The Pawn Center Variation is a variation of the French, Tarrasch Variation, catalogued as ECO C05. The line runs 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4, reaching the position shown below after 9 half-moves.
Both sides have pawns in the centre (White on d4 and e5, Black on d5). Development is level at one minor pieces each. It is Black to move after five moves.
On the French, Tarrasch Variation generally: White plays 3.Nd2 instead of 3.Nc3, keeping the c-pawn free to advance. A flexible, positional approach to the French Defense.
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See all 6 French, Tarrasch Variation variations →
The Pawn Center Variation goes 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4. It is a variation of the French, Tarrasch Variation and is catalogued as ECO C05.
The Pawn Center Variation is ECO C05. ECO codes group openings by their move order, so nearby codes cover closely related lines of the French, Tarrasch Variation.
Stockfish evaluates the position after 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 at +0.34 at depth 18, which is a slight pull for White, within normal opening margins. Engine evaluation is only a starting point — at club level the practical value of a line is mostly about whether you know its plans better than your opponent does.
Both sides have pawns in the centre (White on d4 and e5, Black on d5). Development is level at one minor pieces each. It is Black to move.