Tarrasch Defense: Two Knights, Rubinstein, Prague Main Line
Tarrasch Defense
Definition
The Tarrasch Defense is a dynamic counter-attacking line in the Queen’s Gambit Declined beginning 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5. After 4.cxd5 exd5 Black accepts an isolated queen’s pawn (IQP) on d5 in exchange for rapid piece activity and free development. It is named after the German grandmaster and teacher Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch (1862-1934).
Move-Order & Key Position
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5
The classical sequence. - Typical middlegame diagram after the natural moves 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.g3 Nf6 7.Bg2 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5:
Strategic Ideas
- Black: Use the half-open c-file, active bishops, and space to generate kingside or central pressure before the IQP becomes a liability.
- White: Target the isolated pawn with blockading moves (e.g., Nd4, Be3, Qd2, Rad1) and aim for superior endgames.
- The defense often leads to rich piece-play and balanced chances, making it a favorite of fighting players.
Historical & Theoretical Notes
- Tarrasch introduced the concept of accepting structural weakness for piece activity—an idea considered revolutionary in the early 20th century.
- Used by grandmasters such as Boris Spassky (e.g., vs. Fischer, World Championship 1972, Game 6—transposed from a Nimzo-Indian move-order).
- The Prague Variation (see its own entry) and the Swedish (or Folkestone) Variation 6…c4 are important sub-branches.
Famous Example
Kasparov – Karpov, World Championship, Seville 1987 (Game 16) featured the Tarrasch. Kasparov sacrificed an exchange to exploit his IQP’s dynamic power and eventually drew, retaining his match lead.
Interesting Facts
- The Tarrasch Defense enjoyed a renaissance in the computer age; engines often evaluate the IQP structures as closer to equal than human theory once believed.
- Dr. Tarrasch never employed the line in a world championship, yet his name remains attached to it more than a century later.
Two Knights
Definition
The term “Two Knights” normally refers to the Two Knights Defense in the Open Games: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6. Black immediately attacks the e4-pawn and invites sharp tactical play, especially after 4.Ng5.
Main Continuations
- 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5
The ultra-sharp Fried-Liver and Lolli attacks arise if Black instead plays 5…Nxd5?!. - 4.d4 exd4 5.O-O Nxe4 – the quieter Modern Variation.
- 4.d3 (the “Italian Four Knights”) leading to calmer, maneuvering positions.
Strategic Themes
- Highly tactical king-side skirmishes, often featuring sacrifices on f7.
- Black strives for rapid development and counter-punches in the center; White tries to exploit lead in development.
Historical Significance
- Giulio Cesare Polerio analyzed 4.Ng5 as early as the late 16th century.
- Wilhelm Steinitz demonstrated the defensive resources for Black, but the line remains one of the most fearsome tests of opening preparation.
Example Game
Fischer – Reshevsky, New York 1958: Fischer uncorked the modern 5…Na5 sideline, showcasing Black’s resilience and drawing after a fierce tactical struggle.
Interesting Facts
- The phrase “Two Knights Endgame” sometimes appears in endgame literature but is unrelated; it simply denotes an endgame with two knights versus other material.
- A club favorite: almost every scholastic player meets the terrifying Fried-Liver at least once!
Rubinstein
Definition
“Rubinstein” is shorthand for several opening systems devised or popularized by Polish-born grandmaster Akiba Rubinstein (1882-1961), famed endgame virtuoso and opening theoretician.
Major Rubinstein Systems
- French Defense, Rubinstein Variation: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 (or 3.Nd2) dxe4
Black immediately trades in the center to reach a solid but somewhat passive structure. - Nimzo-Indian, Rubinstein System: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3
White keeps flexible pawn structure, aims for harmonious development. - Queen’s Gambit Declined, Rubinstein Variation: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4
A sister line to the Nimzo-Indian played without …Nf6.
Strategic & Historical Significance
- Rubinstein championed purity of structure: willingly exchanging early to reach technically sound positions he could grind.
- His ideas influenced Capablanca and later Karpov—both positional titans.
Illustrative Game
Rubinstein – Salwe, Łódź 1908 (French Rubinstein). Akiba demonstrated a textbook conversion of a slight space advantage culminating in a famous rook endgame.
Interesting Facts
- Rubinstein is one of the strongest players never to play a world-title match; in 1914 a planned match with Lasker collapsed due to World War I.
- Engine evaluations show that many “safe” Rubinstein lines still carry hidden tactical venom—exactly what Akiba exploited a century ago.
Prague
Definition
The Prague Variation is a sharp branch of the Tarrasch Defense in the Queen’s Gambit Declined. The critical position arises after:
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.g3 Nf6 7.Bg2 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5
Black pins the d4-knight and accelerates development, eyeing the f2-square and active piece play.
Typical Plans
- Black: Rapidly castle long or short, post a rook on e8, and sometimes sacrifice the IQP with …Bxd4 to unleash initiative.
- White: Challenge the c5-bishop with Nb3 or Be3, consolidate, and later pressure the isolated pawn.
Origin & Name
The line was intensively analyzed by Czech masters in the inter-war years, gaining the moniker “Prague.” Grandmaster Salo Flohr employed it at the 1931 Prague Tournament, cementing the name.
Example Miniature
Topalov – Kramnik, Dortmund 1999 saw Black equalize effortlessly with the Prague setup and later outplay White in a complex rook ending.
Interesting Anecdote
- Because of its birthplace, some databases label it “Tarrasch Defense, Czech Variation,” but purists prefer “Prague.”
- Modern engines occasionally recommend an early …h6 to avoid Bg5 pins, a nuance hardly known in the 1930s coffeehouses of Prague!
Main Line
Definition
In chess opening terminology, the Main Line is the most commonly accepted or theoretically critical sequence stemming from a given position. It contrasts with sidelines, sub-variations, or off-beat ideas.
Usage
- Annotated games and databases mark the main line using the primary branch, while alternatives are enclosed in parentheses or indicated by symbols such as 8…♘bd7(!?) as a sideline.
- Players preparing for tournaments often study main lines first to understand core structures before delving into sidelines.
Strategic Significance
Main lines guide theoretical evaluation. If a new idea refutes or improves a main line, opening theory may shift, demoting the former main line to a sideline.
Examples
- Sicilian Najdorf Main Line: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5.
- Ruy López Main Line (Closed): 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3.
Interesting Facts
- In correspondence and engine chess, the “official” main line can evolve rapidly; for instance, the Berlin Defense displaced the classical 3…a6 as the Ruy López main line in elite play after 2000.
- Chess literature sometimes uses the German word “Hauptvariante” for main line—a nod to early 20th-century analysts like Tarrasch and Schlechter.