he originated the rubinstein system against the tarrasch variation of the queen's gambit declined: 1.d4 d5 2.nf3 c5 3.c4 e6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.nc3 nc6 6.g3 nf6 7.bg2 cxd4 8.nxd4 qb6 (rubinstein - tarrasch, 1912). he is also credited with inventing the meran variation, which stems from the slav defence.