- ECO code
- C03
- Moves
- 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2
- Family
- French Defense
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 1,173
- Average game length
- 42 moves
- Years covered
- 1894–2026
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation is the opening filed under ECO code C03, reached after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2. It belongs to the French Defense family and is known as the Tarrasch Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 1,173 games on this line — the 99th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1894 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 268 games. An average game here lasts 42 moves.
White wins 34% of those games, 41% end in a draw, and Black wins 25%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 3 percentage points. Draws are more common here than usual, by 6 points.
From this position the most popular move is 3...c5, played in 635 games, followed by 3...Nf6 (218) and 3...Be7 (108). 3...c5 leads into French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System. After 3...c5 White scores 29% and Black 23%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Vachier Lagrave,M (57 games); on the Black side, Kortschnoj, Viktor (102).
1 named variation branch off this position and have their own page here, among them French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System.
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Results in master games
- White 34% (400)
- Draws 41% (482)
- Black 25% (291)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3...c5 | 635 | 29/48/23 | French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System |
| 3...Nf6 | 218 | 43/31/26 | — |
| 3...Be7 | 108 | 33/36/31 | — |
| 3...dxe4 | 87 | 42/41/17 | — |
| 3...Nc6 | 52 | 50/19/31 | — |
| 3...a6 | 39 | 31/43/26 | — |
| 3...a5 | 11 | 9/9/82 | — |
| 3...h6 | 9 | 45/33/22 | — |
Variations from this position
- Open System · 3...c5 · 635 games
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
- French Defense · 1.e4 e6 · 6,176 games
- French Defense: Normal Variation · 1.e4 e6 2.d4 · 5,579 games
- French Defense · 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 · 5,533 games
Played most often by
As White
- Vachier Lagrave,M 57
- Tal, Mihail 40
- Keres, Paul 37
As Black
- Kortschnoj, Viktor 102
- Erigaisi,Arjun 64
- Petrosian, Tigran V 50
Games per decade
- 1890s 3
- 1900s 1
- 1910s 1
- 1920s 8
- 1930s 15
- 1940s 35
- 1950s 44
- 1960s 60
- 1970s 106
- 1980s 97
- 1990s 125
- 2000s 188
- 2010s 222
- 2020s 268
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fedoseev,Vl3 | Erigaisi,Arjun | 0-1 | 2026 | 3rd 3-0 Thu 5th Mar 2026 |
| Jumabayev,R | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 12th Feb 2026 |
| Fedoseev,Vl3 | Erigaisi,Arjun | 1-0 | 2026 | 2nd 3-0 Thu 5th Mar 2026 |
| Shimanov,A | Erigaisi,Arjun | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Feb 2026 |
| Atares Buisan,Sergio | Erigaisi,Arjun | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 31st Mar 2026 |
| Erdogmus,Yagiz Kaan | Topalov,V | 1-0 | 2026 | Clash of Generations III |
Frequently asked questions
What is the French Defense: Tarrasch Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code C03, reached after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2. It belongs to the French Defense family.
Is the French Defense: Tarrasch Variation good for White or for Black?
In 1,173 master games on this line White wins 34%, 41% are drawn and Black wins 25%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the French Defense: Tarrasch Variation?
3...c5 — played in 635 of the master games on this line, which leads into French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System.
Which grandmasters play the French Defense: Tarrasch Variation?
On the White side Vachier Lagrave,M (57), Tal, Mihail (40), Keres, Paul (37); on the Black side Kortschnoj, Viktor (102), Erigaisi,Arjun (64), Petrosian, Tigran V (50).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
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