introduction to Caro kann

Get an "idol" and go trough his games.

Here are the games from the "Creators" (Horatio Caro and Marcus Kann) of the Caro Kann, study them. Try to find out the opening mistakes, (if there were) and sintetize their plans.

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1421894

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?pid=10560&playercomp=black&opening=B10-B19&title=Horatio%20Caro%20playing%20the%20Caro-Kann%20as%20Black

If you want to, you can post your analysis here, if you do so, I will make sure to pass again and share my thoughts on it.

 You need to start studying masters from the past and then work your way up.

Start with those games I gave you, then look up for masters from the early 1900s that played it. To be honest with you I think the defense is quite modern, so studying Florh games later and ending up your study of the structures/plans/piece placement with Karpov should give you a pretty good understanding of the game.

Flohr games with the Caro Kann
Karpov games with the Caro Kann

Good luck with your study!

Four books that one can consider:

Starting Out: The Caro-Kann by Joe Gallagher (2002)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627062050/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen45.pdf

The Caro-Kann: Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala (2012)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627015516/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen163.pdf

The Caro-Kann by Jovanka Houska

http://www.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Caro-Kann-The-76p3909.htm

https://www.newinchess.com/Shop/Images/Pdfs/7507.pdf

Grandmaster Repertoire 7: The Caro-Kann by Lars Schandorff (2010)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627070808/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen137.pdf

http://www.qualitychess.co.uk/ebooks/GM7Caro-Kann-excerpt.pdf

Not everyone would be comfortable going along with the choice by Lakdawala (and Karpov) of 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Nd7. Some Caro-Kann lines have evolved considerably in the last two or three decades.

Reportedly coming soon: Opening Repertoire: ...c6: Playing the Caro-Kann and Slav as Black by Cyrus Lakdawala and Keaton Kiewra

Cyrus *puke*

"... [The Caro-Kann: Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala] is a great starting point." - FM Carsten Hansen (2010)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627015516/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen163.pdf

By the way, when trying to get an idol, I understand that it might be helpful to have a handy whip and a bag of sand.

By the way, I dont know what are you talking about.

I dont believe in all those quotes, at the end of the day all those chess players just want to sell you their stuff, this chess thingy is just sad, another fitness industry lookalike crap.

Has a conspiracy by "all those chess players" been reported in the magazines? Or are they in on the conspiracy?

Seeking an idol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gU35Tgtlmg

http://www.365chess.com/opening.php?m=5&n=32&ms=e4.c6.d4.d5&ns=3.31.21.32
Is a nice place to start for variations.
I played the opening a lot, I liked the idea of getting the queen's bishop in play (compared to the French) more than happy to play Ndd7 with a Ngf6.
Take care with the Nf5 and Rxe6 sacrifices. There is a mind boggling Tal v Botvinnik game.
Resorted to it when my Najdorf Sicilian had taken an ego kicking.
Sometimes castled queenside with Qc7 Bd6 ( care with Nf6 ) and Ne5, then an attack on white king. I found you can play ultra solid or very sharp.

After these moves, Kasparov resigned._________________________________________ Of course, it must be admitted that the White side was played by the 1997 machine, Deep Blue.

A possibility if Black has a better knowledge of the theory:

Watch out for 2. d3. It's not as harmless as it looks.

https://www.chess.com/daily/game/94819286

Rh3 somewhere in between those moves (I think it was after h4) was an improvement when Black's position looks scary!