Tartakower Variation

The Tartakower Variation arises when Black meets the knight trade on f6 by recapturing with the e-pawn, 5...exf6. It is also called the Korchnoi Variation. Compared with 5...gxf6, the Bronstein–Larsen Variation, it keeps the black king's cover intact and is considered the sounder of the two recaptures. Against the Classical 4...Bf5 or the Steinitz 4...Nd7, its distinctive feature is speed: the e-file opens at once, the f8-bishop is free to develop, and Black can castle within a few moves.

The cost is structural. White keeps four pawns against three on the queenside, while Black's kingside majority is devalued by the doubled f-pawns and cannot easily produce a passed pawn. In an endgame, White's d-pawn can become a dangerous passer, so Black generally avoids simplification and tries to make use of the lead in development and the half-open e-file while the middlegame lasts. White's usual approach is to finish development calmly, keep the position under control, and steer toward an ending in which the healthier majority counts.

6. Nf3 is the most popular move in practice, with results close to even. 6. c3 is the second choice and scores better for White; it supports d4 and keeps the queen's knight's options open. A well-known continuation is the Perlis Line, 6. c3 Bd6 7. Bd3 O-O 8. Qc2 h6, where Black sets up the typical pieces on d6 and the kingside and uses ...h6 to keep White's pieces off g5. 6. Bc4, aiming the bishop at f7, is named the Forgacs Variation.

Engines judge the position roughly balanced, with only a small plus for White, and the Lichess results are nearly even, with few draws. The line is less theoretical than the main Caro-Kann lines and tends to produce a middlegame where Black has the more active pieces and White the better structure.

Viktor Korchnoi adopted 5...exf6 often, and he used it against Anatoly Karpov in their first match for the world title. Ulf Andersson has also played it.