The Caro-Kann Defense is a chess opening characterized by the moves 1. e4 c6. It is named after the English player[note 1] Horatio Caro[note 2] and the Viennese theorist Marcus Kann[note 3], who began its analysis in 1886 in the German journal Brüderschaft[citation needed].
It belongs to the category of semi-open openings, where Black responds to 1. e4 with something other than 1... e5. It is used by players who prioritize safety, as World Champion Tigran Petrossian advised for Black. In fact, the Caro-Kann Defense is considered one of the strongest defenses against 1. e4 and generally allows for better development of the c8 bishop than the French Defense. It is perfectly suited to positional players who are not afraid of draws with Black, like former World Champion Anatoly Karpov.
Mikhail Botvinnik is credited with the prestigious use of this opening in his 1958 World Championship match against Vasily Smyslov.[1]
Commenting on this defense, sometimes considered too passive, Master Aaron Nimzowitsch humorously remarked: "1... c6! A daring attempt to refute the premature advance 1. e4."
