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English Opening

Agincourt Defense, Tarrasch Defense

A13positionalsolid

  1. 1.c4e6
  2. 2.Nf3d5
  3. 3.g3Nf6
  4. 4.Bg2c5
  5. 5.b3Nc6
  6. 6.O-OBe7
178 games53%41%

A Neo-Catalan line of the English in which Black meets White's double fianchetto with a broad c5-d5-e6 pawn center; quiet and strategic.

Train it in Theoria

About the Tarrasch Defense

The Tarrasch Defense is a branch of the Neo-Catalan in which Black answers White's kingside fianchetto with 4...c5 and 5...Nc6, occupying the center with pawns on c5, d5 and e6. White's 5. b3 prepares a second fianchetto on b2. After 6. O-O Be7, 7. Bb2 is by far the most common move and scores well for White, with 7. e3 and 7. cxd5 the main alternatives. The engine rates the position as roughly balanced and lists cxd5 and d4 among its preferred moves.

Popular continuations