Theoria
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Tarrasch Defense

Prague Variation, Main Line

D34positionalsolid

  1. 1.d4d5
  2. 2.c4e6
  3. 3.Nc3c5
  4. 4.cxd5exd5
  5. 5.Nf3Nc6
  6. 6.g3Nf6
  7. 7.Bg2Be7
1,047 games47%45%

Main Line of the Tarrasch Prague Variation, where 7...Be7 prepares castling and leads to classical isolated-queen's-pawn battles against the g2-bishop.

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About the Main Line

With 7...Be7 Black completes kingside development modestly and prepares to castle, keeping the central tension rather than resolving it with 7...cxd4 or pinning with 7...Bg4. White nearly always castles, and 8. O-O O-O reaches the Classical Variation, the line Tarrasch himself advocated. Less common are 8. dxc5, accepting the isolated d5-pawn as a target at once, and 8. Bg5. The engine regards the position as roughly balanced, and practical results are close to even.

Popular continuations