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Best book on Caro-Kann

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Avatar of TheLost
TheLost
Jan 19, 2011
0
#21
Summum_Malum wrote:

Hello everyone,

Yesterday I lost in an OTB game against the Caro-Kann. (I played the advance variation, but opted for 5.Bd3?! rather than 5.Be2 which seems the strongest.) Thus, to be better prepared next time I face the CK I would like to ask you, the people of chess.com, which book is the best to go through if you want to "suck it to them" - them being Caro-Kann players.

Thnx,

Summum_Malum

I think no book is going to help you except only one and that is ' How to be a deadly tactician?'

Avatar of Blundering
Blundering
Jan 19, 2011
0
#22
rigamagician wrote:

I have Sam Collins' An Attacking Repertoire for White.  It has some fun ideas for fooling around against casual club players, but I don't think it is meant for use in serious tournaments.  It covers the Sicilian, Open Games, French, Pirc, Alekhine, etc.  Chris Baker's A Startling Chess Opening Repertoire is another book along the same lines.

I'm not sure that i agree with this (sorry!)

the repertoire is based around:

 - the Scotch (very mainline)

- c3 sicilian( ok, agreed a bit lame, but still used at super GM level)

- Panov - ok even at GM level

- French Advance

If you point is that the theory presented isn't that dense, then ok.

However, even at 2000 level i think what is presented is enough to play with some confidence in a tourney

Avatar of Phelon
Phelon
Jan 19, 2011
0
#23
Bianca1986 wrote:
Summum_Malum wrote:

Hi Bianca,

Yeah I know there is the possibility of watching online videos, but I like to have the books (somehow things written down stick to by brain better than things said in a video) =) and then use online videos as supplementary material, or as a way of picking up a little theory while eating #) .. And unfortunately I don't have the time to go over tons of games, though I would like to.

I saw that Karpov has co-authored a book on the Panov-Bottvinnik, but on amazon it only gets 2 stars. I know these ratings are not to be taken at face value, so if anyone has used this book then let me know what you think.

I think you have a perfectly valid point preferring books over videos. On the subject of the book Karpov co-authored (It's titled "Caro-Kann Defence: Panov Attack" if I'm not mistaking.) I liked the book, it explores some new options and they actually did some 'new' research instead of using the assumed analysis.

Overall I'd say it's a slightly above average book, not flawless but still worth getting if you can. It'll help you improve your Caro-Kann game, though you should be prepared to still do some research of your own, as the book does lack certain variations.

This is the book I have and it seems pretty good, although I do agree it is missing some lines.

Avatar of MartinBrookes
MartinBrookes
Jan 19, 2011
0
#24

I have just bought Schandorff's "The Caro-Kann", in Quality Chess' Grandmaster Repertoire series, and also "Play the Caro-Kann" by Jovanka Houska (published by Everyman). 

I think the former is better, for the simple reason that it covers the Short variation of the advance (3. e5) more clearly. I seem to face (or play) the Short variation more often now than the classical. I am not an expert (in any sense of the term) but suspect I will find Schandorff's book more useful over time. Houska gives more narrative and discussion though. 

May I add a question. Does anyone know whether there are collections of games which feature the Caro-Kann heavily?

Avatar of rigamagician
rigamagician
Jan 19, 2011
0
#25
MartinBrookes wrote:
May I add a question. Does anyone know whether there are collections of games which feature the Caro-Kann heavily?

If you are looking for PGN, PGN Mentor has a bunch of Caro-Kann databases.

Avatar of MartinBrookes
MartinBrookes
Jan 20, 2011
0
#26

Wow, that is terrific. I didn't know it existed. Thank you!

I am also interested in books with annotated games if you know of any. 

Avatar of rigamagician
rigamagician
Jan 20, 2011
0
#27

Books of annotated games?  Probably the games collections of players like Anatoly Karpov, Alexey Dreev, Jonathan Speelman or Yasser Seirawan would have some Caro-Kanns.  There are a couple of books on the Tal-Botvinnik matches of 1960 and 1961.  Also there are magazines like Chess Informant, New In Chess and Chessbase Magazine with lots of annotated games.

Avatar of 390exp
390exp
Jul 22, 2021
0
#28

I have an older book  Understading the caro-kann Defence R H M press

its out of date a bit but gives very good understaning of the defence it uses 2 GM and 3 IM to cover  different Ideas of Caro

Avatar of Dentangle
Dentangle
Jul 22, 2021
0
#29

Lars Schandorff released an updated version of "Playing the Caro-Kann" a couple of months ago. It's bang up to date with the latest lines.

Avatar of RussBell
RussBell
Jul 22, 2021
0
#30

For an instructive introduction suitable for those unfamiliar or lacking experience with the Caro-Kann I recommend Starting Out The Caro-Kann by Joe Gallagher.  It is a survey of all the main variations of C-K with good explanations of the why's and wherefore' of the themes and plans.  For an exceptionally instructive introduction to the main line Caro-Kann (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4) I recommend Neil McDonald's Main Line Caro-Kann.

For comprehensive C-K repertoire books, with detailed coverage suitable for experienced, including titled players, I suggest Win With The Caro-Kann by Sverre Johnsen and T.B. Hansen and (as suggested by @Dentangle earlier) Playing the Caro-Kann: A Counter-Attacking Repertoire by Lars Schandorff.