Classical Capablanca - Main Line 4...Bf5
The quintessence of the Caro-Kann: active Bishop on f5 and a solid middlegame
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 11.Bd2 Ngf6 12.O-O-O Be7
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.Nc3 – Classical Variation: White defends e4 by developing the Knight. Black usually trades on e4 at once to develop the c8 Bishop with tempo.
- 3...dxe4 – Black gives up the center but eliminates the e4 pawn: now it can develop its pieces by attacking the Knight that recaptures.
- 4.Nxe4 – The Knight recaptures and centralizes on e4, where however it can be attacked with tempo by ...Bf5, ...Nd7-f6 or ...Nf6.
- 4...Bf5 – Capablanca Variation: the Bishop develops attacking the e4 Knight, which must move: Black comes out with tempo.
- 5.Ng3 – The Knight retreats attacking the f5 Bishop in turn and prepares h4-h5 to drive it off the diagonal.
- 5...Bg6 – The Bishop stays on the b1-h7 diagonal, where it controls e4 and c2.
- 6.h4 – White threatens h5, which would drive the Bishop off the diagonal or leave it without squares.
- 6...h6 – Black prepares the retreat to h7: after h5 the Bishop will not be trapped. With ...h5 instead the g5 square would become weak.
- 7.Nf3 – The Knight develops and threatens Ne5, which would attack the g6 Bishop.
- 7...Nd7 – The Knight controls e5 and prevents Ne5; it also prepares ...Ngf6 without doubled pawns.
- 8.h5 – The pawn gains space and fixes Black's kingside pawns: the Bishop must retreat to h7.
- 8...Bh7 – The Bishop retreats to h7, on the same diagonal, protected by the h6 pawn.
- 9.Bd3 – White offers the trade of the light-squared Bishops: it is Black's most active piece.
- 9...Bxd3 – Black trades: leaving the white Bishop on d3 would give it an excellent attacking piece against the black King.
- 10.Qxd3 – The Queen recaptures and settles actively on d3, aiming at Black's kingside.
- 10...e6 – Black closes the c6-e6 structure, solid and without weaknesses, and frees the f8 Bishop.
- 11.Bd2 – White develops the Bishop and prepares long castling.
- 11...Ngf6 – The Knight develops and defends the kingside; with the d7 Knight nearby, a trade on f6 does not ruin the pawns.
- 12.O-O-O – Long castling: White wants to use the Queen, the Knights and the g4-g5 push against the black King.
- 12...Be7 – The Bishop develops and prepares castling: Black will choose the side according to White's plan.
How to exploit the position
Capablanca structure: White has space and the h5 pawn fixing the kingside, Black a solid position, with no weaknesses and no bad pieces.
- Castle short if White is not ready for g4-g5, otherwise ...Qc7 and ...O-O-O.
- ...c5 attacks d4 and opens the c-file toward the white King on c1.
- ...Qc7 and ...Rd8 bring the heavy pieces to the d-file and the diagonal toward h2.
- In the endgame the h5 pawn is weak: the f6 Knight attacks it and no white pawn can defend it any more.
Master tips
The classical retreat maneuver Bf5-Bg6-Bh7
When White plays Ng3 attacking your Bishop, retreat to g6. If h4 follows, play ...h6 to retreat comfortably to h7, where the Bishop will exert undisturbed pressure.