Caro-Kann Defence

1.e4 c6

Solid without being passive: ...c6 supports ...d5 so you challenge e4 at once and your light bishop still gets out. No holes, no bad bishop, and a healthy structure that survives whatever your opponent throws at it.

Spar this opening

Your setup

Bishopf5 / g6 / g4
Knightf6
Knightd7 / c6
Bishope7 / d6 / b4
Pawnsc6 e6
CastleO-O

Bf5 or Bg4 before e6. Bishop out before ...e6 — otherwise you've built a French with a locked-in bishop, exactly what the Caro-Kann avoids.

Ideas

...c6 then ...d5: challenge e4 with the bishop still free

Unlike the French, your c8-bishop isn't blocked. That's the whole opening.

...c6 supports ...d5 without putting a pawn on e6. When White takes or protects, your bishop comes to f5 or g4 first — then ...e6 closes the door behind it, not in front of it.

Bishop out, then ...e6

...Bf5 (or ...Bg4) before ...e6. Every time.

The bishop's only good diagonals run through f5 and g4. Play ...e6 first and you've locked it in for the game.

Against Nc3: take, then ...Bf5

3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 — the bishop hits the knight and gets out in one move.

Trading on e4 removes White's centre pawn and brings their knight to e4 where your bishop hits it. Ng3 Bg6 is normal; if h4 comes, ...h6 gives the bishop h7 so it can't be trapped.

Against e5: ...Bf5 at once

3.e5 Bf5 — then ...e6 and the ...c5 break against d4.

White gains space but your bishop is out on move 3. Then ...e6, ...Nd7, ...Ne7 or ...c5: attack the d4-pawn that holds e5 up. Against g4 kicking the bishop, ...Bg6 and ...h5.

Against exd5: ...cxd5, then ...Nc6 and the bishop

The Exchange gives you a free c-file and easy development. ...Nc6, ...Bg4 or ...Bf5, ...Nf6, ...e6.

After exd5 cxd5 the structure is symmetrical and your c8-bishop still has its diagonal. Get it out before ...e6, castle, and use the c-file.

h4 chasing the bishop — ...h6

When h4 comes, ...h6 gives the bishop a permanent home on h7.

White's h4–h5 wants to trap your bishop on g6. ...h6 makes h7 available and the bishop is never in danger again; it also stops Ng5 ideas.

When the book runs out

Finish developing, castle, then the ...c5 break. Trade when cramped — your structure wins endgames.

White has a little more space; you have no weaknesses. Complete ...Nd7, ...Ngf6, ...Bd6 or ...Be7, castle, and hit d4 with ...c5 when your pieces are ready.

The structure

The Classical Caro-Kann: bishop safely on g6 with h7 available, ...e6 played behind it, and the ...c5 break coming against d4.

Traps

Bd3?? drops the d-pawn

e4 c6 d4 d5 Nc3 dxe4 Nxe4 Bf5 Bd3 Qxd4

The tell: White defends the e4-knight with Bd3, blocking the queen's guard of d4.

Bd3 cuts the d1-queen off from d4, so ...Qxd4 is a free pawn — and the bishop on d3 and knight on e4 are both loose afterwards. Count before you copy 'natural' moves.

The Fantasy punished

e4 c6 d4 d5 f3 dxe4 fxe4 e5 dxe5 Qh4+ g3 Qxe4+ Qe2 Qxh1

The tell: White supports e4 with f3 instead of a piece.

f3 opens the e1–h4 diagonal. ...dxe4 fxe4 e5! and if White grabs the pawn, ...Qh4+ wins the e4-pawn with check and then the rook on h1.

Model games

Classical Variation

e4 c6 d4 d5 Nc3 dxe4 Nxe4 Bf5 Ng3 Bg6 h4 h6 Nf3 Nd7

Take on e4, bishop to f5 then g6, ...h6 against the h-pawn, and ...Nd7 so ...Ngf6 can be recaptured by a knight.

Advance Variation

e4 c6 d4 d5 e5 Bf5 Nf3 e6 Be2 c5

Bishop out at once, ...e6 behind it, then the ...c5 break against d4.

Panov–Botvinnik Attack

e4 c6 d4 d5 exd5 cxd5 c4 Nf6 Nc3 e6 Nf3 Bb4

Against c4, develop with ...Nf6 and ...e6, then ...Bb4 pins the knight.

Exchange Variation

e4 c6 d4 d5 exd5 cxd5 Bd3 Nc6 c3 Nf6 Bf4 Bg4

Symmetrical structure; ...Nc6, ...Nf6 and the bishop out to g4 before ...e6.

Two Knights Attack

e4 c6 Nc3 d5 Nf3 Bg4 h3 Bxf3 Qxf3 Nf6 d3 e6

Pin with ...Bg4, trade on f3 when asked, and develop calmly.

How the coach grades a move

Every move you play gets one of six grades, from the engine’s view of the position, with the book’s verdict taking over when it is harsher. The sentence beside it is always the reason. Tap it for what the move did, why this opening wants it, and whether anything was better.

Best: Nothing better was available.
Good: Within a few percent of best. Noise at this depth.
Playable: A small real gap. The better move is named, play goes on.
Inaccuracy: Seven to twelve points of winning chances. The game stops to show you.
Mistake: Twelve or more, or a move the book warns against, or a broken order rule.
Blunder: Twenty-five or more. Usually material.

Catalogued as B10–B19 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings, the reference index most databases sort by.