French Tarrasch

Play as BlackDefence

A calmer way for White to meet the French; Black aims for an active game with isolated-pawn play.

The main line, move by move

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. exd5 exd5 5. Ngf3 Nc6 6. Bb5 Bd6 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. O-O Nge7

1. 1. e4 — Claim the center and open lines for the queen and bishop.
2. 1... e6 — The French: prepare ...d5 with a solid pawn chain.
3. 2. d4 — Build a big pawn center.
4. 2... d5 — Strike at the e4 pawn.
5. 3. Nd2 — Brings the knight into the game.
6. 3... c5 — Attack the white center at once.
7. 4. exd5 — Takes the pawn on d5.
8. 4... exd5 — Takes the pawn on d5.
9. 5. Ngf3 — Brings the knight into the game.
10. 5... Nc6 — Brings the knight into the game.
11. 6. Bb5 — Brings the bishop into the game.
12. 6... Bd6 — Brings the bishop into the game.
13. 7. dxc5 — Takes the pawn on c5.
14. 7... Bxc5 — Takes the pawn on c5.
15. 8. O-O — Castle: your king gets safe and a rook joins the game.
16. 8... Nge7 — Brings the knight into the game.

Related openings

• Sicilian Defense (Najdorf)
• French Defense
• Caro-Kann Defense
• Scandinavian Defense
• Pirc Defense

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