Caro-Kann Defense

A complete repertoire for Black in 3 chapters: Advance, Classical (Capablanca and Karpov), Panov, Two Knights and Fantasy

The solid defense against 1.e4 that develops the c8 Bishop outside the pawn chain: 20 complete lines with middlegame plans, typical White mistakes and how to punish them.

Chapter 1: Advance Variation 3.e5

Black develops 3...Bf5 outside the chain and attacks d4 with ...c5. White chooses between the Short System 4.Nf3, the Tal Attack 4.h4, the Shirov Variation 4.Nc3, the exchange 4.Bd3 and the assaults with g4.

  1. Advance - Short System 4.Nf3 & 5.Be2 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Nd7…
  2. Advance - Tal Attack with 4.h4! 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 h5 5.c4 e6…
  3. Advance - Immediate Break 3...c5 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.dxc5 e6 5.Be3 Nd7…
  4. Advance - Shirov Variation 4.Nc3 & 5.g4 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nc3 e6 5.g4 Bg6…
  5. Advance - Bishop Exchange 4.Bd3 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Bd3 Bxd3 5.Qxd3 e6…
  6. Advance - Solid Variation 4.c3 & ...c5 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.c3 e6 5.Nf3 c5…
  7. Advance - Pawn Assault 4.g4 and 5.h4 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.g4 Bg6 5.h4 h5…

Chapter 2: Classical Variation Capablanca and Karpov Variation

After 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Black chooses between 4...Bf5 (Capablanca), 4...Nd7 (Karpov) and 4...Nf6 with the recaptures ...exf6 (Tartakower) or ...gxf6 (Bronstein-Larsen), with the traps to avoid and to punish.

  1. Classical Capablanca - Main Line 4...Bf5 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6…
  2. Modern Karpov Variation 4...Nd7 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6…
  3. Tartakower Variation 4...Nf6 & 5...exf6 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6…
  4. Bronstein-Larsen Variation 5...gxf6!? 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ gxf6…
  5. Classical - Punishing the mistake 5.Bc4? 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Bc4 Bxe4…
  6. Karpov - Dodging the smothered mate 5.Qe2 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Qe2 Ndf6…

Chapter 3: Panov-Botvinnik Attack, Two Knights & Fantasy

The attack on the center with 4.c4 (Panov) and the isolated pawn, the Two Knights Variation 2.Nc3 and 3.Nf3, the Fantasy 3.f3 and the Exchange Variation 4.Bd3.

  1. Panov-Botvinnik Attack - Main Line 4.c4 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6…
  2. Panov Attack - Fianchetto System 5...g6 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6…
  3. Two Knights Variation - Modern Answer 3...Bg4 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 e6…
  4. Two Knights Variation - Simplification 3...dxe4 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6…
  5. Fantasy Variation 3.f3 - Central Reaction 3...e6 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 e6 4.Be3 Qb6 5.Qc1 c5…
  6. Fantasy Variation - Counterattack 3...dxe4 & 4...e5! 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 dxe4 4.fxe4 e5 5.Nf3 exd4…
  7. Exchange Variation 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Qc7…