Caro-Kann Defense

Play as BlackDefence

Support d5 without blocking in the light-squared bishop - very solid and hard to crack.

The main line, move by move

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. h5 Bh7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 e6 11. Bf4 Ngf6 12. O-O-O Be7

1. 1. e4 — Claim the center and open lines for the queen and bishop.
2. 1... c6 — Prepare ...d5 while keeping the light-squared bishop free.
3. 2. d4 — Build a big pawn center.
4. 2... d5 — Strike at White's e4 pawn.
5. 3. Nc3 — Defend e4 and develop.
6. 3... dxe4 — Take the e4 pawn.
7. 4. Nxe4 — Recapture and centralize the knight.
8. 4... Bf5 — Develop the bishop outside the pawn chain.
9. 5. Ng3 — Attack the bishop.
10. 5... Bg6 — Keep the bishop safe on the diagonal.
11. 6. h4 — Threaten h5 to chase the bishop.
12. 6... h6 — Make room for the bishop on h7.
13. 7. Nf3 — Brings the knight into the game.
14. 7... Nd7 — Develop the knight and prepare ...Ngf6.
15. 8. h5 — Chase the bishop.
16. 8... Bh7 — Retreat the bishop to keep it.
17. 9. Bd3 — Develop the bishop and offer a trade.
18. 9... Bxd3 — Takes the bishop on d3.
19. 10. Qxd3 — Takes the bishop on d3.
20. 10... e6 — Solid support for d5.
21. 11. Bf4 — Develop the bishop outside the pawn chain.
22. 11... Ngf6 — Develop the last knight.
23. 12. O-O-O — Castle long: the king is safe and a rook joins the game.
24. 12... Be7 — Develop the bishop and prepare to castle.

Other sound lines

• 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 c5 6. Be3 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Ne7

Related openings

• Sicilian Defense (Najdorf)
• French Defense
• Scandinavian Defense
• Pirc Defense
• King's Indian Defense

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