Tartakower Variation

The Tartakower Variation

of the (Classical) Queen’s Gambit Declined [D58-59]

Complied by Steven Craig Miller

This variation is named after Saviely
Tartakower (1887-1956), who ranked among
the top ten in the world during the years
1926-1930. Tartakower was known for his wit
and a number of his sayings still live on in
chess lore: “A game of chess is divided into
three stages: the first, when you hope you
have the advantage, the second when you
believe you have the advantage, and the third
… when you know you are going to lose.” “It
is always better to sacrifice your opponent’s
men.” “The blunders are all on the board,
waiting to be made.” “Some part of a mistake
is always correct.” In the cold winter season
of 1919-20, when Vienna was suffering from a
severe shortage of fuel, he was asked how he
could do any writing when his room was
without heat. Tartakower replied: “I just keep
the window open.” And finally, “I talk to
myself because I like dealing with a better
class of people.”


Tartakower first played this variation in 1922
against Capablanca (who was then World
Champion), the game was drawn. But the
variation became popular mainly as a result of
its use by such players as Spassky, Geller,
Karpov, Kasparov, Beliavsky, Short, among
others. It played a significant part in the world
championship matches between Karpov and
Kasparov, where both players were willing to
play both sides of this variation.


Introduction


1. d4 d5
2. c4 d6
3. Nc3 Nf6
4. Bg5 Be7
5. Nf3 0-0
6. e3 h6
7. Bh4 b6



This is the basic starting position of the
Tartakower Variation. The move order to get
to this position is somewhat flexible. For
example, White could have played Nf3 before
Bg5, and Black could have played Be7 before
Nf6. For example, compare the following
popular move order: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3
Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 0-0 7. e3 b6.
Black’s move of 7. … b6 supports the pawn
break in the center with …c7-c5, in addition,
it creates the possibility of putting Black’s
light square bishop on the long light-square
diagonal.

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