Tarrasch Defense and Related Openings
Tarrasch Defense
Definition
The Tarrasch Defense is a dynamic reply to the Queen’s Gambit that arises after the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5. By immediately striking at the center with ...c5, Black concedes an isolated queen’s pawn (IQP) in many lines but gains active piece play and clear development schemes. The opening is named after the German grandmaster and theoretician Dr. Siegbert Tarrasch, who championed active piece play long before it became mainstream.
Typical Move-Order & Key Ideas
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 – the “pure” Tarrasch. Black allows an IQP on d5.
- Piece Activity: Rapid development with ...Nc6, ...Nf6, ...Be7 or ...Bb4, and often the freeing break ...d4 or ...cxd4.
- Endgame Outlook: Endgames can favor White because of the fixed pawn target on d5; middlegames often favor Black thanks to freer piece play.
Strategic Significance
- Isolated Queen’s Pawn Themes – Outposts on e4 & c4 for White versus Black’s potential for a kingside attack if the IQP survives.
- The Tarrasch Trap – An old tactical motif where White wins a piece after 5.dxc5 d4? 6.Nb5 Qa5+ 7.Bd2 Qxb5 8.e4!, a warning that premature ...d4 can backfire.
- It provided a theoretical laboratory for the IQP long before computers; many modern IQP positions were first dissected here.
Example Game
Geller – Spassky, Moscow 1965. Spassky’s 8…Bc5, part of the Prague Variation, exemplifies Black’s activity—every piece is out by move 10.
Interesting Facts
- The defense went from being “suspect” in the early 20th century to a respected weapon after its adoption by players such as Boris Spassky, Garry Kasparov, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
- The 1960 Candidate’s Match Spassky–Keres featured four straight Tarrasches, all decisive!
Two Knights
Definition
“Two Knights” is shorthand for the Two Knights Defense, beginning 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6. Both sides develop their knights aggressively—hence the name—and the opening quickly becomes tactical.
Main Continuations
- 4.Ng5 – the modern main line, menacing f7 and leading to razor-sharp play after 4…d5 5.exd5 Na5, 5…Nxd5 (!?), or 5…b5 (Traxler).
- 4.d3 (Modern Steinitz) – a calmer approach aimed at long-term central control.
- 4.Nc3 – the Vienna Hybrid, allowing transpositions to the Giuoco Piano.
Strategic Themes
- King Safety vs. Material – Black often sacrifices a pawn (or more) for rapid development and attacking chances.
- Piece Mobility – Both sides fight to keep their pieces active; once bottled up, the side with less space suffers.
Classic Example
Morphy vs. Anderssen, Paris 1858 followed 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6, showing early tactical fireworks. Although theory has evolved, the spirit of relentless attack still defines the opening.
Anecdotes
- The notorious Traxler Counter-Attack (4.Ng5 Bc5!?) looks illegal to newcomers because Black ignores the threat to f7—and often mates White instead.
- Bobby Fischer once called the Two Knights “an opening where Black can win by force—if White helps,” reflecting its double-edged nature.
Rubinstein
Definition
In chess parlance “Rubinstein” usually refers to a Rubinstein Variation—a line named after the Polish grandmaster Akiba Rubinstein (1882-1961). The most famous example is the Rubinstein Variation of the French Defense: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4. However, several other openings (Nimzo-Indian 4.e3, Queen’s Gambit Declined, etc.) also bear his name when they feature his strategic fingerprints: clarity, solidity, and smooth development.
French Defense – Core Line
- 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7
- Black exchanges early to reduce space pressure and aims for …Ngf6, …c5, and flexible pawn breaks.
Strategic Hallmarks
- Exchange-Then-Challenge: Rubinstein preferred simplifying the center first and contesting it later with pawn breaks.
- Harmony Over Tactics: His variations typically avoid the sharpest tactical melees in favor of long-term structural plans.
Historic Significance
Rubinstein’s openings mirrored his endgame prowess. In many French Rubinstein games he entered slightly inferior but simplified positions, only to outplay opponents later. His approach influenced positional greats such as Capablanca and Karpov.
Famous Game
Rubinstein – Capablanca, San Sebastián 1911. Although Rubinstein drew, the purity of the variation impressed generations.
Prague
Definition
The Prague Variation is a sharp branch of the Tarrasch Defense in which Black fianchettoes the queen’s bishop early and often pressures the c-file. A representative move-order is:
- 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.g3 Nf6 7.Bg2 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5
Key Ideas
- Development Versus Structure – Black aims to exploit the temporarily undeveloped queenside of White by hitting f2 and d4.
- Queenside Majority – After exchanging on d4, Black may create an outside passed pawn in some endgames.
- White counters with the typical IQP plan: centralizing rooks on d1/e1 and pushing d4-d5 at the right moment.
Historical Note
The name stems from Czech theoreticians who analyzed the line in the 1920s and 1930s, notably at events held in Prague. It enjoyed a revival when Boris Gelfand used it to beat Vladimir Kramnik at Linares 1994.
Miniature
The game Gelfand–Kramnik continued 15.Bg5 Be6 16.Nd4 h6 17.Be3 Re8, with mutual chances.
Carlsbad
Definition
The Carlsbad structure is a celebrated pawn formation arising chiefly from the Queen’s Gambit Declined after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5. The defining characteristic is the minority pawn majority on the queenside: White has pawns on a2, b2, c4 versus Black’s a7, b7, c6, d5.
Strategic Plans
- Minority Attack: White advances b2-b4-b5 (sometimes a “rook lift” to b3 or h3) to create a weakness on c6.
- Central Breaks: Black seeks …c5 or …e5 to liberate the position before weaknesses appear.
- Kingside Initiative: Black can launch a pawn storm with …f5-f4 if the center is stable.
Historical Importance
Named after the Carlsbad (Karlovy Vary) tournaments of 1907 & 1911, where this structure was endlessly debated. The minority attack plan is sometimes called the “Carlsbad Plan.” Botvinnik, Petrosian, and later Kasparov refined its nuances.
Classic Illustration
Botvinnik – Capablanca, AVRO 1938. Botvinnik’s queenside minority advance tied Capablanca down and eventually netted a winning endgame.
Advance Variation
Definition
An “Advance Variation” is any opening line where one side pushes a center pawn past the opponent’s pawn chain on the third move (or soon after), claiming space but surrendering contact. The most famous examples are:
- French Advance: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5
- Caro-Kann Advance: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5
- Advance Pirc / Modern: 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.f3 or 3.e5 (various names)
- Advance Slav: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.e4 or similar
General Strategic Themes
- Space vs. Mobility: The side that advances gains territory and a potential clamp, but must cope with pawn rigidity.
- Break Points: The opponent will target the base of the pawn chain (e.g., …c5 and …f6 against the French Advance).
- Piece Maneuvering: Knights often reroute behind the pawn chain (e.g., Nf3-g1-e2-f4 in the French).
Representative Mini-Game – French Advance
Short – Korchnoi, Montpellier 1985. White’s space advantage was met by relentless pressure on d4 and f2 until the structure finally crumbled.
Trivia
- The Advance Variation of the French was once labeled “harmless,” until Mikhail Botvinnik used it to win the 1951 World Championship match games against Bronstein.
- Modern engines often reveal hidden attacking resources for the space-gaining side, reviving many Advance lines once thought dubious.