1.e4 — the open games
Tarrasch French
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2ECO C03–C09
White meets the French with 3.Nd2, sidestepping the pin of the Winawer and keeping a flexible, solid structure. A favourite of players who want a small, safe edge against the French without memorising the sharpest lines.
Key ideas
- 3.Nd2 avoids …Bb4 and keeps the c-pawn free to support d4.
- Against 3…c5 White gets an IQP middlegame; against 3…Nf6 a space-gaining 4.e5 bind.
- The play is strategic and low-risk — understanding the resulting structures beats memorising moves.
Who it suits
Positional 1.e4 players who want a solid, flexible weapon against the French.
Add it to your repertoire.
Drill the Tarrasch French move by move against the board until it's second nature.
Open the trainer