Tarrasch Defense
What is the Tarrasch Defense?
The Tarrasch Defense is a chess opening that begins with 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5. It is classified under ECO D32–D34 and has 27 named variations. Black chooses it with the move c5.
Moves: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5
ECO: D32–D34
Chosen by: Black
Main variations
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 cxd4
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. e4
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nc6
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6
All 27 variations
| ECO | Variation | Moves |
|---|---|---|
| D32 | Main line | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 |
| D32 | Schara Gambit | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 cxd4 |
| D32 | Marshall Gambit | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. e4 |
| D32 | Two Knights Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 |
| D32 | Symmetrical Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nc6 |
| D33 | Rubinstein System | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 |
| D33 | Prague Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 |
| D33 | Swedish Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 c4 |
| D32 | Symmetrical Variation | 1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. d4 d5 6. cxd5 exd5 |
| D32 | Tarrasch Gambit | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. dxc5 d4 6. Na4 b5 |
| D33 | Swedish Variation, Central Break | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 c4 7. e4 |
| D32 | Grünfeld Gambit | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. dxc5 d4 7. Na4 b5 |
| D34 | Prague Variation, Main Line | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 |
| D32 | von Hennig Gambit | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 cxd4 5. Qxd4 Nc6 6. Qd1 exd5 7. Qxd5 Be6 |
| D33 | Wagner Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Bg4 |
| D34 | Classical Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O O-O |
| D33 | Dubov Tarrasch | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bc5 |
| D34 | Classical Variation, Carlsbad Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. Bg5 |
| D34 | Classical Variation, Advance Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. Bg5 c4 |
| D34 | Classical Variation, Classical Tarrasch Gambit | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. dxc5 d4 |
| D34 | Classical Variation, Endgame Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. Bg5 Be6 |
| D34 | Classical Variation, Réti Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. Na4 |
| D34 | Classical Variation, Bogoljubow Variation | 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. Nf3 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. g3 Nc6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. Bg5 Be6 10. Rc1 c4 |
| D34 | Classical Variation, Petursson Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. Bg5 cxd4 10. Nxd4 Re8 |
| D34 | Classical Variation, Main Line | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. Bg5 cxd4 10. Nxd4 h6 11. Be3 Re8 |
| D34 | Classical Variation, Spassky Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. Bg5 cxd4 10. Nxd4 h6 11. Be3 Bg4 |
| D34 | Classical Variation, Chandler Variation | 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. Bg5 cxd4 10. Nxd4 h6 11. Be3 Re8 12. Rc1 Be6 |
How to learn an opening
Learn the ideas before the moves: where the pieces go, which pawn breaks matter and what the typical middlegame plans are. Then play it, and after each game look up the point where you or your opponent left the known moves. MentoChess shows that point automatically for every game you import.
Opening lessons: Three golden opening rules · Scholar’s mate and how to stop it · Italian Game: plans, not just moves · Answering 1.d4: the Queen’s Gambit Declined · Meeting the Sicilian with 2.c3 · From moves to structures