6. Fischer-Taimanov System (4.e3 c5 5.Nge2)

White brings the knight to e2 so as not to suffer doubled pawns.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Ne2 cxd4 6.exd4 d5 7.a3 Be7 8.g3

Move by move

1.d4 – White occupies the center with the d-pawn, protected by the queen, and frees the c1 bishop. This is the move that starts Queen's Gambit, Catalan and Nimzo-Indian games.
1...Nf6 – Black develops the knight toward the center and immediately prevents 2.e4. With Nf6 Black stays flexible: he can choose between the Nimzo-Indian, Queen's Indian, King's Indian or the Queen's Gambit Declined.
2.c4 – White gains space on the queenside and attacks the d5 square from a distance. White now threatens Nc3 and e4 to build a big pawn center.
2...e6 – Black opens the diagonal for the f8 bishop and prepares both d5 and Bb4. Compared with 2...d5, Black stays elastic: he waits to see whether White plays Nc3, which allows the Nimzo-Indian.
3.Nc3 – White develops the knight and prepares e4: if Black doesn't react, 4.e4 would give White the ideal center with pawns on c4, d4 and e4.
3...Bb4 – The move of the Nimzo-Indian: the bishop pins the c3 knight to the king, so Nc3 no longer controls e4 and the e4 push becomes difficult. Black is ready to capture on c3 to double White's pawns.
4.e3 – The Rubinstein Variation: White reinforces d4 and frees the f1 bishop toward d3. If Black captures on c3, White recaptures bxc3 and uses the central pawns to push e4.
4...c5 – Black attacks d4 with a wing pawn, as in the Hübner scheme: the goal is to force White to clarify the center and to prepare the exchange on c3 at the best moment.
5.Ne2 – White develops the knight to e2 so as to recapture on c3 with a piece, avoiding doubled pawns. It prepares a3 to chase the bishop without conceding weak structures.
5...cxd4 – Black exchanges on d4 to force White to choose the recapture: with exd4 White frees the c1 bishop, but the d4 pawn may become isolated.
6.exd4 – White recaptures with the e-pawn and keeps a pawn on d4. The c1 bishop now has a free diagonal toward g5 and f4.
6...d5 – Black hits the center and the c4 pawn. If White exchanges with cxd5, the d4 pawn risks becoming isolated; if he pushes c5, Black will break with ...b6 or ...e5.
7.a3 – White attacks the b4 bishop to clarify its position before developing the pieces. This way White avoids ...dxc4 followed by pressure on c3 and d4.
7...Be7 – Black retreats the bishop to e7, keeping the bishop pair. Exchanging on c3 would help White develop the e2 knight without losing time.
8.g3 – White prepares Bg2, which will press on d5 from the long diagonal. It's a way to develop the f1 bishop without taking the knight away from e2.

How to exploit the position

White has space with d4 and c4 but a d4 pawn that may become isolated; Black is solid on d5 and still has to complete development. The position is balanced.

Castle and develop with ...Nc6: the knight attacks d4 together with the queen from b6 or d8 and the rook on d8.
If White exchanges cxd5, recapture with ...Nxd5: the d4 pawn stays isolated and the knight blockades the square in front of it.
If White pushes c5, prepare the breaks ...b6 or ...e5 to hit the c5-d4 chain at its base.
The c8 bishop goes to d7 or g4 so as not to stay shut in behind the e6 pawn.

Master tips

Blockade the isolated pawn

If White is left with the isolated pawn on d4, the d5 square is perfect for Black.