Caro-kann vs French Defense

Which is the better opening for someone who does not want to spend too much time studying theory and is not very good? Also can anyone sugest a defense for d4 openings? And a good way to study these openings or openings in general? 

I think the French is easier to understand than the Caro-Kann.

Here's an article that provides a simple way to play against d4(and other opening moves):

http://wp.jeremysilman.com/chess_instrctn_bgnrs/120603_crt_easy_op_rep_bk.html

There are many threads on this topic, search caro-kann vs french on either the CHESScom search bar or Google

a good defense for d4 is the king's indian defense (fischer's favorite), benoni, and nimzo-indian (my favorite).

thanks everyone

If you're playing at high levels, don't go for the Benoni, it's not that good. I personally prefer playing the Caro-Cann, since it's quite good and it can also make it easier for you to learn the Slav against 1.d4.

 This is most accurate, succinct description I've ever seen.  Why can't Schiller explain openings like this? 

I chose the Caro-Kann early on in my chess career - because of the French exchange. When I was playing scholastic chess, I did not want to play the French exchange over and over again. I had a friend who already was a French player who complained exactly about this. The equivalent against the Caro-Kann at least gives some amount of imbalance in the position, as follows:

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bg4 6.c3 e6 7.Bg5 Be7 8.o-o o-o 9.Nbd2

Something like that, and you've got yourself a Queen's Gambit exchange variation with the colors reversed.

I chose the french but also hate the exchange lines. If I think my opponent will exchange I play sicilian(s) instead of the french. I played the caro kann a few times but there are also lines white can play in it that I don't like to play as black. Everyone who knows me well knows I will play either a sicilian or a french against their 1e4 . I used to like to play 1...e5 when everyone was playing the Ruy but then too many people started playing passive Italian lines , scotch and Vienna openings so I got away from 1...e5. 

I played the French for years.  Most of my losses came from not  playing ...f6 even though I knew I should.  I still hate the move.  The general theory is that you should play ...f6 even though it wrecks your pawn structure, but do it before White is ready to take advantage or White will destroy your pawn structure when he is ready to strike.  It also follows the philosophy to make your tough decisions early when you have  are in familiar territory, instead of waiting until White has a raging attack and your are beyond the horizon of your home preparation.

I did the opposite thing - for years I've played 1. ... e5 exclusively, because that seemed to be the only response that gave me at least a chance to survive :) but White has so many nasty things to throw at you after 1. e4 e5 - Ruy Lopez in all its variations, Scotch, King's Gambit, ... now I've switched to the French and so far am quite happy with it.

try king indian's defense or just simply fianchetto the bishop

Thats precisely why I was afraid to play e4 e5... its not easy.  But I feel that once you put in the work to be prepared against all the Scotch, Kings gambit, etc it really pays off.

As a communist, I would point you in the direction of the Caro. It is rock solid and allows you to comfortably develope in every line I've come across. I read a great book by Lar Schardorf on the Caro Kann and provides a very nice jumping off point for the CK. Good luck!

offtherook, I find your post to be a little contradictory. Can you help me to resolve it? On the one hand, you are happy to play the French Exchange because it solves an opening problem, and on the other hand you are not happy when white plays 1.e4 e5 in a boring/passive way. It would seem to me that the French Exchange also qualifies, perhaps even more so.

Here is my opinion, 

The main problem with the French is 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 white does not trade and your QB is kind of blocked in. Even fianchettoing it will not give it too much activity, so that's one of the problem, the other is of course white's ability to exchange and play a very passive game, so basicly with the french you are giving white the choice of which kind of game to play.

The only problem I had with the Caro-Kann is 1.e4 c6 2.c4 line, it's kind of hard to put it together after d5. (2.c4 is a useless move against the French because black's KB is already released. In the Caro-Kann, black will take a while in order to castle O-O). With Caro-Kann, black has the choices too, and the opening tends to be more tricky in nature than the French.

Personally, I prefer the Caro-Kann, but of course, I rarely play it though I studied it way more than the French.

Reading the post again, you need a defense against 1.d4? French and Caro-Kann are more for e4...because your opponent can easily make the game a Queen's Gambit Declined or Slav if you play e6 or c6 against d4

Hence, you should take up the Caro-Kann!

From one person's perspective, there are no boring lines in the Caro. From another's, there are no interesting lines in the Caro. You say potato, I say potahto.

Check out this tournament I played in!

http://www.chess.com/tournament/caro-kann-open2

Given the account status of the top 2 finishers, I think that my bronze medal looks pretty good now, huh?

Other players really can't decide what openings do and don't work for you. First off you should determine if you're better at attack or defense and open, semi-open or closed games. Or at least determine what you like playing regardless of the results, and then go from there.

Start playing one opening at a time whenever possible, ie FD vs 1.e4 and QGA vs 1.d4. After every game (if possible) look up the opening in a book and/or the opening explorer here and see where you went wrong (or right) and try learning the lines a few moves at a time. If nothing else you'll start to get a feel for what variations you're most and least likely to face in your openings of choice.