Wagner Variation

The Wagner Variation is a branch of the Tarrasch Defense's Rubinstein System in which Black plays 7...Bg4 instead of the usual 7...Be7. The bishop pins the f3-knight and adds pressure against d4 before Black castles. White's most common replies are 8. O-O, 8. dxc5, which gives up the d-pawn and leaves Black with the isolani at once, and 8. Ne5, which unpins and hits the bishop. The line is seldom played, White scores well in practice, and the engine gives White a slight edge.