Methinks you mean 4...cxd4 5.Nxd4 e5 which is entirely possible. I am no expert on this opening, but next White could play 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.c4 and now the d-pawn becomes a target. Kind of a role reversal, where White has allowed (indeed assisted!) black in setting up a classical pawn center, only in order to take shots at it from the wings.
In researching the position after 5...e5 I came across 79 games with a score of 72% for White (+63-15=14). Maybe there will be a Tarrasch expert respond.
Hi,
I am currently reading Eric Schiller's book Encyclopedia of chess wisdom, and there is a special opening of the Tarrasch Defence that I don't get. It goes as follows:
1.g3 d5; 2. Nf3 c5; 3. Bg2 Nc6; 4.d4 e6; 5.0-0 Nf6; 6.c4 Be7; 7.cxd5 exd5; 8.Nc3 0-0.
Why wouldn't black simply play : 4.d4 cxd4 Nxd4 5.e5
Thank you for your help, I am new to chess and there is probably something that I don't get but from my beginner's eye exchanging the c pawn for d pawn is an advantage for black.