Wikipedia, which I by the way think is a very good source for common definitions of chess openings, seems to agree with Kylemeister

"The variation 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 c5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 is called the Semi-Tarrasch Defense. Unlike the regular Tarrasch, Black does not suffer an isolated pawn, but he cedes a spatial advantage to White. The Semi-Tarrasch has ECO codes D40 through D42"

As far as I know, the Semi-Tarrasch is 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 c5.

Note that after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 Nxd5 doesn't necessarily lead to the Semi-Tarrasch.  After 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 c5 White can choose 7.Rb1 or 7.a3 instead of 7.Nf3.

IMJohnCox wrote on 02/25/10 at 21:16:11:


Amazing. I've been playing 3...Be7 over the years and would you believe that question never entered my head. Looking at it you're quite right, the most sensible move seems to be 4...Nf6 when after 5.cxd5 we've been "tricked" back into those exchange lines we are trying to avoid    

However it seems to me that BPaulsen's suggestion of ...dxc4 is reasonable - the only thing is it will likely transpose to the 5.Qc2 line (e.g. 4. Qc2 dxc4 5.Nf3 Nf6). That is not any easy escape though as that 5.Qc2 move I rate extremely dangerous - the main-line is something like Aronian-Ivanchuk in a 2008 game: 
1. d4   Nf6
2. c4   e6
3. Nf3  d5
4. Nc3  Be7
5. Qc2  dxc4
6. e4   Nc6
7. e5   Nb4
8. Qb1  Nfd5
9. Bxc4 Nb6
10. Bb3 Bd7
11. a3  N4d5 

This one is something like those QGA e4 lines, White must be somewhat better.

Instead of the transposition there is BPaulsens 5...Nc6 or 5...a6 to consider also, heading into uncharted territory, although if we are going to go 5...dxc4 against the 5.Qc2 line then it makes sense to investigate this line a bit more deeply. Also I kind of feel happier with my Knight out on f6 instead of still on g8, I suppose I could wait one more move though but that would be my max!

Smyslov_Fan wrote on 02/25/10 at 23:06:52:


Smyslov Fan, I'm not sure what you mean, but if you play 3.Nc3, I assume you know about both 3..Nf6 and 3..Be7.  If White wants the Exchange Variation he can play 4.cxd5 against either, but the resulting lines are different, and I personally find that White players are more likely to play 4.cxd5 against 3..Nf6 than they are against 3..Be7.  If your goal as Black is to get to a Tartakower and not have to play vs the Exchange an inordinate amount of time, I would definitely recommend 3..Be7 to 3..Nf6.    

Quote:


This is silly. Jangjava's book is still sold by Gambit and available in the US through Amazon, B&N, Chess4Less, . . .  The fact that it is still printed and on the market indicates that it has been a good seller or, at minimum, that the publisher feels its worthwhile to keep printing it.

But really my point was that there have been few books that cover the Tartakower thoroughly, and so if you play the Tartakower as Black as your principal defense to 1.d4, you should have Janjgava's book in your library.  I would bet that most Tartakower   
players do.   

Whether IM Cox chooses to cover the same lines or different lines is, of course, totally up to him and maybe, I suppose, his publisher.  From his comment about 3..Be7, it sounds like he is, indeed, contemplating a different approach than the one Janjgava took.   


Quote:


BP Paulsen is completely right, of course.  On 3.Nc3, Black plays 3..Be7.  The point is to induce White to play 4.Nf3 and therefore avoid the Exchange Variation with Nge2.  On 3.Nf3, Black doesn't have to worry about the Nge2 Exchange Variation, so he simply plays 3..Nf6.  I don't see why anyone would prefer 3..Be7 against 3.Nf3, but perhaps I am missing something?

LeeRoth wrote on 02/24/10 at 19:39:45:

This was the source of my "confusion".  I play the Exchange Variation with Nc3 and without Nf3 as White.

Also, I disagree that "most" of Cox' target audience would already own Jangjava's book.  I haven't even seen a copy here in the US, though I know it exists.  I wonder if there are any sales figures on the book available.


Anyway, BPaulsen, you were correct. I thought 3...Be7 was recommended against both N-B3s for White.

3.Nf3 Be7 4.Qc2!? is one of my blitz lines, but I've never researched it cos I usually play 3.Nc3 in serious games.

I think we're talking across posts here.  4...dc4 and 5...Bb4+ does not fit with 3...Be7.  There have been other recommendations that also don't fit with 3...Nf6, which I would like to see covered.