The Caro Kann Defense

The Caro-Kann Defense starts with the moves:

• e4 c6.

This began after Horatio Caro and Marcus Kann put forward a strong pawn arrangement for Black with good positioning. Players using the Caro-Kann strategy try to build a base for their later attacks by strengthening their position in the Opening. It is a Semi-Open Opening Game and is considered to set a solid base for further development. The strong pawn positioning in the Opening paves a path for a strong pawn chain if the game leads to an End Game.

The Caro-Kann defence is very similar to the French Defence without the hindrance of Black’s light-squared Bishop.

General Concepts

History and Origin

The opening takes its name after the English player Horatio Caro and the Austrian player Marcus Kann who analyzed it in 1886. Kann scored an impressive 24-move victory with the Caro–Kann Defense against German-British chess champion Jacques Mieses at the 4th German Chess Congress in his game at Hamburg in May 1885.

Its first appearance in a published game came between two unknown players in 1845, while the analysis by Caro and Kann came in the 1880s.

How to play against the Caro-Kann?

The Advance Variation scores 43% for White against 30% for Black. The Fantasy Variation, at 44% to 33%, fares almost as well, but much of its value is as a surprise weapon. Also a surprisingly effective way for White to meet the Caro-Kann is with 2.c4 instead of 2.d4. It may be an even better surprise weapon than the Fantasy Variation, as White still wins 44% of the time but only loses 23%.

Mainline

White either plays Nc3 or Nd2 as a response to Black’s d5. Black’s most classic response is to play dxe4 which is often referred to as the Capablanca Variation.

3.Nc3 (or 3.Nd2) dxe4 

4.Nxe4 Bf5

This was long considered to be the best variation for both sides in the Caro–Kann. The defense gets its ‘solid opening’ status from this variation, due to the strong pawn structure and the timely occupation of the ‘d5’ square. After d5 – White can transpose the opening into multiple variations:

• White can advance with e5 – The Advance Variation
• White can defend the e-pawn with 3. Nc3 or 3. Nd2 – The Classical Variation
• White can exchange on d5 and quickly play c4 – The Panov-Botvinnik Attack
• White can exchange on d5 without following up with c4 – The Exchange Variation
• White can play f3, adding defense to the king’s pawn – The Fantasy variation

The Advance Variation

This variation has been gaining popularity after many years of being considered to be inferior, mainly because the strategic destruction suffered by Aron Nimzowitsch playing as White against José Capablanca in one of their games during a tournament in New York in the year 1927. White immediately claims a spatial superiority with Bf5 allows Black to activate his light square Bishop unlike the French Defense. Black will later play e6 and c5, undermining White’s pawn chain at its very base.

This allows Black to develop pieces late, and White occasionally attempts an early attack at the center before Black castles. Sometimes White tries to harass the light-squared Bishop by playing g4.

The Exchange Variation

It is not symmetrical like the French Defense Exchange Variation, but here, White has a semi-open ‘e’ & ‘c’ file. Black hopes to put a Rook on the c-file sooner or later, and if White plays c3 Black can play b5. If white plays cxd4, their d-pawn would then be isolated. White’s d-pawn would then become isolated if they play cxd4. White wants to put pressure on the e-file, and may play f5 eventually.

The Fantasy Variation

This variation, also called the Tartakower Variation leads to very tricky and tactical games where multiple attacks can happen. White’s idea is to strengthen his e4 pawn with his f3 pawn. The drawback for White by playing f3, is that he also ends up blocking his own knight from developing and weakening the squares around the king.

Traps

Here White Sacrifices a Bishop that White regains and ends up in an attacking position and a prospective win for White.

Grand Master Games to Refer to:

Books to Refer to:

• The Caro-Kann the Easy Way by Thomas Engqvist
• Play the Caro-Kann – a complete chess opening repertoire against 1. e4 by Jovanka Houska
• Win with the Caro-Kann by Sverre Johnsen and Torbjorn Ringdal Hansen
• Starting out: the Caro-Kann by Joe Gallagher

FAQ

This article is technically edited and reviewed by Grand Master Marian Petrov.