Two Pawns Attack, Tate Variation

The Tate Variation, 4. a4, replaces the usual 4. d4 or 4. c5 with a flank thrust. It threatens to push the pawn to a5 and trap the knight on b6. Black therefore either stops the advance with 4...a5 or gives the knight a retreat square with 4...d6 or 4...d5. The first two replies are almost equally popular, and 4...a5 has scored somewhat better for Black. The line is named after the American International Master Emory Tate, who played it in 1991.

After 4...a5 the point of White's play becomes clear. The a3 square is free for a rook lift with 5. Ra3, and the rook can then swing to g3 to press against g7 and discourage ...Be7. Black need not be deterred. After 5. Ra3 d6 6. exd6 exd6 7. Rg3 Bf5, Black can still put the bishop on e7, because taking on g7 would leave the rook trapped. Grandmasters Mariya Muzychuk, Lu Shanglei and Nazar Firman have used the line with some success. Engines consider the position roughly balanced, and online results are almost exactly even.