French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Botvinnik Variation

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO C05), reached after 12 half-moves: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 b6.

Black rook — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

Black knight — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

End of this line

No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

About this opening

French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Botvinnik Variation is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code C05. ECO group C (C00–C99) covers open games (1.e4 e5) and the French Defence, including the Ruy Lopez, Italian, Scotch and King's Gambit. This particular variation is reached after 12 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 b6.

It belongs to the French Defense family. Within that family this is a level-2 branch (the Tarrasch Variation → Botvinnik Variation line). The immediate parent line is French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, transitioned via 6…b6.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.e4 e6, 2.d4 d5, 3.Nd2 Nf6, 4.e5 Nfd7, 5.Bd3 c5, 6.c3 b6. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.