Other lines
White can play 2.c4. Then Black may play 2...d5 anyway (see 1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5). This can lead toPanov-Botvinnik Attack (B14, given above, with exd cxd d4) or Caro-Kann (B10, cxd cxd exd or exd cxd cxd). Or Black may play 2...e5 (see 1.e4 c6 2.c4 e5).
Also White can play 2.Nc3. Then Black may play 2...d5 anyway (see 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5). This can lead to the Steinitz Variation (B17, given above), Caro-Kann (B15), Two Knights, 3...Bg4 (B11), or Caro-Kann (B10). Or Black may play 2...g6 (see 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 g6).
Two Knights Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3, played by Bobby Fischer in his youth, where White's intention is to benefit from rapid development as well as to retain options regarding the d-pawn. Black's logical and probably best reply is 3...Bg4. After 4.h3 Bxf3 (4...Bh5 is also possible) 5.Qxf3, Black has 5...Nf6 or 5...e6. This variation sets a trap: if Black plays along the lines of the Classical Variation, he gets in trouble after 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 (4...Nd7 is playable) 5.Ng3 Bg6?! (5...Bg4) 6.h4 h6 7.Ne5 Bh7 (7...Qd6 may be best) 8.Qh5! g6 (forced) 9.Bc4! e6 (9...gxh5?? 10.Bxf7#) 10.Qe2 with a huge advantage for White. Now 10...Qe7! is best. Instead, Lasker-Radsheer, 1908 and Alekhine-Bruce, 1938 ended quickly after, respectively, 10...Bg7?? 11.Nxf7! and 10...Nf6?? 11.Nxf7![2][3]
Fantasy or Tartakower Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3, which somewhat resembles the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit. 3...e6 is probably the most solid response, preparing to exploit the dark squares via ...c5. Related to the Fantasy Variation are the gambits 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.f3 (Stuart Milner-Berry), and 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.f3by 5.f3 (von Hennig).
Gurgenidze Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 g6; it is because of this variation that some players believe 3.Nd2 is more accurate (White can then play c3 at some point), though 3...g6 is also playable after that move.
Hillbilly Attack: 1.e4 c6 2. Bc4?! This is often played by club players. Black can simply play 2...d5 3. exd5 cxd5, gaining a tempo on the bishop.
Note that the Caro-Kann can sometimes be reached by transposition of moves from the English Opening: 1.c4 c6 2.e4 d5.
[edit] ECO codes
The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings has ten codes for the Caro-Kann Defence, B10 through B19:
[edit] B10
Hillbilly Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.Bc4
Modern; English Variation, Accelerated Panov: 1.e4 c6 2.c4
Breyer Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d3
Stein Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 e5 6.Ngf3 Ne7 7.O-O O-O 8.b4
Massachusetts Defense: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 f5
Masi Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 Nf6
Scorpion-Horus Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d3 dxe4 4.Bg5
Goldman Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Qf3
Two Knights Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3
[edit] B11
Two Knights Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3
Mindeno Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4
Retreat Line, Mindeno Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.h3 Bh5
[edit] B12
Landau Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Bd3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 6.e6
Mieses Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Be3
Diemer-Duhm Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.c4
Advance Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5
Prins Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.b4
Bayonet Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.g4
Tal Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4
Van der Wiel Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nc3
Dreyev Defense: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nc3 Qb6
Bronstein Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Ne2
Short Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3
Botvinnik-Carls Defense: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5
Maroczy Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3
Fantasy; Lilienfisch Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3
Maroczy Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 dxe4 4.fxe4 e5 5.Nf3 exd4 6.Bc4
Modern Variation:1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2
New Caro-Kann 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 g6
Edinburgh Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Qb6
Ulysses Gambit:1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nf3 dxe4 4.Ng5
De Bruycker Defense: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 Na6
Hector Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 dxe4 4.Ng5
[edit] B13
Rubinstein Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4
Panov-Botvinnik: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4
Panov-Botvinnik, Gedult-Gunderam Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.c5
[edit] B14
Carlsbad Line: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6
Czerniak Line: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 Qa5
Reifir-Spielmann Line: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 Qb6
[edit] B15
Gurgenidze Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 b5
Von Hennig Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Bc4
Milner-Barry Gambit, Rasa-Studier Gambit:
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.f3
Knight Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6
Tarrasch (Alekhine) Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Bd3
Tartakower Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6
5.Nxf6+ exf6
Forgacs Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.Bc4
Gurgenidze System: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 g6
Gurgenidze Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 g6 4.e5 Bg7 5.f4 h5
Campomanes Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6
[edit] B16
Finnish Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 h6
Nimzovich; Bronstein-Larsen:
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ gxf6
[edit] B17
Karpov Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7
Smyslov Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Bc4 Ngf6 6.Ng5 e6 7.Qe2 Nb6
Tiviakov-Fischer Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Bc4 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6
Kasparov Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Ng3
Ivanchuk Defense: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Ng5 Ndf6
[edit] B18
Classical Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5
Flohr Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.Nh3
[edit] B19
Seirawan Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3
ARTICLE FROM WIKIPEDIA
the Caro Kann defense.
The Caro-Kann Defence is a common chess opening characterized by the moves:
1.e4 c6.
The usual continuation is
2.d4 d5
followed by 3.Nc3 (the Classical Variation), 3.Nd2 (the Classical Variation), 3.exd5 (the Exchange Variation), or 3.e5 (the Advance Variation). 2.Nc3 is the modern variation which has gained much popularity. The Caro-Kann, like the Sicilian Defence and French Defence, is classified as a "Semi-Open Game", but it is thought to be more solid and less dynamic than either of those openings. It often leads to good endgames for Black, who has the better pawn structure.
The opening is named after the English player Horatio Caro and the Austrian Marcus Kann who analyzed the opening in 1886. It is believed to be good against computers especially when it leads to a closed position. It is, hence, one of the more common openings played in computer-human matches.
Classical / Capablanca Variation
The most common way of handling the Caro-Kann, the Classical Variation (often referred to as the Capablanca Variation after José Capablanca), is defined by the moves :
1.e4 c6
2.d4 d5
3.Nc3 (or 3.Nd2) dxe4
4.Nxe4 Bf5
This was long considered to represent best play for both sides in the Caro-Kann. White usually continues
5.Ng3 Bg6
6.h4 h6
7.Nf3 Nd7
8.h5 Bh7
9.Bd3 Bxd3
10.Qxd3
Although White's pawn on h5 looks ready to attack, it can prove to be a real weakness in an endgame.[1]
Much of the Caro-Kann's reputation as a solid defence stems from this variation being so hard to crack. Black makes very few compromises in his pawn structure, and plays a timely c5 to contest the d4 square. Black has the options of castling queenside, castling kingside, and even leaving his king in the center. Should things proceed to an endgame, Black often stands well thanks to his solid pawn structure and kingside pawn majority.
Smyslov / Karpov Variation
Another solid positional line, this variation is characterized by the moves
1.e4 c6
2.d4 d5
3.Nc3 (or 3.Nd2) dxe4
4.Nxe4 Nd7
The Bronstein-Larsen Variation and Korchnoi Variation both begin with the following moves:At one time named after the first world champion Wilhelm Steinitz, nowadays the variation is more often referred to as the Smyslov Variation after the seventh world champion Vasily Smyslov who played a number of notable games with it, or the Karpov Variation, after the twelfth World Champion Anatoly Karpov, in whose repertoire it appeared quite often. The short-term goal of 4...Nd7 is to ease development by the early exchange of a pair of Knights without compromising the structural integrity of his position. Play is similar to the Classical Variation except that Black has more freedom by delaying the development of his bishop, and is not forced to play it to the g6 square. However, this freedom comes at a cost as White enjoys added freedom in taking up space in the center, and often plays the aggressive 5.Ng5!? where Black's development is brought into question as well as the positional weakness of the f7-square. The famous last game of the Deep Blue-Garry Kasparov rematch where Kasparov committed a known blunder and lost was played in this very line.
1.e4 c6
2.d4 d5
3.Nc3 dxe4
4.Nxe4 Nf6!?
5.Nxf6
The Bronstein-Larsen Variation arises after:
5...gxf6!?
Black has voluntarily opted for an inferior kingside pawn structure and a practical necessity of castling queenside, but also has some compensation in the form of the open g-file for the rook and unusually active play for the Caro-Kann. It is generally considered somewhat unsound, but former top-10 player Bent Larsen employed it with some success during the 1970s.
The Korchnoi Variation arises after:
5...exf6
Viktor Korchnoi has played 5...exf6 many times (including in a world championship match). 5...exf6 is sounder than 5...gxf6!? of the Bronstein-Larsen Variation and offers Black rapid development.
Advance variation: 3...Bf5 and 3...c5
The 3...Bf5 variation that follows with
1e4 c6
2d4 d5
3.e5 Bf5
has gained popularity after having previously been widely regarded as inferior for many years, owing chiefly to the strategic demolition that Aron Nimzowitsch (playing as White) suffered at the hands of José Capablanca in one of their games at the New York 1927 tournament:
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Bd3?! (after the exchange of the light-squared Bishops, Black's play is based on White's light-squared weakness) 4...Bxd3 5.Qxd3 e6 6.Nc3 Qb6 7.Nge2 c5?! (7...Ne7 8.0-0 Qa6) 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.0–0 Ne7 10.Na4? (10.b4! Bxb4 (10...Qxb4 11.Nb5 Qa5 12.Be3 a6 13.Rab1 axb5 14.Bxc5 Nbc6 15.Rxb5 Qc7 16.Bd6 Qd7 17.Rfb1 Nd8 18.Rc5±) 11.Rb1 Qa5 12.Nb5= Moutousis-Cilia Vincenti, Thessalonika, 13.Nov.1988, 1–0) 10...Qc6 11.Nxc5 (11.Qg3 Nf5 12.Qb3 Nc6) 11...Qxc5 12.Be3 Qc7 13.f4 Nf5 14.c3 Nc6 15.Rad1 g6 16.g4 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 h5 18.g5 0–0 19.Nd4 Qb6 20.Rf2 Rfc8 21.a3 Rc7 22.Rd3 Na5 23.Re2 Re8 24.Kg2 Nc6 25.Red2 Rec8 26.Re2 Ne7 27.Red2 Rc4 28.Qh3 Kg7 29.Rf2 a5 30.Re2 Nf5 31.Nxf5+ gxf5 32.Qf3 Kg6 33.Red2 Re4 34.Rd4 Rc4 35.Qf2 Qb5 36.Kg3 Rcxd4 37.cxd4 Qc4 38.Kg2 b5 39.Kg1 b4 40.axb4 axb4 41.Kg2 Qc1 42.Kg3 Qh1 43.Rd3 Re1 44.Rf3 Rd1 45.b3 Rc1 46.Re3 Rf1 0–1.
The Advance Variation has since been revitalized by aggressive lines such as the Bayonet Attack (4.Nc3 e6 5.g4) favored by Latvian Grandmaster Alexei Shirov or the less ambitious variation (4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3) popularized by English Grandmaster Nigel Short.
The 3...c5 variation that follows with
1.e4 c6
2.d4 d5
3.e5 c5!?
is an important alternative and avoids the weight of theory associated with 3...Bf5. It was used by Mikhail Botvinnik in his 1961 match vs. Mikhail Tal (though with a negative outcome for Botvinnik – 2 draws and a loss).The line was christened the "Arkell/Khenkin Variation" in the leading chess magazine "New in Chess" yearbook 42 in recognition of the work these two Grandmasters did and the success they were having with the variation. In comparison to the French defense, Black lacks the tempo normally spent on ...e6. However, White can only exploit this by the weakening of his own central bind with 4. dxc5 when Black has good chances of regaining the pawn.
Exchange variation and Panov-Botvinnik Attack
The Exchange Variation is 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5.The Panov-Botvinnik Attack begins with the move 4.c4. It is named after Vasily Panov and the world champion Mikhail Botvinnik. This system often leads to typical isolated queen's pawn (IQP) positions, with White obtaining rapid development, a grip on e5, and kingside attacking chances to compensate for the long-term structural weakness of the isolated d4 pawn. The major variation in this line 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nf3, when Black's main alternatives are 6...Bb4 (a position characteristic of the Nimzo-Indian Defense) and 6...Be7 (the most popular). 6...Nc6?! is inferior as it is favorably met by 7.c5!, after which White plans on seizing the e5-square via the advance of his b-pawn to b5 or by exchanging the Black's Knight on c6 after Bb5.The "true" Exchange Variation begins with 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4 Bg4 7.Qb3. White isn't thought to possess much of an advantage, although the line was tried by Bobby Fischer. Play is somewhat similar to the Queen's Gambit Exchange Variation (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5), colors reversed.