French Defence Vs Caro Kann

Whichever I'm feeling like that day. Though, you can't really play a French/Caro-Kann against d4 unless black transposes by playing 2. e4.

When I play a Caro-Kann, I'm usually looking for a slower game, something where I can just play solidly, maneuver a bit, exchange my LSB, get a knight on d5 maybe, and then maybe grind out an endgame. I also have to be perfectly fine playing in a Carlsbad structure, where I'm looking for a minority attack, and I'm looking to fend off white's Ne5. And I have to be fine playing against white's h-pawn pushes, which I usually am.

When I play a French, I'm usually looking to play c5 and/or f6, I'm looking to create pressure on d4, I'm looking for some sort of attacking vs. defensive sort of game. Something feistier. But also, I'm less familiar with French structures, so it's usually when I'm in a more daring sort of mood, and when I'm more OK with getting a bad position out of the opening.

@1 
None of the above. The French blocks the diagonal of Bc8. The Caro-Kann does not develop, obstructs the natural square of Nb8 and will lose a tempo to play ...c5 later.

At the Madrid 2022 Candidates' not a single French or Caro-Kann was played.
It is an advantage to move a pawn 2 squares. 1...e5 or the Sicilian promiss more.

"The French Defence. In my younger years I used to consider it at best a second-rate opening, and I once even lost a bet with one of my friends, and as a result had to play 1... e6 in all my games with Black in a Super-GM tournament. Fortunately my friend was greedy, and took money instead. I believe that both 1...c5 and 1...e5! are better choices" - Carlsen

The above is too harsh. I think it’s not crazy to say e5 is a simpler choice to equalize at high level, and c5 maybe the best option to play for a win, but the Caro and French are draws with best play like the rest, and have their own character. I’m a fan of both. 

i play the caro-kann and if you know how to play it it is not hard. if you are lazy and dont study it deeply i would recommend not playing it. you can get into some bad positions if youre not careful. but if you study it playing the caro-kann is fine

I play the French Defense religiously.  It features the aggression of the Sicilian with the solid pawn chain on the light squares to block direct attacks at the Black King, which itself starts on a light square and castles to a light square.

With a White pawn on e5, what you must watch out for is castling kingside too quickly, and when you do, being careful about allowing things like the Greek Gift Sacrifice, which along with the Colle System, the French is one of the most common cases for that to happen.

A prime example of one that Black must completely avoid!  But here's the thing, if you know to avoid it, you don't have to worry about it.

I have played the French for over a quarter of a century, and will not look back.  It's the French for life!

The Sicilian scored 3.5 out of 11 for black in Madrid with not a single win. 29% of black's losses were in the Sicilian despite only featuring in 20% of the games. Maybe it was the wrong pawn to move?

if you really want to play the best of the best

pick the result you're playing for

you want a draw? play the Berlin wall

you want a win? play the Najdorf

though i do think Nepomniatchi had a lot of success playing the Petrov's as black I think part of it could be due to the fact that it's almost as good as the Berlin wall for a draw but most players are gonna be far more prepared to face the Berlin wall as most black players were using it as their drawing weapon.

My personal preference is The french defence over the caro-kann.

The caro-kann doesn't have much ambition, the french is an excellent counter attacking opening

French Defense for sure. It goes straight into counter-attack mode. I don't really understand the Caro but I do play the Semi-Slav so I can somewhat understand it a little bit. The bishop can be bad but I usually develop it early to get it out somewhere useful

French- because the caro kann seems to be all the rage nowadays.

@7

"The Sicilian scored 3.5 out of 11 for black in Madrid with not a single win."
++ In the Carlsen quote @3 he gave 1...e5! an exclamation mark.

"29% of black's losses were in the Sicilian despite only featuring in 20% of the games."
++ At the Yekaterinburg Candidates' there were 18 1...e5! and 8 Sicilian, 6 French and 1 Caro-Kann (a loss).
At Madrid 26 1...e5, 12 Sicilian, 0 French, 0 Caro-Kann.
Maybe at the next Candidates' there will be nothing but 1...e5!

caro-cann, but not 3.Bc5, but 3. c5, because if white takes, white is usually going to lose both pawns if they don't know what they are doing. if c3, Nc6, and it is like an improved french where the bishop isn't blocked.

I like the Caro-Kann more, because I understand it better and I like the structure and middlegames in it.

Thanks everyone for the advice ☺️ I am fairly new to chess and I don't really understand the concept of openings .....I myself play a lot of symmetrical structures but one of my friend suggested to learn some openings or gambits by heart memorize there main lines and so on...Hence I asked it in the forum....I am really happy with the responses as well Thanks for the suggestions.....I will try all the basic openings and see what suits me

#16
"I don't really understand the concept of openings"
++ It is mainly about the center and about developing your pieces into play

"I myself play a lot of symmetrical structures" ++ That is good

"one of my friend suggested to learn some openings" ++ Bad suggestion. Do not learn, play!

"gambits" ++ Most gambits are unsound.

"by heart memorize there main lines" ++ Very bad advice. Do not memorize.

"I will try all the basic openings and see what suits me"
++ Just play and analyse your lost games.

One additional consideration, that I haven't seen mentioned yet:

The French has a chance to lead to symmetry, if White plays the exchange variation.

This is a rather common occurrence, especially at the beginner/intermediate level. This can be a welcome continuation for those who like symmetry. Though, it can be less desirable for those who like imbalances.

The Caro-Kann avoids this possible symmetry by supporting the d-pawn with the c-pawn. So if white exchanges, then the pawn structures will be imbalanced (kingside majority for black, queenside majority for white).

This can be more desirable for players who like imbalances; less desirable for players who like symmetry.

So, right off the bat, there's something for you to be aware of. Do you like possible symmetry? Or do you prefer possible imbalances?

The exchange variation (for both the French and Caro) is one of the most common continuations, so it's something to keep in mind.

#18
"The exchange variation (for both the French and Caro) is one of the most common"
++ Not really, in the French as well as in the Caro-Kann Nc3/Nd2 and e5 are more common.

The Advance is more common, yes.

But if a player doesn't like symmetry, then even allowing one instance of a symmetrical Exchange can be undesirable.

(Of course, if one doesn't mind playing symmetrical positions, then it's not really a concern.)

On Lichess, I face the Exchange more than any other French Variation after 2.d4. It's usually because people fear the French and Caro so instead of learning how to play aggressively against it, they would rather play for a draw