Tarrasch Defense: 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
Classical Variation
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.
What Is The Classical Variation?
6.g3 and 7.Bg2 point the bishop down the long diagonal at d5, and that single idea runs the whole variation. After ...cxd4 Black holds an isolated pawn on d5 while White blockades the square in front of it with a knight on d4. White attacks d5 from a distance, so the pressure costs him nothing.
Black pays with a weak pawn and gets speed: open c and e files, an outpost on e4, and the ...d4 break. Rubinstein's 9.Bg5 pins the knight on f6, d5's most important defender, and forces you to choose. Exchanges decide the game. Trade into an endgame and the isolated pawn falls; keep the pieces on and Black's activity outweighs it.
The Named Lines Of The Classical Variation
| Line | Moves |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |