The Caro-Kann the Easy Way E-Book

Thomas Engqvist

• Herausgeber: Batsford
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 561

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

An informative guide to understanding and implementing the fundamentals of the Caro-Kann, the easy way.  The Caro-Kann defence, named after the German chess players Horatio Caro and Marcus Kann, is notorious for its simple solidity and is a popular chess opening that players of all levels benefit from having in their arsenal. It is a firm favourite of grand masters past and present, including Karpov, Petrosian, Capablanca and Anand. This is the fifth book from International Master Thomas Engqvist, and it avoids overcomplicated details and endless computer variations, focusing instead on key variations of the Caro-Kann that can be committed to memory. Examining classic games to demonstrate key moves in action, Engqvist brings the defence to life and provides you with the knowledge you need to put strategy into practice.

Leseprobe

Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: The Classical and Capablanca Variations23 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 ♘c3 dxe4 4 ♘xe4 ♗f5

Chapter Two: The Advance Variation1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5

Chapter Three: The Panov Attack1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 cxd5 4 c4

Chapter Four: The Exchange Variation1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 cxd5 4 ♗d3

Chapter Five: The Tartakower-Smyslov Variation258 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 f3

Chapter Six: The Steiner System1 e4 c6 2 c4

Chapter Seven: The Two Knights Variation1 e4 c6 2 ♘c3 d5 3 ♘f3

Chapter Eight: The Breyer Variation1 e4 c6 2 d3

Introduction

The Caro-Kann Defence

“There is nothing to be said against the validity nor anything for the brilliancy of this defence.” – Pollock, 1888

“It is curious that while the French Defence was popular all through the 19th century (if not earlier), the Caro-Kann Defence was classed among the “irregular openings” until almost the beginning of the present century. In fact, so recent has been its entry into the ranks of the respectable openings, that we even know who “invented” this opening! – Fred Reinfeld, 1938

“The Caro-Kann Defence […] gives Black a sound and drawish game. That is why it should be played as a rule only against an opponent whom you really fear.” – Fred Reinfeld, 1938

“The so-called Hypermodernist masters of the first two decades of this century were especially fond of the Caro-Kann as Black because it conformed to their philosophy of avoiding weakness in the center and restraining premature aggression.” – Andy Soltis

“Currently, the Caro-Kann is considered one of the most solid defences against the opening move 1 e4.” – Max Euwe

“In their search for a sound defence against the ‘rust-proof’ 1 e4, players with Black have been turning more and more frequently to the (until quite recently) ‘half-forgotten’ Caro-Kann Defence. The army of supporters of this opening has already received such ‘reinforcements’ as Botvinnik and Smyslov, while the present World Champion (Petrosian) has been fond of the move 1…c6 ‘since childhood’. At the start of the 32nd USSR Championship, Vasyukov was also enlisted into the ‘Caro-Kann’ legions.” – Mikhail Tal

“Smyslov, playing White, dislikes the move 1…c6 so much that he began to employ the Caro-Kann defence.” – Mikhail Tal

“The Caro-Kann was not accepted as a standard defence until its adoption by Nimzowitsch and Capablanca, and was not played in a World Championship match until used by Botvinnik in 1958” – Hooper/Whyld, The Oxford Companion to Chess, 1996

The first opening move in the Caro-Kann Defence 1 e4 c6 was mentioned as early as 1590 by the Italian chess theoretician and player Giulio Cesare Polerio (1548-1612). However, it would be wrong to call 1…c6 Polerio’s opening as his manuscript only recorded the most important openings used by players of his era so we don’t actually know the players who played this opening.

Today 1…c6 together with 1…e5, 1…c5 (Sicilian Defence), and 1…e6 (French Defence) are the most frequent opening choices.

The first times the Caro-Kann Defence was played on a regular basis at the highest level was in the World Championship matches in the 60s between Tal and Botvinnik (1960 and 1961) and Spassky – Petrosian (1966 and 1969).

The name of the Caro-Kann Defence derives from the strong British player Horatio Caro (1862-1920) and the Austrian player Marcus Kann (1820-1886). According to Chessmetrics.com, Caro was rated seventh worldwide for six months in 1893. He beat Emanuel Lasker on one occasion.

The opening was brought into practice by the strong amateur Kann. Kann’s most famous Caro-Kann game is the following, where he defeated Jacques Mieses in a miniature game.

Mieses – KannHamburg 1885

1 e4 c6

On page 271 in the September 1889 issue of International Chess Magazine, the first official World Champion, Wilhelm Steinitz (1836-1900), regarded this move as bizarre, but he did not explain why. 1…e5 was more or less obligatory in those days, so he might have been influenced by this.

2 d4 d5 3 e5

The Advance Variation is one of the most popular variations today.

3…♗f5 4 ♗d3 ♗xd3 5 ♕xd3 e6 6 f4?!

Due to White’s undeveloped position, this move is more weakening than strengthening and it limits the potential of the queenside bishop.

6...c5

Black strikes immediately at the weakest point in White’s centre.

7 c3 ♘c6 8 ♘f3 ♕b6?

It was more logical to develop the other knight with 8...♘h6, exploiting the fact that the c1-bishop doesn’t control the h6-square anymore due to the ultra-aggressive 6 f4. Black could then follow up with ...♘f5 and increase the pressure on the d4-pawn.

9 0-0?

The practically forced line 9 dxc5 ♗xc5 10 b4 ♗e7 11 ♗e3 ♕c7 12 0-0 ♘h6 13 ♘bd2 seems to have been overlooked by both players. White is a little better due to his possession of the d4-square.

9...♘h6 10 b3?!

If 10 ♘a3, then after 10…cxd4 11 cxd4 ♘b4, Black has the slightly better game due to his more active play.

10...cxd4 11 cxd4 ♘f5 12 ♗b2 ♖c8 13 a3?

White defends against ...♘b4 but forgets another tactical opportunity. White should have continued 13 ♘bd2, although after 13...♘b4 14 ♕b1 ♕a6 Black has good winning chances due to the weak spots d3, c2, and e3 in White’s camp. Note how well Black’s pieces co-operate. A dream position for Black.

13...♘cxd4!

Black exploits the fact that the compromising 6 f4 has severely weakened the classical diagonal a7-g1.

14 ♘xd4 ♗c5 15 ♖d1

The best defence 15 b4 ♗xd4+ 16 ♗xd4 ♕xd4+ 17 ♕xd4 ♘xd4 would not have helped in the long run. Black is a pawn up and controls the only open file, which facilitates the win.

15...♘xd4 16 ♗xd4 ♗xd4+ 17 ♕xd4

17...♖c1!!

A nice move to immediately decide the game. Surprisingly it is not possible for White to defend against the double threat on d1 and d4.

18 ♔f2 ♖xd1 19 ♕xb6 axb6 20 ♔e2 ♖c1 21 ♔d2 ♖g1 22 g3 ♔d7 23 a4 ♖c8 24 b4 ♖cc1 White resigns.

A very good “propaganda” game that demonstrates how to win with the Caro-Kann Defence when everything is on Black’s side. It is no coincidence that Black decides the game by putting pressure on the crucial central square d4 followed by a sacrifice on that same square, and then wins on the c-file. This is the heart of the tactical as well as positional ideas which Black has at his disposal and which White has to neutralise.

The other player who helped to invent the Caro-Kann, Caro, analysed and discussed 1 e4 c6 on pages 202-204 in the German chess magazine Brüderschaft, 30 October 1886 in an article entitled Zur Theorie der Eröffnungen.

Zur Theorie der Eröffnungen

1 e4 c6

The fundamental motive to analyse this opening was to play a perfect French Defence (1 e4 e6) where the bishop on c8 could develop before …e7-e6 had been played. Compare the position arising after 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 e5, where the bishop on c8 is shut in, with the position in the Caro-Kann Defence after 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 ♗f5 followed by …e6, where the queenside bishop is outside the pawn chain and exerts pressure on the white position in the centre and on the queenside.

2 d4 d5 3 ♘c3 dxe4!

Caro realised it was important to release the tension in the centre at this precise moment because there are no stronger moves available.

4 ♘xe4 ♗f5

This place is very convenient for the light-squared bishop and is the main reason why the early release of the tension in the centre is good.

5 ♘g3 ♗g6 6 ♘f3 e6 7 ♗e2 ♗d6 8 0-0 ♘f6 9 ♗g5 ♘bd7 10 c3 ♕c7

Black has a good position, according to Caro. Indeed, all of Black’s pieces are well placed, particularly the bishop on g6, which is stronger than the bishop on e2. It defends squares on the kingside and controls squares in the centre and on the queenside in the enemy camp. We know that White should challenge the black bishop with ♗d3 because otherwise Black’s central control will be stronger than White’s. At the moment, Black controls three of the four central squares with more pieces than White and therefore he has an ideal position.

Caro’s most famous Caro-Kann game is the following – due to his opponent being Harry Pillsbury who won the great tournament in Hastings 1895.

Pillsbury – CaroVienna 1898

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 ♘c3

3 exd5 was recommended by Schlechter and Teichmann.

3…dxe4 4 ♘xe4 ♘f6 5 ♘xf6+ exf6 6 ♘f3

Today, one of the topical lines is 6 c3 ♗d6 7 ♗d3 0-0 8 ♕c2 ♖e8+ 9 ♘e2 h5! 10 0-0 h4 with mutual chances.

6...♗d6 7 ♗d3 ♗g4

It is safer to play 7...0-0 8 0-0 ♗g4 because if White continues in the same spirit as Pillsbury by 9 h3 ♗h5 10 g4 ♗g6 11 ♘h4 Black can play 11…♗c7 and exploit the power of the queen along the semi-open d-file.

8 h3 ♗h5 9 g4 ♗g6 10 ♘h4 ♘d7

Better is 10...♗xd3 11 ♕xd3 0-0 so as not to relinquish the pair of bishops. Note that 11…g6 would be met by 12 ♗h6 and if 12…♗f8 then 13 ♗d2 with advantage.

11 ♘f5 ♗xf5

12 ♗xf5

A very interesting option is 12 gxf5 to restrict the queenside knight, the key piece in the Caro-Kann Defence. Not only would the d4-pawn control the knight but a knight on f8 would literally be “killed” by the strong f5-pawn. Réti has written about a European and American style and maybe this is a concrete example of a European approach. I can imagine that Bobby Fischer also would have recaptured with the bishop.

12...g6 13 ♕e2+ ♕e7 14 ♗xd7+

14 ♕xe7+ ♔xe7 15 ♗e4, endeavouring to exploit the kingside pawn majority, is the technical solution. Perhaps this was not in Pillsbury’s style as he preferred to keep the queens on the board.

14...♔xd7 15 ♗e3 ♖ae8?!

This developing move is too mechanical. Correct was the prophylactic 15...♕e6 which makes White’s queenside castling and central pawn push d4-d5 more difficult to carry out.

16 d5?!

A stronger continuation is 16 0-0-0.

16…c5!

Bad is 16…cxd5? 17 0-0-0 with advantage to White. 16...♗c5 17 dxc6+ ♔xc6 looks rather dangerous but is fully playable as an important alternative to the game continuation.

17 ♕b5+ ♔c8 18 0-0-0 ♕c7?!

More active is 18...h5!.

19 ♖d3 ♖e4

Black wants to trap White’s queen!

20 ♖c3 a6

Simpler is 20...b6.

21 ♕d3 ♖he8?

21...f5 would have averted White’s combination.

22 ♗xc5!! ♔d7

Black’s best defence in a difficult position is 22...♗xc5! 23 d6 ♖e1+ 24 ♖xe1 ♖xe1+ 25 ♔d2 ♕c6 26 ♔xe1 ♗b4 27 ♕d4! ♗xc3+ 28 bxc3 although White has good winning chances in the queen ending.

23 ♗e3 ♕a5 24 a3 b5?

There was no reason to weaken the Caro-Kann square c6.

A better try was 24...♖a4 25 ♖d1 ♕b5.

25.♖c6 ♗f4 26 ♔b1 ♗xe3 27 fxe3 ♖xe3 28 ♕d4 ♖e1+ 29 ♔a2 ♖xh1 30 ♕a7+

Black resigns.

Because it is mate after 30…♔d8 31 ♕b8+! and 32 ♕d6 mate. It is therefore understandable that Pillsbury avoided the exchange of queens earlier in the game!

World Champions with a predilection or propensity for strategic play, such as Capablanca, Botvinnik, Smyslov, Petrosian, Karpov and Carlsen, have helped to popularise the Caro-Kann Defence. Even the attacking player Kasparov played it in his youth, under the influence of Botvinnik, before he focused solely on the Sicilian Defence as his primary defence to 1 e4. Kasparov and his trainer Shakarov wrote the excellent Caro-Kann: Classical 4...♗f5 (Batsford 1984). It is a very important book that initially inspired me to develop a deep and fundamental understanding of this specific variation and play it against strong opposition.

Is it possible to learn a popular opening like the Caro-Kann Defence quickly and easily? Yes, I believe it is. I have played this opening more or less the whole of my life. I will show you what I think is the most solid repertoire and where you can get a long way just by focusing on the essential variations and ideas. Playing this opening relies solely on a few important variations, common sense, and classic model games. You should understand the main variations in the opening deeply and learn them by heart, especially the variations that are written in bold type. You don’t need to know many computerised variations to be able to play and understand this opening. The more you play the opening in serious competition, the more you will gain true understanding of it, especially if you are equipped with this book and have extracted and assimilated what to my mind is the critical knowledge.

The Caro-Kann is a very logical defence, because the key is to create tension in the centre by exerting pressure on White’s pride in his central structure, the e4-pawn, and thus follow up with 2…d5 and be able to recapture with a pawn if White should capture on d5. If White declines to release the tension by an early exd5, the c6-pawn will later attack the other pride in White’s central structure, the d4-pawn, by a timely …c6-c5.

There is one slight drawback (as with all openings when you are playing with the black pieces), which is the key to a full understanding of 1…c6, and that is that the knight on b8 cannot develop to its dream square c6. Sometimes the knight can develop to c6, after …c6-c5 or …c6xd5 have been played, but then in the former case Black has lost a tempo with the c-pawn. On the other hand, if Black manages to activate his knight on c6, all the other minor pieces will normally develop to squares with good future prospects. If Black manages to find a future for the b8-knight, he can look forward to a game with excellent winning potential. If Black understands that this opening stands or falls with the knight on b8, he understands one of the most fundamental things about playing the Caro-Kann. It is all about the knight on b8, and it might become your favourite piece if you start to play the Caro-Kann! The b8-knight is the soul of the Caro-Kann Defence. The ultimate dream is to decide the game with this knight, just like a dream is to win with the passive bishop on c8 if you play the French, the Stonewall or the Orthodox Queen’s Gambit. In the Caro-Kann, the queenside bishop will be so strong that White often has to exchange it for his good bishop by the typical maneouvre ♗d3 or his good knight on f3 by means of ♘e5 or ♘h4. After the exchange has been made White will be left with the inferior minor piece, be it the “bad” bishop on c1 or the inferior queenside knight – perhaps positioned on g3 as in the Classical Variation. The knight on b8 is your secret favourite piece, and if you have to exchange or sacrifice it, you must ensure you obtain true value for it in return.

Now, after this brief introduction and as a second teaser for you, I recommend that you go through the next game that the Cuban genius José Raúl Capablanca (1888-1942) played with the Caro-Kann. Focus on the knight on b8 to get a good feeling of how Capablanca uses this piece in the opening, the middlegame, and the endgame. There is no better way to learn an opening than by studying the games of the great masters. Now, please focus on the knight on b8; it is your best friend in the Caro-Kann Defence. Don’t let your opponent dominate it with a pawn on d4 versus a knight on d7 unless you are fighting for the important e5-square.

Atkins – Capablanca

London 1922

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 ♗f5 4 ♗d3

This variation is not so common today since theory has progressed greatly in the meantime.

4…♗xd3 5 ♕xd3 e6 6 ♘e2

6 ♘c3 was played in Nimzowitsch – Capablanca at New York 1927 and will be discussed in chapter 2.

6...♕b6 7 0-0 ♕a6

8 ♕d1

This allows Black a strong queen on a6, from where it controls many white squares. The a6-f1 line is often a key diagonal in the Caro-Kann as has been proven by Capablanca more than once. The game Van den Bosch – Capablanca, Budapest 1929 in chapter 4 is instructive in this respect.

8 ♕xa6 ♘xa6 would only help Black to reduce the value of White’s space advantage, while retaining the better bishop. With queens on the board, there are greater chances for White to stir the pot and exploit his space advantage in the distant future.

8...c5

One drawback of playing 1...c6 is that the move ...c6-c5 loses a tempo. It doesn’t matter here because White has no significant lead in development. In fact White has lost a tempo himself by playing e4-e5.

9 c3

White would like to keep his nice pawn chain, but the price of placing the pawn on c3 is that it blocks the knight on b1.

9...♘c6

Black has solved the problem with the queenside knight and can look forward to a pleasant position in which he can exert pressure on the d4-pawn. It is typical for the Caro-Kann that Black first applies pressure on the e4-pawn and later switches to pressurise the d4-pawn. This often happens in the Advance variation and the Classical line 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 ♘c3 dxe4 4 ♘xe4 ♗f5.

10 ♘d2 cxd4

The right moment to capture on d4 because the knight is not on b1 and ready to go to the vacant square c3. However the other knight might make use of this square, since after a preliminary ♘d2-f3 the manouvre ♘e2-c3 would be logical. Then we would have a nice switch where the queenside knight has become a kingside knight and vice versa.

11 cxd4

11...♕d3!

Typical of Capablanca’s style. He prefers a plan rather than to follow a shallow scheme of development with ...♘e7 (or …♘h6) followed by ...♘f5. With the text move, Black intends to secure an exchange of queens and reduce the influence of White’s space advantage before proceeding with the development of his minor pieces.

12 ♘b3?!

Better was to play 12 ♘f3. The knight is not well placed on b3.

12...♕xd1 13 ♖xd1 ♘ge7

Black has managed to exchange the light-squared bishops and the queens, and these profitable exchanges are the right approach for Black to increase his winning chances in the long-term.

14 ♗d2?!

It seems that White plans ♘a5 to exchange the Caro-Kann knight, but this is the wrong approach. First, Black can prevent this mini-plan; secondly, it was better to gain space on the kingside with 14 h4 followed by h4-h5.

14...a5!

It is easy to be attracted by such a move. By placing the pawns on a5 and b6, both the knight on b3 and the bishop on d2 become passive. The queenside knight on a7 takes care of the weakness of the b5-square. This unusual set-up is good to remember!

14...b6!? followed by ...♔d7 and ... ♘f5 was another reaction to White’s position.

15 ♖ac1 b6

Due to the dominating pawns on a5 and b6, the knight on b3 becomes severely misplaced. The immobile object becomes a target, as a further …a5-a4 will harass the knight.

16 a4

White weakens the b4-square, but otherwise White had to be ready for ...a5-a4 at any time.

16...♔d7 17 ♘c3 ♘a7

Capablanca probably reasons that the knight on c3 is just as passive as the knight on a7. Note that the so called Caro-Kann knight, originally situated on b8, is now placed on a relatively inactive square, but this circumstance will not prevent it from becoming a future hero! The ability to use the Caro-Kann knight dynamically (attack and defence) is a trademark for a solid Caro-Kann player. It is in the nature of the Caro-Kann that the queenside knight is the most passive minor piece, especially at the beginning of the game.

A more normal continuation was 17...♘f5 18 ♘b5 ♖c8 19 ♖c2 h5 with a slight advantage to Black. However, a knight on b5 that is difficult to drive away is not everyone’s cup of tea.

18 ♔f1

18 ♘b5 would force the Caro-Kann knight to an advantageous exchange after 18...♘xb5 19 axb5 a4 20 ♘a1 ♘f5 21 ♘c2 h5 when Black would have the superior game. Compare the pawn positions and the minor pieces and it is easy to see who stands better.

18...♘ec6

Usually, the kingside knight lands on f5, but Capablanca focuses on b4. A logical continuation was 18...♖c8, in accordance with the principle of development. The difference between a genius and an ordinary player is that the former sees other, less conventional possibilities.

19 ♔e2 ♖c8 20 ♗e1?!

20 ♗e3 was the correct square for the bishop.

20...♗e7 21 ♘b1?

Atkins plays too passively with his minor pieces.

21...f5!

In the book Understanding the Caro-Kann Defence (R.H.M Press 1980) the English GM and prolific author Raymond Keene has written that “it is rare in the Caro-Kann for Black to undertake active operations on the kingside.” Here we can learn from Capablanca when it is possible to play contrary to the general strategy.

22 exf6

White wants to do something to stop Black from winning the h2-pawn after moves such as ...g7-g5-g4, ♗e7-g5, ♖h8-g8-g6-h6, etc., but now the pawn on d4 will be under attack instead.

22...♗xf6 23 ♗c3

23...♘b4!

Capablanca plays dynamically and creatively with his kingside knight because the customary square was to place it on f5 after 23...♘e7. Capablanca’s choice compensates for the passive knight on a7, whose duty is to control b5. If Black has one knight on f5, the other knight should be on c6. With the knight on a7 it is more logical to place the kingside knight on b4 so as to upset White’s play on the queenside. This is the tandem knight theme that was so favoured by Capablanca who understood the deep co-operation that is necessary between the knights – just as if they were a pair of bishops. Essentially they are stronger in the sense that they can attack a point, a pawn, a piece or the king on the same colour.

24 ♗d2

24 ♗xb4 would not have solved any problems. After 24...axb4 25 ♖xc8 ♖xc8 26 ♔d3, planning 27 ♖c1, Black would reply 26...♘c6 with the idea of 27...♖a8. 27 ♘1d2 would have been answered by 27...e5! with excellent winning chances.

24...♘ac6

Capablanca’s celebrated tandem knights in action!

25 ♗e3 ♘a2! 26 ♖c2 ♖c7?

26...♘cb4!, to extend the tandem knight manoeuvre, was indeed playable, but presumably Capablanca didn’t like the look of the a2-knight, which would seem redundant – or was this perhaps a psychological ploy?

27 ♘a3

27 ♗f4 would have practically forced the retreat 27...♖cc8, which shows the pointlessness of Black’s last move.

27...♖hc8 28 ♖cd2?

28 ♘b5? didn’t work on account of 28...♘xd4+ but 28 ♗f4 with an equal game was perfectly fine.

28...♘a7

Interestingly, Capablanca chooses this passive square one more time. He is playing against the knight on a3. He doesn’t want to allow White to play the disturbing 29 ♘b5.

More active options were either 28...♘e7, followed by ...♘f5, or 28...♘d8 followed by ...♘f7-d6. 29... ♖c4 would be the reply to 29 ♘b5 in both cases.

29 ♖d3

Another continuation was 29 ♘a1 to prepare ♖c2 and fight against the pressure on the c-file.

29...♘b4 30 ♖3d2 ♖c6 31 ♖b1 ♗e7 32 ♖a1 ♗d6

Black doesn’t want to be disturbed by ♗f4 after ♖6c7.

33 h3 ♖6c7

Now Black can prepare manoeuvres such as ...♘bc6-e7, ...♗d6-b4 and ...♘f5-d6, etc.

34 ♖ad1

A better defensive set-up was 34 ♔d1! followed by ♘c1-e2-c3 or ♘c1-d3.

34...♘a2

More precise was 34...♘a6!.

The point being that Black exchanges his bishop for White’s knight. White’s best is 35 ♖a1 (35 ♘b1? ♗b4 36 ♖d3 ♖c2+ wins a pawn.) 35…♗xa3 36 ♖xa3 ♘b4 37 ♘a1 ♖c4 with a clear advantage for Black.

35 ♖a1 ♗xa3 36 ♖xa2

36 bxa3 ♘c3+, and the a4-pawn falls.

36...♗b4 37 ♖d1 ♖c4 38 ♖c1

38...♘c6!

Note how the passive knight becomes active again by threatening the decisive ...♘xd4+.

39 ♖xc4?!

Better was 39 ♖aa1 ♘e7 40 ♖xc4 (After 40 ♔d3 ♘f5, Black has a dream position. Black’s bishop could manoeuvre to f6, and his c4-rook could transfer to b4 where it strikes multiple weaknesses.) 40...dxc4 41 ♘d2 ♗xd2 42 ♔xd2 ♘d5 and Black has a splendidly centralised Caro-Kann knight.

39...dxc4

The d5-pawn is the most important part of the Caro-Kann structure, and it is always a critical moment when this pawn disappears from that key square because then the d5-square becomes a vital manoeuvring base for Black’s pieces.

40 ♘d2 ♗xd2

Capablanca makes another profitable exchange because the knight will be stronger than the bishop.

41 ♔xd2 ♔d6

It is stronger to centralise the king on the d5-square than the knight because of the pressure on the weak d4-pawn that increases.

42 ♔c3

Atkins seems to prefer the knight on d5 rather than the king!

42...♔d5

Capablanca is not influenced by Atkins’ psychological ploy, although 42...♘b4 was a good move too.

43 ♖a1 g6 44 f3

44...♖b8!

The pawn break ...b6-b5 will be the final nail in the coffin.

45 ♖a3 b5 46 axb5 ♖xb5 47 ♗f2 ♘b4

The knight heads for d3.

48 b3

48 ♗e3 ♘d3 49 b3 cxb3 50 ♖xb3 (50 ♔xd3 b2) 50...♖xb3+ 51 ♔xb3 ♘e1 and Black wins.

48...cxb3 49 ♔xb3

If 49 ♖xb3 ♘a2+ 50 ♔b2 ♖xb3+ 51 ♔xb3 ♘c1+ neither 52 ♔c2 ♘e2 53 ♔d3 ♘f4+ nor 52 ♔a4 ♘d3 53 ♗g3 ♔xd4 54 ♔xa5 ♔e3 55 ♔b5 ♘f4 would help.

49...♘c6+?

Correct was 49...♘d3+ 50 ♔a4 ♖b2 51 ♖xd3 ♖xf2 as Black wins the rook ending. At this moment it seems that Capablanca was too fond of his Caro-Kann knight!

50 ♔c3 ♖b1 51 ♖a4 ♖c1+ 52 ♔d2?

The last chance to hold was 52 ♔d3 ♘b4+ 53 ♔e3 ♖a1! (53...♖c3+ 54 ♔f4!) 54 ♖xa1 ♘c2+ 55 ♔d3 ♘xa1 56 ♔c3 a4 57 ♔b4 ♘b3 58 ♔xa4 ♔c4! 59 ♗h4 ♘xd4 60 ♔a5.

52...♖c4 53 ♖a1 a4 54 ♖a3

54...♘a7!

Earlier in the game, the function of this move was to protect the b5-square, but now it is an attacking move because ...♘b5 will propel the passed a-pawn further down the board.

54...♘xd4 was good enough, but the text move is even more convincing.

55 ♖a1 ♘b5 56 ♖b1 ♔c6!

The dear Caro-Kann knight is guarded by the king. It proves the importance of this knight, according to Lasker’s famous principle of justice!

57 ♔d3 ♖c3+ 58 ♔d2 ♖b3 59 ♖c1+

Hopeless is 59 ♖xb3 axb3 60 ♔d3 (or 60 ♔c1 ♔d5 61 ♔b2 ♘xd4 62 ♗xd4 ♔xd4 63 ♔xb3 ♔e3) 60...b2 61 ♔c2 ♘c3 62 ♔xb2 ♘d1+.

59...♔b7 60 ♖c2 a3

Now Black’s plan is simply ...♔b7-a6-a5-b4 followed by ...♖b2.

61 ♗g3 ♘xd4

The Caro-Kann knight shows its teeth by eliminating the most important white pawn.

62 ♖c7+ ♔b6 63 ♖c4 ♔b5 64 ♖c8

64 ♖xd4 a2, and the pawn promotes to a queen.

64...♘c6 65 ♖a8 ♖b2+ 66 ♔e3 ♖xg2 67 ♗f2 ♘b4!

White resigns.

The game could have ended 68 ♗h4 g5 69 ♗f2 a2 70 ♔e2 ♖xf2+ 71 ♔xf2 ♘a6! and the enemy rook is cut off by the knight so the a-pawn can promote.

This was one of the key games which earned Capablanca the reputation of being an unbeatable chess machine. For Caro-Kann players, this game is instrumental for studying the dynamism of the b8-knight. I have never seen such intricate manoeuvers with the b8-knight as in this game. It is striking how many times Capablanca uses the seemingly unimportant a7 square!

Now that we have gained an insight into Capablanca’s intricate manoeuvers with the queenside knight (the heart of the Caro-Kann Defence) we look at a third instructive game. Note how Capablanca uses the celebrated knight by exercising pressure on weaknesses created by White’s pawn structure – in this case the weak square d3 and the pawn weakness at e5. Eventually the knight disappears from the board – but only after a profitable exchange.

Smith – Capablanca

New York 1911

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 ♘c3 dxe4 4 ♘xe4 ♗f5 5 ♘g3 ♗g6 6 ♘f3 ♘f6 7 ♗e2

It is not without risk to ignore the exchange of Black’s strong bishop on g6.

7…♘bd7 8 c3

8...♕c7 9 ♕b3 e6 10 ♘e5?

It is too early to centralise the knight as Black stands ready to exchange it and transform the central pawn structure into a formation favourable to himself.

10 0-0 or 10 ♗g5 would have continued White’s development.

10...♘xe5 11 dxe5 ♘d7

Note that it is actually the kingside knight that has been exchanged because the knight on d7 is still alive – exerting pressure on the e5-pawn.

12 ♗f4

12 f4 would create additional weaknesses, especially the d3-square which Black could exploit by 12…♘c5 13 ♕d1 ♖d8.

12...♘c5 13 ♕d1 ♖d8 14 ♕c1

14...♘d7!?

Black attacks the weakest pawn in White’s position and for the time being ignores the vulnerability of the d3-square.

Either 14...h5!? 15 0-0 h4 16 ♘h1 ♗d3 or 14...♗d3 15 0-0 ♗xe2 16 ♘xe2 ♘d3 17 ♕e3 ♗c5 18 ♕g3 were strong alternatives to exploit the d3-square.

15 b4?

15 ♕e3? would be a fruitless defence of the e5-pawn due to 15…♗c5.

Correct was 15 ♗g5 ♖c8 16 f4 ♗c5 17 ♕d2 and 0-0-0.

15...a5!

Stronger than 15...♘xe5 16 ♕e3 ♗d6 17 ♕xa7.

16 a3

Interesting was the inclusion of the moves 16 ♗g5!? ♖a8 and only then 17 a3.

16...♘xe5 17 ♕e3

Another plausible continuation was 17 0-0 ♗d6 18 ♖d1 0-0.

17...♗d6 18 0-0

If 18 ♖d1 then 18...♘d3+ wins.

18...♘f3+!

Capablanca probably values the principle of exchange more than the principle of development with 18…0-0, due to the fact that he has an extra pawn. He therefore prefers the plan of an exchange rather than thoughtless development.

19 ♕xf3?

Better was 19 ♗xf3 ♗xf4 20 ♕c5.

19...♗xf4 20 bxa5 ♗xg3 21 hxg3 ♕xa5 22 ♖fd1 ♖xd1+

See the note to move 18 as Capablanca applies the same principle.

23 ♗xd1 0-0 24 ♖a2 ♖d8 25 ♗e2 ♕b6! White resigns.

A likely end could be 26 ♖a1 (26 ♗f1 ♕b3 27 ♖a1 ♗b1! 28 ♕e2 b5) 26...♗b1!.

It is no coincidence that the light-squared bishop triumphs in the end as White ignored it throughout the whole game and had to pay the price of losing. White is well advised to exchange it for the bishop or the kingside knight.

After these games you are hopefully sufficiently prepared to look at the most important opening variations that feature in the model games.

Chapter One: The Classical and Capablanca Variations

“But I like listening to any music, including bad music. It’s a professional disease, an addiction to notes. The brain finds sustenance in any combination of sounds. It works constantly, performing various composerly operations.” – Dmitri Shostakovish, (Russian-Soviet composer and pianist, 1906-1975)

“I won’t be dealing with the 3♘c3 main lines, although naturally they’re full of wonderful ideas.” – John Watson – Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 1, 2006.

“The trick may lie in preparing broadly and, closer to the game, narrowing your preparation to five options. From this, you could select the two you are most likely to encounter, focus heavily on them and disregard the rest. But if your opponent is the kind of player who outperforms with surprises then instead of obsessing over one aspect it’s practical to spread yourself thin with a minimum level of preparation in all areas. Either way, you have the choice of going deep or broad, and you can pick whatever increases your odds the most” – Viswanathan Anand (Mind Master – Winning Lessons from a Champion’s life, 2019)

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 ♘c3

According to the Online Database the classical continuation 3 ♘c3 has been played 108,436 times up to 2023 with a statistical score of 52.7%. It is sometimes (35,322 times) replaced by the modern 3 ♘d2 (56.3%) which is slightly above the normal prediction of 56% for the first player. It is well-known that the normal percentage rate when in possession of the white pieces is 56%. If Black’s intention is to play 3…dxe4 (56.1%) it has no practical significance for the second player. On the other hand White should know how to react against the additional possibility 3…♕b6!? (61.1%) that has been created due to the undefended state of the d4-pawn.

Most of the first players who prefer 3 ♘d2 want to play against less common systems involving 3…g6, as Botvinnik sometimes continued, because now c2-c3 will be possible. Also Gurgenidze’s 3…b5 is more likely to occur after 3 ♘c3, whereas now there is no knight to attack with the b-pawn.

3…dxe4 4 ♘xe4 ♗f5

Black immediately solves the problem with the queenside bishop by hitting the centralised knight while placing it on the very useful h7-b1 diagonal. 4…♗f5 has been played in 74,662 games with a statistical score of 53.2%.

The second most popular continuation 4…♘d7 has been played 32,022 times and has a slightly higher score of 54.8%.

The third most common continuation 4…♘f6 has been practised 28,309 times with a surprisingly lower score of 52%. The reason is the currently popular variation 5 ♘xf6 exf6 (5…gxf6= 55.1%) which scores the low 51.4%. The last mentioned variation I have played many times, ever since I was a teenager, but I don’t think it suits the title of the book because it is not easy to play this variation due to the doubled pawn and one must also know in depth how to handle the 6 c3 variation which has a statistical score of 54%. To play the Caro-Kann Defence in an easy way means we are looking for variations with a healthy pawn structure.

There are five variations the second player should know about, even though strictly speaking some of them are not so good and you will probably never encounter them, at least not in a serious game.

White can defend the centralised knight either by Tarrasch’s recommendation (A) 5 ♗d3 or (B) 5 ♕f3. Otherwise there is the knight manoeuvre to the fifth rank either by (C) 5 ♘g5 or (D) 5 ♘c5 or a manoeuvre to the kingside by (E) 5 ♘g3 which is the main variation.

Variation (A) 5 ♗d3

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 ♘c3 dxe4 4 ♘xe4 ♗f5 5 ♗d3

This variation is not important and has never occurred in any serious game of mine, but despite its rarity you should know how to respond. So just play through the variations and try to understand and memorise them.

It is the third most common move and has been played in 843 games (31.1%). Tarrasch recommended it for the reason that he didn’t like the decentralised nature of the knight on g3.

According to principle (if you know your Nimzowitsch) Black should accept the gift of the d4-pawn, especially as it is White’s most important pawn and its fall destroys an important part (actually the skull) of White’s skeleton. White will then be solely dependent on the ability of his pieces to maintain the initiative and create an attack.

5…♕xd4

The statistical score after this move improves to 21.8% calculated on the basis of 432 games.

6 ♘f3 ♕d8

The critical line and the most common continuation in practice is to take the pawn and withdraw the queen. The best square for the queen is d8 despite the fact that it loses time. The immediate idea is to threaten further exchanges by 7…♗xe4.

7 ♕e2

Tal was of the opinion that this move should be tested more often in practice.

The ultra-aggressive 7 ♘fg5 is met by 7…e6, defending the bishop while any danger associated with a sacrifice on f7 is blown away.

Black can now exploit the fact that the bishop on f5 is indirectly defended by the smooth developing move…

7…♘f6 8 ♘xf6+

If 7 0-0 then 7…♗xe4 8 ♗xe4 g6!N is a good set-up for Black as the light-squared bishop is effectively neutralised by Black’s pawns on both sides of the board. It is better to keep the knight on f6 as it is a stronger defender than the white bishop is an attacker. In addition it will be more difficult for White to utilise his rooks in the centre, unlike the centralised position of his queen on e4. Interestingly this position is untested in practice.

8…gxf6 9 ♗xf5 ♕a5+

Black actually exploits one tactical point involving 1…c6 as it sometimes gives Black the possibility of controlling the a5-e1 diagonal and the fourth rank in one stroke and with a saved tempo.

10 ♘d2

Beware of the famous trap 10 ♗d2 ♕xf5 11 0-0-0 ♕e6 (11…♘d7!, as in the game Meriono Rey – Montes Espino, 1990, followed by the continuation of his development, was correct.) 12 ♕d3! ♕xa2?? (12…♕d5 was fine for Black.) 13 ♕d8+! ♔xd8 14 ♗a5+ followed by the so-called Opera mate on d8. It occurred in a game by Koltanowski in 1931 and might encourage someone to play this variation. One should always be aware of tactical as well as positional traps in the variations as these are all part of your opening repertoire!

11…♕xf5 11 ♘c4 ♕e6 12 ♗e3 ♗g7

White’s compensation for the pawn is questionable.

Variation (B) 5 ♕f3

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 ♘c3 dxe4 4 ♘xe4 ♗f5 5 ♕f3

Of course it is not entirely sound to develop the queen so early and steal the good square f3 from the valuable kingside knight, which normally wants to control the centre. It is the fifth choice according to the Online Database but has a much higher statistical score than variation (A) with 51.8% for 456 games.

5…e6 6 ♘1e2

6 ♗d3 is another way to sacrifice the pawn on d4 by including the moves 5 ♕f3 e6. Then 6…♕xd4 7 ♘e2 ♕b4+!. The difference from 5 ♗d3 is that now this queen check is Black’s strongest continuation. 8 c3 ♗xe4 9 ♗xe4 ♕a5 followed by 10…♘f6 with advantage.

6…♗e7

White is hoping for 6…♘f6 (64.8%) 7 ♘xf6+ ♕xf6 when White would be able to utilise the manoeuvrability of the queen on the third rank by 8 ♕b3. Here it would be difficult to defend the b7-pawn in a comfortable way.

6…♘d7 (55.7%) is the most common move but if White wants to surprise us with 5 ♕f3 it makes sense to surprise Black with 6…♗e7 (47.7%), especially since we have a fairly disguised opening trap to deliver.

7 c3 ♘f6 8 ♘xf6+ ♗xf6 9 ♘g3 ♗g6 10 ♘h5?!

Better is 10 ♗e2, as in the game Demchenko – Piorun, 2019, but here simply 10…0-0N= (instead of the passive 10…♕d5) was a more reliable option. If White attacks the bishop with the knight it returns to e7 with a stable position.

10…♗xd4!

This trap has surprisingly been overlooked by fairly strong players in the past. This is the tactical point of Black’s previous play, otherwise the bishop on f6 and the pawn on g7 would be a convenient target for the knight.

11 cxd4

Now we have the familiar double attack.

11…♕a5+ 12 ♗d2 ♕xh5 13 ♕b3 b6 14 ♗e2 ♕h4

Black’s position is slightly preferable. Black not only has an extra pawn but also possibilities of installing his bishop on d5.

Variation (C) 5 ♘g5

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 ♘c3 dxe4 4 ♘xe4 ♗f5 5 ♘g5

White exploits the availability of the g5-square but this aggressive knight move does not have the same effect as after 4…♘d7. It is the seventh most common move but has only been played in 110 games and with a poor statistical result of 35.9%.

5...e6 6 g4 ♗g6 7 ♘1f3N

7 h4 is simply answered by 7…h5.

7...♗d6

7...h6 8 ♘h3 ♘f6 9 ♘e5 ♗h7 makes it harder for White to exchange Black’s bishop along the b1-h7 diagonal.

8 ♗d3 ♗xd3 9 ♕xd3 ♘f6 10 ♕e2 ♘bd7!

A fatal mistake would be 10…♘xg4?? due to 11 ♘xf7! ♔xf7 12 ♘g5+ and Black’s position collapses.

11 ♗d2

11 ♘xf7? ♔xf7 12 ♘g5+ does not work on account of 12…♔e8 13 ♘xe6 ♕e7 14 ♘xg7+ ♔f7 15 ♕xe7+ ♗xe7 16 ♘f5 ♘xg4 and Black wins.

11...h6 12 ♘e4 ♘xe4 13 ♕xe4 ♘f6 14 ♕e2 ♘xg4 15 ♖g1

15 0-0-0 ♘f6 is clearly advantageous for Black.

15...♘xh2

It is quite extraordinary that the b8-knight lands on this remote square and with such decisive effect!

16 ♘e5

16 ♘xh2 ♗xh2 17 ♖xg7 ♕f6 18 ♕g4 ♗d6 19 ♖g8+ ♖xg8 20 ♕xg8+ ♗f8 21 ♗b4 ♕g7 22 ♕xg7 ♗xg7 wins.

16...♗xe5 17 dxe5 ♕d5

Black has a decisive advantage and won on move 63 in Jonsson – Engqvist, Stockholm 2022.

Note the incredible journey taken by the b8-knight to h2, which was the main reason I included this game of mine as well as the fact that my opponent actually played the very rare variation 5 ♘g5. White has tried to do something heroic with his b1-knight but it has only led to the loss of a pawn and the result was a heroic triumph for the black queenside knight. Quite an amusing and noticeable boomerang effect!

Variation (D) 5 ♘c5

Model Game 1

Navara – Nielsen

Peristeri 2010

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 ♘c3 dxe4 4 ♘xe4 ♗f5 5 ♘c5

This “weird” move, to use the famous expression by Fischer in his monumental My 60 Memorable Games (1969), should be taken seriously because it is a fairly good move. I have played it myself several times, both with the white and black pieces. Fischer experimented with it during his simultaneous tour in 1964 “to break the monotony”. It is the second most common reaction to 4…♗f5 with 1,963 games and a statistical score of a reasonably good 55%.

5...e5!

This is Black’s strongest and most logical option and was also the most common reply by Fischer’s opponents. Black immediately undermines the key-pawn in White’s position as well as speeding up his development. However it is only the third choice (53.5%) and the reason is probably because theoretical knowledge is more important after this move than after the more passive but fully playable alternatives 5…b6 (54.3%) or 5…♕c7 (55.4%).

6 ♘xb7 ♕b6 7 ♘c5 ♗xc5!

This is a clever continuation as Black keeps his strong central pawn on e5. It is the second choice according to the Online Database with 58 games (50%).

After the most common reply 7…exd4, played in 179 games and with a score of 51.7% White has to reckon with two continuations:

8 ♘b3 (51.6%) is the main move with 161 games and can be answered by 8…♗b4+ 9 ♗d2 ♗xd2 10 ♕xd2 c5 11 ♗d3 ♗xd3 12 cxd3 (12 ♕xd3 ♘f6 13 ♕e2+ ♔f8 14 ♘f3 ♘bd7 15 0-0 g6 16 ♖fe1 ♔g7 was equal in Felgaer – Perez Ponsa, 2019.) 12…♘d7 13 ♘f3 ♘e7 14 0-0 0-0 15 ♕g5 ♖fe8 (A more drawish continuation is 15…♘c6 16 ♖fc1 ♘b4 17 ♘xc5 ♘xc5 18 ♕xc5 ♘xd3 19 ♕xb6 axb6=.) 16 ♖fe1 h6 with equal play in the game Vargas – Korpa, 2015.

8 ♘a4! (60%) is less common with only 10 games but probably stronger because after the queen check....

Analysis diagram

8…♕a5+ 9 c3 dxc3 10 ♘xc3 ♘f6 (10…♗b4 11 ♗d2 ♘f6 12 ♘f3 0-0 13 ♗e2 (Gallagher – Pelletier, 2016) 13…♘e4!N 14 ♘xe4 ♗xe4 15 0-0 ♗d5 16 a3 is a little better for White due to his superior pawn structure.) 11 ♘f3 ♗c5 12 ♗e2 0-0 13 0-0 ♖e8 14 ♕a4! White stands rather better with his two pawn islands versus Black’s three. Moreover Black has to rely on his more active pieces to keep the balance, but that is not an easy task after White’s strong 14th move. After 14…♕b6 15 ♕f4 ♗g6 16 ♘a4 ♕d8 17 ♖d1 ♘d5 18 ♕c4 White still has the better pawn structure – and active pieces as well.

8 dxc5 ♕xc5 9 c3

9 ♗d3 e4 10 ♗f1 (Tokhirjonova – Yakubbaeva, Tashkent Zonal (women) 2019, continued 10 ♗e2 ♘e7 11 a3 ♕e5 12 ♕d2 and now 12…♘bd7! 13 ♕f4 ♕e6 would have assured Black equal play.) 10…♘f6 11 ♘e2 0-0 12 ♕d2?! (Better was 12 ♗e3 ♕b4+ 13 ♕d2 ♕xb2 14 ♗d4 e3! 15 fxe3 ♕xc2 16 ♕xc2 ♗xc2 17 ♖c1 with enough compensation for the pawn.) was played in Ostrakovsky – Gurevich, El Aguila Masters 2018. However here Black should have continued with 12…♘d5! giving him a slight advantage.

9…♘f6 10 ♗e3

In the future the bishop will be exposed on this square by a knight on d5 so an alternative variation was played in a blitz game between Svidler and Nielsen at Copenhagen in 2010.

That game continued 10 ♘f3 0-0 11 ♗e2 ♘bd7 12 0-0 ♖fd8 13 ♕a4. White plans to exploit the fourth rank and manoeuvre his queen to h4. 13…♘b6 (13…♕b6!? It seems logical to try to manoeuvre the knight to c5 and hit the weak d3-square.) 14 ♕h4 (14 ♕b4!?) 14…♘bd5 15 ♕g5 (15 ♘xe5 ♘xc3) 15…♘e7?! (A better and more active way of defending the e5-pawn is 15…♗g4.) 16 ♕e3 ♕xe3 17 ♗xe3 ♘g6 18 ♖fd1 with a slight advantage to White.

10…♕e7

11 ♘e2?!

Riemens – Hoogendoorn, Netherlands 1994, was the first game in the Mega Database which saw the continuation 7…♗xc5. In this position White continued with the stronger move 11 ♗c4. (11 ♗d3 as in Gajcin – Velikić, Serbian Women’s Championship 2018 continued 11…♗xd3 12 ♕xd3 0-0 13 ♘e2 when simply 13…♘bd7 or 13…♘d5 with equal play should have been played. 11 ♘f3 was seen in Sergienko – Kharitonov, Voronezh 2013. After 11…0-0 12 ♗e2 ♘d5 13 ♗g5 f6 14 ♗d2 ♘d7 15 0-0 Black should have played 15…g5! to prepare …♘c5 without allowing ♘h4. Black would then have the slightly better chances) After the further 11...0-0 12 ♘e2 ♘bd7 13 ♘g3 ♗g6 14 0-0 ♘b6 15 ♕e2 Black played 15...h5 and White stood rather better after 16 ♗g5 in Riemens – Hoogendoorn, Netherlands 1994. However, if Black had continued 15…♘fd5! instead we would be back by transposition in our main game in this variation between Navara and Nielsen!

11…0-0?!

Correct is 11…♘g4! with a slight advantage to Black.

12 ♘g3 ♗g6 13 ♗c4 ♘bd7 14 ♕e2 ♘d5 15 0-0 ♘7b6 16 ♗b3 ♖fd8

An alternative continuation is 16...a5!? with balanced play.

17 ♖ad1 ♘xe3 18 ♕xe3 c5 19 ♕e2 ♕c7 20 h4

20 ♖fe1 c4 21 ♗c2 ♗xc2 22 ♕xc2 g6 23 ♘f1 f5 leads to equal but more interesting play.

20...c4 21 ♗c2 ♘d5 22 ♗xg6 hxg6 23 ♖fe1 f6 24 h5 ♘f4 25 ♕f3 ♘xh5 26 ♘xh5 gxh5

White now avoids 27 ♕xh5 ♖d3.

27 ♖xd8+ ♖xd8 28 ♕xh5 ♕d7 29 ♖e4 ♕d1+ 30 ♕xd1 ♖xd1+ 31 ♔h2 ♖d2 32 f4 ♖xb2 33 fxe5 ♖xa2 34 exf6 Draw.

The rook ending is completely equal so the players agreed to split the point.

Variation (E) 5 ♘g3

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 ♘c3 dxe4 4 ♘xe4 ♗f5 5 ♘g3

After the mandatory move 5…♗g6 White has several options,

(A) 6 ♘1e2

(B) Flohr’s 6 ♘h3

(C) 6 ♗c4

(D) Maróczy’s 6 f4

(E) 6 ♘f3 and the main variation

(F) 6 h4

Variation (A) 6 ♘1e2

Model Game 2

Avshalumov – Kasparov

USSR 1977

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 ♘c3 dxe4 4 ♘xe4 ♗f5 5 ♘g3 ♗g6 6 ♘1e2

White plans ♘e2-f4 and ♘f4xg6. The idea is to secure the bishop-pair but in exchange Black will have counterplay on the h-file. Tal was of the opinion that White’s sixth move is more ingenious than 6 h4 h6 7 ♘h3, with the same idea since now ♘f4 is threatened followed by h2-h4.

6…♘f6 7 ♘f4 e5!

This is the fundamental drawback to White’s choice of variation because Black is allowed the option to play actively with his e-pawn. If White exchanges on g6 Black obtains the h-file.

8 ♘xg6

The alternative 8 dxe5 ♕a5+ has two branches:

a) 9 c3 ♕xe5+ 10 ♕e2 (10 ♗e2 ♘bd7 11 0-0 ♗c5 12 ♘d3 ♗xd3 13 ♗xd3 or 13 ♕xd3 leads to equal play after 13…0-0. It would be less precise to castle queenside in this type of position.) 10...♘bd7 11 ♕xe5+ (After 11 h4 0-0-0 12 h5 ♗c2 13 ♗e3

Analysis diagram

13…♗a4! Black’s Caro-Kann bishop will be a disturbing factor for White.) 11...♘xe5 12 ♗e2 (12 ♘xg6 hxg6 would lead to an equal position. Black’s pieces are co-operating very well so White cannot really exploit his pair of bishops despite the fact that the centre is wide open.)

12…0-0-0 (12…♗c5/12…♗d6 are good moves too. Note that the plan to keep the bishop with 12…♗c2!? does not work if White replies 13 ♗e3!. The idea is that after 13…h6? [Correct is to continue his development by 13…♗d6 and after 14 ♖c1 play 14…♗g6.] 13 ♖c1 ♗h7 14 ♖d1 and White has a clear advantage owing to his advantage in development.) The position is completely equal.

b) 9 ♗d2 ♕xe5+ 10 ♗e2 ♘bd7 11 ♘xg6?! (11 0-0 or 11 c3 were the normal moves.) 11…hxg6 12 ♗c3 (12 0-0 0-0-0! is a little better for Black.) 12…♕c7 13 ♕d3 0-0-0 14 0-0-0 ♗c5 15 ♕c4 was played in Marciano – Izeta, 1996. Here Black had the possibility of a very interesting exchange sacrifice in the position arising after 15…♘d5!! 16 ♗xg7 ♖h7 17 ♗d4 ♖h4. If White now plays 18 ♗e5 (instead of 18 c3 f5) Black replies 18…♕xe5 19 ♕xh4 ♗xf2 with more than enough compensation. White has a complex of weak dark squares, especially the e3-square which is in Black’s possession.

8…hxg6 9 dxe5

9 ♗e3!? ♘d5 10 dxe5 ♘xe3 11 ♕xd8+ ♔xd8 12 fxe3 ♗c5 13 0-0-0+ ♘d7 is equal.

9...♕a5+ 10 ♗d2

10 c3 is not necessary as White has exchanged the bishop on g6. 10...♕xe5+ 11 ♕e2 (11 ♗e2?! ♘bd7 is a little better for Black with his more active pieces.) 11…♘bd7 and the position is equal.

10…♕xe5+ 11 ♕e2

Worse is 11 ♗e2?! ♘bd7 12 0-0 0-0-0 and Black’s position is preferable.

11...♘bd7

11...♕xe2+ is the most common move in practice but probably not the most precise. After 12 ♗xe2 ♘bd7 13 0-0 0-0-0 14 ♖ad1 (14 ♖fd1, with chances for a small edge, was more precise.) the game Tal – Botvinnik, Moscow 1964 was equal and ended in a draw on move 41.

12 ♕xe5+

There is no point avoiding the exchange of queens as after 12 0-0-0 0-0-0 13 ♕c4 ♘d5 Black was fine in Hracek – Schlosser, Germany 1998.

12 ♗f4 ♕xe2+ 13 ♗xe2 ♘d5 14 ♗d2 ♘7f6 15 ♗f3 0-0-0 was equal in Tiviakov – Ivanchuk, Greece 2009.

12...♘xe5 13 ♗c3

13 ♗e2 (Oliynyk --Tkachenko, 2017, saw 13 f4 ♘ed7 14 0-0-0 ♗c5! 15 ♖e1+ ♔f8 16 ♘e4 ♘xe4 17 ♖xe4 ♖d8 18 g3 f5 19 ♖e2 ♘f6 20 b4 but here 20...♗d4!N 21 c3 ♗b6= should be played.) 13…0-0-0 14 ♖d1 ♗c5 15 0-0 ♖h4

According to the Indian GM Vidit Gujrathi on his DVD on the Caro-Kann Defence, he makes the profound comment that the key to this position lies in White’s weaknesses on the black squares, especially those on f4, d4 and b4. If the dark-squared bishops disappear from the board Black has the possibility of expanding on the queenside with ...a7-a5.

13…♘ed7 14 ♗c4

14 0-0-0 ♗c5 15 ♖d2 (15 f3 0-0=) 15...0-0 (A useful idea to remember in this type of position is 15...a5 with the idea of ...♗b4.

Analysis diagram

If White prevents this with 16 a3 then 16...b5 creates some activity on the queenside.) 16 ♗c4 b5 17 ♗b3 a5 (17…♗b6 18 h4 is a typical plan when Black has castled kingside but less appealing with the queenside rook placed on d2. Black has no problems after 18…♘c5 19 h5 ♘xh5 20 ♘xh5 gxh5 21 ♖xh5 ♖fd8 22 ♖g5 ♖xd2 23 ♖xg7+ ♔f8 24 ♔xd2 [24 ♖xf7+? ♔e8 loses material.] 24...♖d8+ 25 ♔c1 [It is fatal to go on the e-file because after 25 ♔e2? ♘xb3 26 axb3 b4 27 ♗e5 ♖e8 28 ♖g5 f6 Black wins the bishop.] 25...♘xb3+ 26 axb3 ♗xf2 and the endgame is equal. Pointless but playable was 26...b4 27 ♗e5 ♖d5 28 ♖g5 ♗xf2.) 18 a4 (A decent alternative was 18 ♗xf6 ♘xf6 19 a4 with an even game.) 18…♗b4! and Black had no problems in Rozentalis – Macieja, Dzwirzyno 2004.

14...♖h4!

Nothing is for free in chess. White has the pair of bishops but in exchange Black has a strong kingside rook in addition to well-placed tandem knights.

15 ♗b3

15...♘c5

The young Kasparov probably overlooked that 15...a5! was stronger. If White wants to avoid a damaged pawn structure on the queenside and plays 16 a3 ♘c5 17 ♗a2 Black’s knight will be a great irritation for White as can be seen in the variation 17...♘a4 18 ♗e5 (18 ♗xf6 gxf6 19 0-0-0 f5) 18...♘d7. Note how Black’s knights are working together! On 19 ♗c7 follows 19...♘xb2 and then ...♗xa3 next move.

16 0-0-0 ♘xb3+ 17 axb3 ♖d8= 18 ♖he1+ ♗e7 19 h3

White neutralises the rook on the h-file and thus loses a move. A small consequence of 8 ♘xg6.

19...♖xd1+ 20 ♔xd1

On 20 ♖xd1 ♘d5 a draw was agreed in Ramsden – Engqvist, correspondence game 1992.

20…♔f8