French Defense, Tarrasch Variation, Guimard Defense

The Guimard Defense is defined by 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nc6. White places the knight on d2 to avoid a possible bishop pin on b4 and to keep central options flexible. Black responds by developing the b8-knight to c6, an active square from which it pressures d4 and e5.

The sequence is written in algebraic notation: squares such as e4 combine a column letter and row number; N means knight, B bishop, R rook, and Q queen; pawn moves normally show their destination, x marks a capture, and + marks check. Moves are read in pairs, White first and Black second; dots before a move shown alone indicate Black's turn.

The move 3...Nc6 has a visible cost: it blocks Black's c7-pawn. In many French positions that pawn advances to c5 to attack d4 and open the center. The Guimard delays that pawn break, an advance used to challenge a blocked formation, and uses a different coordination, usually involving ...Nf6 followed by ...f6 to attack White's e5-pawn.

After 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Nd7, where Ngf3 means that the knight from g1 moves to f3, White controls more squares and may continue with Bd3, c3, and short castling, the special move that places the king on g1 and rook on f1. Black gathers pieces against e5 and d4 before opening the center. If ...f6 comes too early, Black may weaken the king; if it comes too late, White may firmly secure the connected pawns on d4 and e5.

The Guimard does not make 3...Nc6 a free move for bringing out a piece. Blocking the c-pawn is a genuine concession and part of the opening's balance. Compared with the Steinitz Variation, White's knight on d2 leaves the c-pawn free and allows d4 to be supported in a different way.