonov and Bondarevsky.
  • In the 1970s Anatoly Karpov popularised the early cxd5 plan, which soon acquired the nickname Anti-Tartakower because it prevents Black’s most comfortable development.
  • The line has never been fully refuted; instead it offers White a quieter, more strategic battle, which often appealed to Karpov, Ulf Andersson, and later to Vladimir Kramnik.

Illustrative Mini-Game

A compact example showing the Anti-Tartakower plans:


Key notes:

  • Move 15.dxc5 gives White a lasting minority-attack target on c5.
  • Black’s bishop reaches b7 anyway, but with the center already open, its long-diagonal influence is diminished.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

  • Quiet, not dull: Although dubbed “Anti-Tartakower,” the line contains hidden tactical resources. Garry Kasparov once quipped that “the Anti-Tartakower is the calm before the storm.”
  • World Champions Karpov, Kramnik, and Carlsen have all used this variation when they needed a low-risk winning squeeze in must-win situations.
  • Because Black’s canonical setup is so solid, contemporary engines evaluate the starting position of the Anti-Tartakower at almost complete equality (“≈ 0.20”), yet practical results still slightly favor White at master level.

When to Employ It

Choose the Anti-Tartakower if you:

  • Enjoy long, maneuvering battles and endgame squeezes.
  • Prefer to reduce the opponent’s concrete preparation in the ultra-theoretical Tartakower Defence.
  • Are comfortable playing the Carlsbad structure from the White side.
Black, conversely, should meet the capture on d5 confidently, steering for counter-play with …c5 or …Ne4 rather than trying to “refute” the variation outright.

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Last updated 2025-06-24