Dr Siegbert Tarrasch (1862–1934) – known for his often very dogmatic judgments – raised 3...c5 to the position of the only correct defence to the Queen’s Gambit. Anything else would lead to a cramped position, only 3...c5 would guarantee Black free development for his pieces. The price which Black has to pay in many variations for his active game is the isolation of his d-pawn, but the doctor and chess master Tarrasch valued the advantages of the isolated pawn even more than the disadvantages which were linked to it.
Even today the critical test of the Tarrasch Defence is considered to be the system of Akiba Rubinstein (1882–1961), who fianchettoed White’s king’s bishop in order to exert strong pressure on the d5-pawn.
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