Orthodox Defense

The idea

Black sets up the classical Queen's Gambit Declined position: 3...Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 O-O 6.Nf3 Nbd7. Black's pieces are developed solidly and d5 is firmly held. The remaining problem is the bishop on c8, and the plans for both sides revolve around it.

Plans for White

The main line is 7.Rc1, putting the rook on the c-file, often followed by Bd3 and Qc2. White keeps the tension in the center and tries to make Black's freeing moves awkward.

If Black's pieces stay cramped, White can build a kingside attack or later exchange on d5 and play on the queenside.

Plans for Black

The classical plan is ...c6, then ...dxc4 when White's bishop moves, and ...Nd5. José Raúl Capablanca introduced this freeing maneuver: it trades a pair of minor pieces and makes room for ...e5 or ...c5, which finally frees the bishop on c8.

Watch out for

For Black, the Rubinstein Trap. After 7.Rc1 Re8 8.Qc2 a6 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Bd3 c6 11.O-O Ne4 12.Bf4 f5?, White plays 13.Nxd5!. If Black takes it with 13...cxd5, then 14.Bc7 traps the queen on d8, and it can only take the bishop and be recaptured. Rubinstein himself didn't take the knight, but he still lost a pawn.

For White, the mistake is to push forward without a plan. The Orthodox is very solid, and Black's freeing maneuver works well if White just develops and waits.

History

The first recorded game with the Rubinstein Trap was Amos Burn against Heinrich Wolf at Ostend in 1905. Rubinstein then fell into it against Euwe at Bad Kissingen in 1928 and against Alekhine at San Remo in 1930, in games that reached this position by a different move order.