http://www.chessgames.com/player/paul_keres.html
Yes, and Paul Keres didn't play a single game in the Caro-Kann, apart from beating both Tal and Fischer more than once while playing it. By the way did you notice there's no Caro-Kann on chess com. I'm deadly serious. Didn't you notice that it is easier to attack the center with your opponents' pieces on it? It is basically a delayed French, leaving more room for the development of your light squared bishop. Since attacking the center with c5 is impossible without lagging in development and e6 is protecting the center all the while cutting off the light squares bishop, c6 is protecting the center while leaving more room for that same bishop. It's not that e6 is not wasting a tempo as c6 does, they are both wasting time, for the sake of the position, and it doesn't come as a surprise to any perceptive player that the chink in the armor always happens to be that same bishop, the peculiarity in the French is that it's not an easy target since it's not playing any role in the centre.
Reuben Fine said the Caro-Kann Defense "is subject to the theoretical disadvantage of supporting a centre pawn (d5) not with another centre pawn (as in the French) but with a side pawn. It thus becomes easier for White to get the upper hand in the centre." I'm a little mystified by this statement. Does this refer to Black being unable to play ...e5 easily, or what? Can someone give a good example of a Caro-Kann game where White got the "upper hand" in the center, ultimately because of Black's ...c6 move? I'm trying to get a good feel of the Caro-Kann Defense.
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(p. 60)
Caro-Kann Defence:
1 e4 c6
This defence is motivated by a
desire to secure the good features
of the French (prevention of any
attack on f7) and to avoid the bad
ones (cramped game, especially
(p. 61)
due to the fact that the QB is shut
in). However, it is subject to the
theoretical disadvantage of sup-
porting a centre pawn (d5) not
with another centre pawn (as in
the French) but with a side pawn.
It thus becomes easier for White
to get the upper hand in the centre.
On the whole, it is safer than the
French, but offers fewer opportun-
ities for counterplay.
Fine, Reuben. 1989. The Ideas Behind the Chess Openings, Algebraic Edition. New York: Random House, Inc.