Depends, do you want to win? It's white's best chance to win in the Advance, but the Nc3 lines are very drawish, but white never loses.
Do you know a strategical line against CaroKann?
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Feb 15, 2014
0
#4
Having used to play the Caro-Kann as black, I actually found the 3. Nd2 dxe4 lines most annoying to play against. I think the reason for this is that I had trouble figuring out what to do as black if white did nothing while maintaining his space advantage, and also found it quite hard to win unless white somehow drops a piece for nothing.
The Advance variation from what I'm reading in these forums leads to some sort of a white edge, but at least I found white can't sit around and do nothing in this variation.
Feb 15, 2014
0
#6
I haven't seen a Caro-Kann for such a long time. My usual response is the Panov.
This i gotta see. Im a caro-kann practitioner here at chess.com so im interested to see what you guys can come up with against it. :)
Feb 16, 2014
0
#8
FirebrandX wrote:
MervynS wrote:
Isn't that just the same as 3.Nc3 dxe4 classical? You gotta figure white has to take back on e4, right? Then you just play the classical lines as normal. My own preferred is the Bf5 continuation.
It is, but when I used to play the Caro-Kann, Nd2 was played to avoid 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 g6 which at the time was easier to play as black than either of the Bf5 or Nd7 variations. Whether this is still true today, I'm not sure.
So I was bored and probably forgot some stuff, but since I have no real way of knowing what you're looking for i decided to put everything i know about the carokann in one giant mess of a diagram :D
tried to include the ideas of each line as much as i could, but some lines i don't really play so i don't know. I personally play either the two knights or the mainline if allowed.
edit: well if this isn't loading for anyone else then that's kind of a bummer xD oh well.
Feb 16, 2014
0
#11
You are right FirebrandX, that position is equal.
But don't worry, we will use our superior technique and outplay them in the endgame 
.
ashton0425 wrote:
I don't know if such lines would exist, but it would be the best if the strategic ideas and plans are clear.
Do you have any suggestions?
If you want a line where the strategic ideas are clear, then the exchange variation is it. This is what I use, and has been recommended by GM Nigel Davies for learning strategy because the ideas are so clear. White creates an outpost on e5 and goes for a kingside attack while black goes for a minority attack on the queenside. Since I started using the exchange variation I'm undefeated against the Caro-Kann. Here are my first two games using it, not perfect nor did I perfectly follow theory (especially the blitz game) but this variation is one of those where the ideas are more important because there really isn't that much theory like there is in the other variations like the Advance. They were both higher rated players than me too, and I still beat them.
http://www.chess.com/livechess/game?id=724490940
http://www.chess.com/livechess/game?id=718372798
Thank you guys for super helpful advices! I will use Exchange variation!
As for the question by FirebrandX, I prefer simple one as I cannot afford much time studying opening. In this meaning, I got interested in Exchange Variation. Advance - short variation seems very strong, but it seems complicated and would require lots of studies.
Also, FriendlylySquid's explanation on Exchange variation convinced me to choose Exchange Variation. Exchange variation seems to meet what I demanded as long as I read what Friendlysquid wrote :)
Another good thing about the Caro-Kann exchange variation is that it's like a Queen's Gambit declined with colors reversed (knights are brought out before the pawn exchange there but it's basically the same), so if you've been playing 1.d4 you may already be familiar with this opening.
The critical line for the exchange variation is when black plays 5.Qc7. 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Qc7. With 5.Qc7 black attempts to disrupt white's normal set up with bringing the bishop out to f4. Against this though h3 can be used, or Ne2, which is what GM Perelshteyn recommends in his Empire Chess DVD on the Caro-Kann exchange. I have both GM Davies' and GM Perelshteyn's DVDs on this. They are short DVDs though. There is still a little theory you have to learn, but you could learn this all in 1 or 2 days, whereas with the Advance or something it would take several weeks or maybe months. I've not had an opponent play 5.Qc7 yet (a lot of books on the Caro-Kann devote very little space to the exchange variation so they may not know to play it) but I'm not too worried about it as I'll still be avoiding a big theoretical battle and playing a game of chess where I get to go for a kingside attack.
btw I made a typo earlier, the outpost gotten for white is on e5 not d5.
Yes that's considered one of the best lines for Black, but again I'm not too worried about it. Caro-Kann players like to have a solid, safe pawn structure, and now they've gotten an isolated d-pawn.
There's also another 5...Qc7 line that goes 6.h3 Nf6 7.Nf3 g6 8.O-O
Caro-Kann players aren't used to playing against people who know something to do against it. This is because the Caro-Kann player is using it in almost half their games, meanwhile the White 1.e4 player only sees it rarely. What I've found is just by knowing a tiny bit of theory and having this simple opening in my repertoirre I can beat a lot of Caro-Kann players because they're used to playing people who have no clue what to do against it. Maybe when my opponents start actually using 5...Qc7 and if they can beat me with it then I'll switch to something else, but I don't see that happening soon.
Feb 16, 2014
0
#18
Being one that has the Caro-Kann as 1 of 3 defenses I play against 1.e4, and 1.e4 as 1 of 3 first moves I play as White, I can speak from experience from both sides. Below is an explanation of each of the main variations, and you can decide based on what you are looking for:
3.Nc3 - This can lead to a positional (4...Bf5) or tactial (4...Nf6), or that choice may be left to White (4...Nd7, where 5.Nf3 is safe but uninspiring, but losing chances are minimal - I actually find the 5.Nf3 and 6.Ng3 line [6.Nxf6 is utter cr*p] difficult as White has little to lose with actual winning chances - while 5.Bc4 and 5.Ng5 [best] can be highly tactial, but positional understanding is still necessary, it ain't like the Morra Gambit).
3.Nd2 - The main purpose behind this move is to avoid 3.Nc3 g6. Why 3...g6 is no good against 3.Nd2, I don't know. I don't play that line.
3.e5 - The short variation is very positional, 4.Nc3 is highly tactial
3.exd5 and 4.c4 - Panov is extremely tactical, especially if Black plays 5...Nc6 and White decides to avoid the endgame (6.Bg5 instead of 6.Nf3)
3.exd5 and 4.Bd3 - Dull - In essence, you are playing the Black side of the QGD Exchange Variation up a tempo. With correct play, it should be an easy draw for Black, but little beyond that.
3.f3 - Highly, HIGHLY tactial! Avoid if you are looking for a positional game.
Feb 16, 2014
0
#19
It's also the same with scandinavian, I have only faced the main line with Qe2 and O-O-O once in live chess and never in OTB.
ThrillerFan wrote:
3.exd5 and 4.Bd3 - Dull - In essence, you are playing the Black side of the QGD Exchange Variation up a tempo. With correct play, it should be an easy draw for Black, but little beyond that.
Black side of the QGD Exchange Variation up a tempo sounds good to me. Also I don't find conducting kingside attacks dull.
An easy draw for Black at what rating level? We're talking about 1500-1900 players here. We're not GMs, we're people who still make mistakes in our games. Personally I'd rather spend my study time on tactics, endgame, and general positional ideas rather than "The Advance variation of the Caro-Kann" or whatever it is that the Caro-Kann player is hoping you'll try against them so they can out-theory you. Maybe when I become an expert level player and am playing games where no mistakes are made then I'll switch to that.
Hi,
I have been playing 1.d4 for a while, but I recently decided to play 1.e4 again. I've already decided which lines to play against 1...e5,c5,e6,g6,(and d6),d5 and so on, but I still don't have a good idea on CaroKann.
I'm interested in rather strategical opening(less tactical in other words). I don't know if such lines would exist, but it would be the best if the strategic ideas and plans are clear.
Do you have any suggestions?