Chigorin Defense, Tartakower Gambit

The Tartakower Gambit arises when Black answers 3. Nc3 in the Chigorin Defense with 3...e5 rather than the usual 3...dxc4. The move hits d4 immediately and invites White to win the e-pawn, with Black counting on the c6-knight and the unobstructed c8-bishop for quick piece activity. The idea resembles the Albin Countergambit, but the presence of White's knight on c3 changes the assessment. Here capturing on e5 is not considered White's best course.

The most common reply, and the engine's top choice, is 4. cxd5, which clears the d-file and lets White gain several tempi by chasing the c6-knight. The capture 4. dxe5 is the second most frequent move. The quieter 4. e3 comes third, and in practice Black has scored well against it. The engine gives White a slight edge after 3...e5. Results in online games are nonetheless almost evenly split, and draws are rare. The line is an unorthodox choice and is seen far less often than the main lines of the Chigorin.