Caro-Kann defense

A small analysis of Caro-Kann

The Blacks prepare the central push d5 . The advantage of Caro-Kann on the French Défense is that the insane one rams black is not locked up. On the other hand, the box c6 for the Rider Rams black is not more available. Moreover, the precipitated exit of insane the lady is not always happy. Lastly, so later the Blacks push their pawn with c5, they will have wasted a time.

1. e4 c6

2. d4 d5

The White occupy the center without delay. Quite constant, the black pawn attacks the unfavourable pawn-king.

Traditional alternative

3. Cc3

Logic. Even if the White are not able to reduce the mobility of the black parts, in the majority of the openings a natural consequence of a good control of the center, they in any case preserve their influence on the greatest part of the chess-board.

3. … dxe4 4.Cxe4

Without having a complete center of pawns, the White nevertheless have a preponderance in the center thanks to their pawn of support (d4) assisted of a mobile figure (Ce4).

4… Cd7

4. … Cd7

An important movement. The Smyslov alternative

5. Cf3 Cgf6 6.Cg3

By this jump, instead of the rather sterile exchange; 6. Cxf6+, Cxf6, etc, the White hopes to preserve the initiative of the combat. However, the Blacks have now succeeds in decreasing the unfavourable preponderance in the center.

6. …, e6 7.Fd3 c5

An important advance, that the White could not prevent, nor to delay. At the price of a time (c7-c6-c5), the Blacks have good hope of émanciper their play.

8.c3; Fe7 9.0-0, 0-0 .

4… Ff5

If 4. …, Ff5 the White can, in addition to 5. Cg3 (with then 5. …, Fg6; 6. h4, h6; 7. Cf3, Cd7; 8. h5, Fh7; 9. Fd3, Fxd3; 10. Dxd3, etc), to inconvenience the adversary by 5. Df3 and even by the possible sacrifice of a Pawn: 5. Fd3, Dxd4; 6. Cf3 and the difficulties of the Blacks grow. Let us notice that a sacrifice " positionnel" of a Pawn, compensated by the advantages of ground or development, is not rare thing in the phase of the beginning.

4… e6

If, in addition, instead of the blow of the text, 4. …, e6, the Blacks give up of full liking to the more or less fast emancipation their forces, their FD remains locked up henceforth on the two sides by the Pawns e6 and c6.

4… Cf6

If 4. …, Cf6 ( alternative Bronstein-Larsen ), the White can - in addition to bondissement the 5. Cg3 and the sacrifice of a Pawn: 5. Fd3, Dxd4; 6. Cf3, etc - to play 5 quite simply. Cxf6+, and the Blacks, which he answer by 5. …, exf or by 5. …, gxf, will always have a doubled Pawn, in other words, a weakness in the position of their Pawns.

The idea of the Smyslov alternative is thus to prepare with full with coolness the “development by opposition”: 5. …, Cg8-f6, without incurring the danger then to let itself double the Pawns on column france In addition to that, the Black Rider with d7 will support the important advance later c6-c5. The play of the Blacks remains still tight, but their position is justifiable.

Alternative of exchange

It releases the box c6 and in which the rider rams black its natural box of development finds: 3. e4xd5, c6xd5. " The variante" of exchange the same character of nullity does not have as that of the Frenchwoman ( 1. e4, e6; 2. d4, d5; 3. exd5,…), because in Caro-Kann, symmetry is broken what immediately gives an indication on the strategy to be followed: The chances of the White are at the wing King, those of the Blacks to the Dame wing, because the half-open column E gets for the White more freedom of movement with the wing King, the reverse occurring on the other wing where the Blacks are freer thanks to the half-open column C. This is why the White usually attack with the wing King, and Blacks with the Dame wing. Often the attack is prepared by the advance of one or several Pawns to open the half-open column completely.

"The alternative of échange" 4 is very often followed. c2-c4 driving with the Attack Panov which gives to the play an aspect more released. An example: 4. …, Cf6; 5. Cc3, Cc6; 6. Fg5, dxc4 7. d5 with obscure complications. But much of other blows are also valid (such as 4. Ff1-d3), majority of the alternatives offering of good lucks to the White while leaving with the Blacks sufficient defensive resources.

Variance in advance

The advance 3. e4-e5 which allows the FD Blacks to take part without difficulties in the combat: 3. …, Fc8-f5, etc This alternative, a long time considered as lower is gradually reintroduced, in particular in aggressive blows as the attacks Baïonnette ( 4. Cc3, e6; 5. g4,…) or in less ambitious alternatives popularized by the large English Master Nigel Shorts and the large American Master Spoiled Kamsky ( 4. Cf3, e6; 5. Fe2 c5; 6. Fe3,…).

Currently, the alternative in advance appears regularly in high level parts.

Alternative of Tartakover

1.e4, c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 , approaching the Gambit Blackmar-Diemer.

Alternative of Gurgenidze

1.e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3.Cc3 g6 .

Alternative of the two riders

1. e4 c6 2.Cf3 d5 3.Cc3 , sometimes played by Bobby Fischer at the beginning of her career.

Transposition

Caro-Kann can also be obtained by transposition of the movements of the English Partie after 1. c4, c6; 2. e4, d5.

Sources

Breviary of the Failures by Xavier Tartakover.
The Caro-Kann , Joe Gallagher, Collection Starting out , Everyman Chess, 2002

Beating the Caro-Kann , Vassilios Kotronias, Batsforf, 1994