Tarrasch Defense

Tarrasch Defense is a chess opening with the ECO code D32. It goes 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5. White opens with 1. d4 (the queen's pawn) and Black answers 1... d5. After 6 moves it is White to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.

The moves

• 1. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
• 1... d5 – Black plays the pawn to d5
• 2. c4 – White plays the pawn to c4
• 2... e6 – Black plays the pawn to e6
• 3. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3
• 3... c5 – Black plays the pawn to c5

About the Tarrasch Defense

Against the Queen's Gambit, Black plays ...e6 and ...c5, accepting an isolated d5 pawn for free, active pieces.

• The isolated d-pawn gives Black space and open lines for the pieces.
• White blockades d4 and trades pieces, hoping to win the weak pawn in the endgame.
• White's best setup is often g3 and Bg2 to hit d5.

Related openings

• It extends: Queen's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight Variation (1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3)
• Continues with: Queen's Gambit Declined: Tarrasch Defense – adds 4. cxd5 exd5
• Continues with: Tarrasch Defense: Schara Gambit – adds 4. cxd5 cxd4
• Continues with: Tarrasch Defense: Symmetrical Variation – adds 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nc6
• Related line: Tarrasch Defense: Grünfeld Gambit (1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. dxc5 d4 7. Na4 b5)
• Related line: Tarrasch Defense: Marshall Gambit (1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. e4)
• Related line: Tarrasch Defense: Schara Gambit (1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 cxd4)
• Related line: Tarrasch Defense: Symmetrical Variation (1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nc6)
• Related line: Tarrasch Defense: Symmetrical Variation (1. c4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. d4 d5 6. cxd5 exd5)
• Related line: Tarrasch Defense: Tarrasch Gambit (1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. dxc5 d4 6. Na4 b5)

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