Opening family
Tarrasch Defense Lines and Variations
The Tarrasch Defense family contains 26 named lines in this opening book, spanning ECO D32 to D34. Use this page as the map, then open individual lines for exact move orders and diagrams.
How to study this family
White
White should use the move order as a checkpoint: finish development, identify the central break, and compare the continuations below before memorizing moves.
Black
Black should ask what White is threatening in the center, then choose development moves that prepare a clean pawn break or a useful exchange.
Start with the shortest line, then branch to the variations that change the pawn structure or tactical target. Memorizing every branch before understanding the family plan is usually wasted work.
Main named lines
- D32 · Tarrasch Defense
- D32 · Tarrasch Defense: Schara Gambit
- D32 · Tarrasch Defense: Marshall Gambit
- D32 · Tarrasch Defense: Two Knights Variation
- D32 · Tarrasch Defense: Symmetrical Variation
- D33 · Tarrasch Defense: Rubinstein System
- D32 · Tarrasch Defense: Tarrasch Gambit
- D33 · Tarrasch Defense: Prague Variation
- D33 · Tarrasch Defense: Swedish Variation
- D33 · Tarrasch Defense: Swedish Variation, Central Break
- D32 · Tarrasch Defense: Grünfeld Gambit
- D32 · Tarrasch Defense: von Hennig Gambit
- D33 · Tarrasch Defense: Wagner Variation
- D34 · Tarrasch Defense: Prague Variation, Main Line
- D33 · Tarrasch Defense: Dubov Tarrasch
- D34 · Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation
- D34 · Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Carlsbad Variation
- D34 · Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Advance Variation
- D34 · Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Classical Tarrasch Gambit
- D34 · Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Endgame Variation
- D34 · Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Réti Variation
- D34 · Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Bogoljubow Variation
- D34 · Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Petursson Variation
- D34 · Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line
Deep theory branches
- 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 — Tarrasch Defense: 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 — Tarrasch Defense: 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 Bg4 — Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Spassky 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 — Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Bogoljubow 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 — Tarrasch Defense: 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. dxc5 Bxc5 10. Na4 — Tarrasch Defense: 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. Bg5 c4 — Tarrasch Defense: 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. dxc5 d4 — Tarrasch Defense: 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. Bg5 Be6 — Tarrasch Defense: 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 — Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation, Carlsbad Variation
- 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bc5 — Tarrasch Defense: Dubov Tarrasch
- 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 — Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation
- 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. dxc5 d4 7. Na4 b5 — Tarrasch Defense: Grünfeld Gambit
- 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 cxd4 5. Qxd4 Nc6 6. Qd1 exd5 7. Qxd5 Be6 — Tarrasch Defense: von Hennig Gambit
- 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Bg4 — Tarrasch Defense: Wagner Variation
- 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 — Tarrasch Defense: Prague Variation, Main Line