Introduction to the French Defense ⎸Chess Openings

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The Tarrasch French is a very aggressive way for white to fight 1… e6 by black. Instead of developing the knight to c3, as in the classical lines, the knight goes to d2, which results in a completely different setup for both sides.

Watch this video for the basics of the French Defense, main ideas for both colors and common variations: youtu.be/pig559oP5OM

If you are looking for a simpler line to play with white against the French, try the Exchange Variation: youtu.be/YlA3heOMMN0

The Tarrasch Variation occurs after the moves:

1.e4 e6 (entering the French Defense)
2.d5 d5
3. Nd2 – This move signifies the Tarrasch. White is preparing to defend his main weakness (the d4 pawn) with the move c2-c3, as opposed to the classical lines in which the knight is already occupying c3 so the defense is different and slightly more complicated. Black has three main responses and three sidelines he could opt for. The main line is for black to play

18:00 3… Nf6, provoking the move e5 from white. This gives white more space but black is quick to push his main pawn break c5 and get counter play on the queenside.

The other variations black could choose from are:

02:31 3... c5 (Open System)
4. Qxd5 (Chistyakov Defense)
08:21 3... dxe4

The other three lines are significantly less common (which doesn’t mean they’re worse for black). They should be used to get the player with white out of his comfort zone, as most Tarrasch players will be expecting either Nf6, c5 or dxe4 on move 3 by black.

10:44 3... Be7 (Morozevich Variation)
14:21 3... Nc6 (Guimard Defense)
16:24 3... a6 (Modern System)

Black’s main advantage in the Tarrasch French is that he is the one who chooses the variation. This can often provide an opportunity to surprise your opponents and use your opening preparation to your advantage.

The variation was named after the great Siegbert Tarrasch, and already used at the end of the 19th century, but it gained popularity in the 70-es and 80-es when Anatoly Karpov started using it as his main weapon against the French Defense.

Notable games to study:

Anatoly Karpov vs Wolfgang Uhlmann, Madrid 1973
Anatoly Karpov vs Viktor Korchnoi, Leningrad 1971
Nigel Short vs Vassily Ivanchuk, Montreal 2007