How to respond to the Caro-Kann??

Every time my opponent plays the Caro-Kann Defense, I go crazy.

Right now, I play the Advance Variation, but I want to hear your opinion on how you like to respond.

dont move pawn to e5 move knight to b3

The Advance is probably not a good idea unless you are an Advanced player.

Very simple is the Exchange (kind of why I quit the Caro as I was tired of having this played against me). White next plays Bd3 and c3 and goes for a K-side attack with pieces.

The other thing I would recommend for a lower rated player is the Accelerated Panov, 1. e4 c6 2. c4 with the idea of exchanging a bunch of pawns in the center. It gets you an open game and Black often struggles to cope with attacks along the diagonal with moves like Bb5 and Qa4.

? thats not possible

As an advanced variation player myself, I play the Tal variation or I take a pawn that's pushed to c5.

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. h4 h5 (4... e6 [typical setup] 5. g4! Bg6 6. h5! Be4 7. f3! bishop trapped) 5. Bg5 Qb6 (5.. f6 6. exf6 Nxf6) 6. Bd3 Qxd4 (6.. Bxd3 7. Qxd3 Qxb2 8. e6 Qxa1 9. Qb3 b6; plan to Nf3 O-O and Nc3 or Nd2 to trap queen(9...Qxd4 10. Qxb7))

or

3... c5 4. dxc5 Nc6 5. f4 (4... e6 5. a3 to prepare b4 after they recapture)

You can try the main line of the Caro Kann. It's typically a more open position with attacking chances. As a Caro Kann player I want a more solid game with a solid pawn chain. My goal after attaining such a position is to undermine my opponent's center.

Main line Caro Kann

Also, don't play the advance Caro-Kann. It gives me exactly what I am playing for if I play the Botvinnik-Carls attack.

Botvinnik-Carls attack:

ohhhh mb I meant knight to c3

One fun way to deal with the Caro is the Fantasy variation with 3. f3, after which the best moves are for black to block their own light-squared bishop with 3. e6 or lose a center pawn for a flank pawn with 3. dxe4. It is basically an Uno Reverse Caro-Kann because now you are the one using a flank pawn to support your center.

Some former CK players gave it up because of the Advanced Variation (3 e5). That's why I switched to the Scandinavian even though it is inferior. Yeah, the Fantasy (3 f3) is annoying.

you respond by responding

Probably a non-answer since CK is proven to be a solid response to e4. Which means that none of the responses that players mentioned here matter much. You could go for the Panov which normally takes CK players out of familiarity. However, the best way to go about it is to just learn how to play positional chess. Be comfortable with grinding equal positions.

If you consider the advance variation as a seperate variation, you probably dont have to dig deeper in opening knowledge. Practice tactics until you reach a higher elo.

However, I would recommend the bayonet attack. Its very underrated and unexpectedly very rare at club-level.

i think the two knights variation gives both the most lively lines some with lots of traps and a very decent shot at keeping a modest advantage. The most solid boring lines black can try still leave white with at least a bishop pair

I have looked from here at 7.Qh4, 7.Qf4 and 7.Qe3, but none of them promises excitement, let alone a bishop pair to boast about. White can play safe chess with the two knights, but the same applies for Black.

The most I could find is 7.Qh4 Qe6+ 8.Be2 Qg4 9.Qg3, but it is not much of anything.

Agree, this is the line that made me give up the two knights also. I honestly think that 5.Nxf6 dxf6 and d4 transposing to the tartakower might be even more exciting than the two knights: 5.Qe2.

Not even that. The Nf3 is misplaced if you decide to switch to the Tartakower structure- it should have gone to e2.