Facing the Caro Kann

So the Caro Kann has been a pretty gaping hole in my opening preparation as white. I don't face it very often, but when I do, I tend to get clobbered. There are two guys at the local clubs who I know play it, and there's a good chance I'll play white against one of them this Saturday, so I've been looking over CK lines to decide how to play against it.

So I've decided to try the main line - 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4, and move that knight to g3 if it's attacked (Bf5 or Nf6). I'm sure there are sharper lines, but I don't want to focus too much on opening study. From what I can tell looking over the lines in MCO-14 and some master games that I've looked at, I'll probably end up with knights on f3 and g3, kings bishop on d3, castled king side. Seems like a pretty solid formation defensively, but that leaves me without an active plan in the middle game.

The obvious plan seems to be to plant my rook on e1 to try and attack up the semi-open e-file, while defending against similar threats from black along the semi-open d-file. Or should I be looking at pawn storms somewhere? What type of middle game strategies typically come from this variation?

I'll look over some more master games during the week, but any suggestions would be helpful.

--Fromper

You might find a few opinions in "my" thread on UCOs against the C-K

When you play e4 and they play c6 you should just resign. You have no hope at winning from that point onwards.

A refinement in chess theory just recently (can't blame Phelon for missing it) is to offer a draw after 1.e4 c6 if declined then you can flounder around in a lost position or simply resign as most experts would do. 

Here is my take on it as a former Caro Kann player.  If Black plays Nd7 after Nxe4, I have found that lines with an early Ng5 can be quite annoying for Black.  But since you wanted me to focus on Bf5 and Nf6, I will.

Against Bf5, Ng3 is a good plan.  Then after Bg6 you play h4.  The line may go h6 Nf3 Nd7 h5 Bh7 Bd3 Bxd3 Qxd3 e6.  The pawn on h5 cramps Black's queenside pawns.  There may be a problem in the fact that either your rook on h1 or your knight on g3 needs to defend the h5 pawn.  An active plan for White may be to castle queenside and play Re1 and Ne4.  Then g2-g4 pawn sacrifices can really help your attacking chances.

Against Nf6, I would just capture it.  If Black plays exf6, Black does get active pieces, but if the position reaches and king and pawn ending, White usually will win because of the strong queenside majority.  Meanwhile, Black has a completely useless kingside majority.  The other more popular capture is gxf6.  The problem with this move is that Black usually can't find a safe place for his king.  You should try to blunt any play on the g file by fianchettoing your light squared bishop.  Hope I was a help.

I like the advance with 4 Nc3 and a a kingside pawn storm after ...e6 with g4 and then a f pawn charge to weaken the bishop yet more, bit late still!

I always found the Advance Variation the most difficult to play as Black

I like this line for White:  1 e4 c6  2 d4 d5  3 Nc3 de  4 Bc4!? Nf6  5 f3 ef  6 Nf3, a standard Blackmar-Diemer Gambit position.  Not "objectively" the best, to be sure, but it leads to a kind of open game that Caro-Kann players often dislike.

Hey what about this?:

1.e4,c6  2.d4,d5  3.exd5,cxd5  4.Bd3

This line I like, since its flexible play, plus having a nice lead in development.

Try it, if you lose I'll send you a refund.

as a caro devotee, i would give this advice to the 1.e4 player. DONT play into the main line. sure, its just a bunch of piece shifting but when you played 1.e4 you said you wanted to be tactical.black wants you play this.

i (from blacks pov) also like to play the advance variation. i feel it just cuts whites tension. 

also the exchange variation (posted above) imo cuts the tension the wrong way too. where spoiler left off black then plays ..Nc6, and white plays 5.c3. so theirs a bit of developmental catchup quick and it just doesnt challenge black enough.

im recommending the PBA, as that echange quickly follows by throwing a pawn at the center, followed by logical-but-pressuring defense.

ask all the caro players which line they least like to play, and theyd say the PBA.. in fact, some will lie.. such as myself awhile back . i said the main line was the hardest lol.. trying to throw people off but now i dont do caro as much so im willing to share.

and finally i might add the fantasy variation is lame, and theres a sideline that slaps it silly.

Don't forget the 2 c4 lines!  (See Farbror's thread mentioned above or the one I just started for the main book lines that don't transpose into the PB Attack).   

I Like the PBA but I just don't like that isolated d4, if black holds up white initiative, that d4 may become a target....

As a obsessive player of the caro-kann I can recomend the following:

1. Don't bother, it's too good. Play d4 or c4. Failing that:
2. The Panov-Botvinnik attack (e4 c6 d4 d5 exd5 exd4 c4) is very common, and as such most caro-kann players think they can deal with it. But I have almost never seen it used properly. If you can master this, then all those caro-kann players who've only played against the opening's patzers will be quite surprised.
3. There is also a few gambitsd employing f3 that act as a shock to the system of any caro player. I think one goes e4 c6 d4 d5 f3 and the attack proceeds from there.

draco's right - you will shake all the positional caro-conservatives to the core with the bayonet attack. This variation (ECO B12) is a fully loaded, wild tactical playground. 

akuni, #2 is so true, you never see them keep the initiative long enough to do anything.., and then get saddled with the IQP as spoiler points out. i think a well studied player could really take black deep into an attack. IQPs are ugly, but i think its still the best bet, as black looks nice in most caro endgames, but at least this one tries to go all or nothing.. but i guess nothing is that nice

For those who like John Watson, I just got Vol. 3 (English Opening) of his terrific series "Mastering the Chess Openings".  Although he covers the Caro Kann in Vol. 1, on page 12 of the new book he specifically promises to give special attention to 1 e4 c6  2. c4  d5  3. exd5  cxd5  4. exd5 Nf6  5. Qa4+  in his upcoming Vol. 4 (!)

For those who dismiss this line as unimportant -- take note.   John Watson does not usually waste his time on unimportant sidelines.  What has he come up with?  I'd love to know.

Your obsession with openings will retard your progress. Against players rated under 1800 any opening will do. Learn to play chess first then when you hit 1800-1900 start perfecting you openings of choice.

you can stomp all over the Caro with e4 c6 d4 d5 e5 Bf5 h4!!! the Tal Variation, its wild and wacky and very aggresive, everything a Caro player fears....give it a go!

I am an avid user of the Caro-Kann Defence and so I believe I am qualified to write on this subject.

Firstly, you must know three things about the Caro-Kann Defence:

1. It is highly flexible. Depending on the capture that White usually chooses to make, it can transpose into a solid positional defence, or an equally solid attacking position.

2. Many White players underestimate it because of Black's blocking the b8-Knight. This is only temporary, however, and should not be counted on as a weakness.

3. Unlike many other defences for 1.e4, White has only three main tries that truly work on the master level.

Now then. The three main tries for White are:

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 (The Classical Variation) This variation is probably the most popular way to meet the Caro-Kann. Best play continues: 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 which gives Black a very good position.

The second try is: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 (The Exchange Variation) Some people prefer this one because the pawn structure is more open. However, it does give Black a central pawn majority. Play might continue: 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4 Bg4 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.Nf3 e6 9.Nd2 (the Rubinstein Variation) when White has better development, but Black's position is slightly stronger. Or: 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nf3 Be7 (The Panov-Botvinnik Attack) when Black can equalize. (Note: if 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Bd3, Black must avoid 8...0-0? because this sets him right up for a beautiful Greek Gift. Play this on your own board, and you will see what I mean.)

The third try is: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 (The Advance Variation) Play continues: 3...Bf5 4.Nc3 e6 when Black, again, has a very solid position.

Alternatively, in the Advance Variation, Black might try: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5!? when the inevitable capture: 4.dxc5 weakens White's central bind and Black can easily regain the pawn later in the game.

All in all, the Caro-Kann Defence is a formidable weapon against 1.e4 and needs careful study. My best try as White against the Caro-Kann has been the Classical Variation, but it has been tough going. After all, I prefer to play Black when I can; and this defence has been a constant companion. When I play 1.e4 and my opponent plays 1...c6, I seriously feel a distinct chill...

d4 is a good way to avoid this. A useful thing to do is to learn some d4 openings, but it doesn't have to be your main move, just a move to avoid the caro-Kann or sicilian if you know they will play that move.