Tarrasch Defense: Rubinstein System
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3
The Tarrasch Defense: Rubinstein System is a chess opening classified as ECO D33, reached after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3. It is a line of the Tarrasch Defense. Black is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 176 times by this move order. White won 45%, 7% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 6… Nf6 (90% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.29 (Stockfish, depth 48; best line 6… Nf6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. dxc5)
- ECO
- D33
- Moves
- 11 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/pp3ppp/2n5/2pp4/3P4/2N2NP1/PP2PP1P/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 6- PGN
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 2 | |
| 1500-1999 | 23 | |
| 2000+ | 151 | |
| All | 176 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6… Nf6 Prague Variation | 159 (90%) | |
| 6… c4 Swedish Variation | 6 (3%) | |
| 6… cxd4 | 4 (2%) | |
| 6… Bg4 | 3 (2%) | |
| 6… h6 | 2 (1%) | |
| 6… Bf5 | 1 (1%) | |
| 6… Be7 | 1 (1%) |
Master games
29 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 45%, draw 24%, Black 31%). The strongest:
- GM Ivan Ivanisevic (2662) – GM Igor Miladinovic (2556) 1-0 · TCh-SRB Premier 2015 · 2015-08-29
- IM Agasiyev, Ka. (2441) – IM Arystanbek Urazayev (2476) 0-1 · Titled Tue 27th Feb Late · 2024-02-27
- GM Boris Savchenko (2540) – IM Denis Pershin (2366) 1/2-1/2 · TCh-RUS Premier 2023 · 2023-05-10
- IM To, N. (2305) – GM Milosz Szpar (2499) 0-1 · 2nd 3-0 Thu 26th Feb 2026 · 2026-02-26
- GM Tamas Jr. Fodor (2493) – Paul Wallace (2191) 1-0 · Gonzaga Classic Masters · 2018-01-28
Search all games of the Tarrasch Defense: Rubinstein System and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Nut5105 (2720) – Vahe_S (2745) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
- AeroTraining (2643) – Not_Strong_Enough (2526) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- Tohabuh (2338) – FM Artyom-Odegov (2800) 0-1 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Tarrasch Defense: Two Knights Variation 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3
Continuations
- Tarrasch Defense: Prague Variation D33 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Nf6
- Tarrasch Defense: Swedish Variation D33 · 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 c4
More Tarrasch Defense lines (all)
- Tarrasch Defense D32
- Tarrasch Defense: Grünfeld Gambit D32
- Tarrasch Defense: Marshall Gambit D32
- Tarrasch Defense: Schara Gambit D32
- Tarrasch Defense: Symmetrical Variation (5. Nf3 Nc6) D32
- Tarrasch Defense: Symmetrical Variation (6. cxd5 exd5) D32
- Tarrasch Defense: Tarrasch Gambit D32
- Tarrasch Defense: von Hennig Gambit D32
- Tarrasch Defense: Dubov Tarrasch D33
- Tarrasch Defense: Swedish Variation, Central Break D33
- Tarrasch Defense: Wagner Variation D33
- Tarrasch Defense: Classical Variation D34
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.