Advance - Bishop Exchange 4.Bd3
White tries to remove Black's most active piece: a favorable trade on d3
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Bd3 Bxd3 5.Qxd3 e6 6.Nf3 Qa5+ 7.c3 Qa6
Move by move
- 1.e4 – White takes the center with the pawn and frees the Queen and the f1 Bishop. Against 1.e4 this course answers with the Caro-Kann, which prepares ...d5 without shutting in the c8 Bishop.
- 1...c6 – Caro-Kann Defense: the c6 pawn prepares ...d5 and supports it. Unlike the French, the c8 Bishop's diagonal stays open: it can come out to f5 or g4 before ...e6.
- 2.d4 – White builds the e4-d4 center: Black has not attacked it yet and White gains space.
- 2...d5 – Black attacks e4 with the support of the c6 pawn: after exd5 it will recapture cxd5, keeping a pawn in the center. White chooses between e5, Nc3, exd5 and f3.
- 3.e5 – Advance Variation: White closes the center and gains space. Unlike the French, Black can bring the c8 Bishop out before closing the chain with ...e6.
- 3...Bf5 – The Bishop comes out before ...e6, so it will not stay locked in behind the pawns: this is the main advantage of the Caro-Kann over the French.
- 4.Bd3 – White proposes the trade of the light-squared Bishops: it eliminates Black's active piece, but gives up its own good Bishop, the one unhindered by the d4 and e5 pawns.
- 4...Bxd3 – Black accepts: after the trade its potentially problematic piece no longer exists and White's light squares are weakened.
- 5.Qxd3 – The Queen recaptures and settles actively on d3, but it can be harassed with ...Qa5+ and ...Qa6.
- 5...e6 – With the Bishop already traded, ...e6 no longer shuts in any piece: Black supports d5 and frees the f8 Bishop.
- 6.Nf3 – Natural development: the Knight supports d4 and e5 and prepares castling.
- 6...Qa5+ – A check that forces White to parry with c3 or with a piece, and prepares ...Qa6 to offer the Queen trade.
- 7.c3 – The pawn parries the check and reinforces d4, but takes the c3 square away from the b1 Knight.
- 7...Qa6 – The Queen attacks the d3 Queen and offers the trade. If White avoids it, the black Queen controls the a6-f1 diagonal and prevents short castling.
How to exploit the position
Black has solved the c8 Bishop problem by trading it; without a light-squared Bishop, White has weak light squares (c4, d3) and a c1 Bishop limited by its own pawns.
- If Qxa6, recapture with ...Nxa6: the Knight goes to c7 or b4 and the endgame is comfortable for Black.
- If the white Queen retreats, your Queen on a6 controls f1 and White cannot castle short.
- ...c5 attacks d4, and ...Ne7-f5 brings a Knight to the weakened light squares.
Master tips
Without a light-squared Bishop the light squares are weak
After the trade on d3 Black aims at the light squares c4, d3 and f5, where White's pawns can no longer help.