Caro-Kann Defense

Caro-Kann Defense is a chess opening with the ECO code B15. It goes 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... c6. After 5 moves it is Black to move. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.

The moves

• 1. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4
• 1... c6 – Black plays the pawn to c6
• 2. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
• 2... d5 – Black plays the pawn to d5
• 3. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 3... dxe4.

About the Caro-Kann Defense

Black answers 1.e4 with 1...c6 and then ...d5. It is like the French, but the light-squared bishop can come out first.

• Black often plays ...Bf5 or ...Bg4 before closing the position with ...e6.
• The pawn structure is very solid, so Black rarely gets mated early.
• Black later frees the position with ...c5 or ...e5 and aims for a good endgame.

chessGM has a full course for this line: open the Caro-Kann Defense course lesson.

Related openings

• It extends: Caro-Kann Defense (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5)
• Continues with: Caro-Kann Defense – adds 3... dxe4
• Continues with: Caro-Kann Defense: Campomanes Attack – adds 3... Nf6
• Continues with: Caro-Kann Defense: Gurgenidze Counterattack – adds 3... b5
• Continues with: Caro-Kann Defense: Gurgenidze System – adds 3... g6
• Related line: Caro-Kann Defense: Panov Attack, Main Line (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nf3 Bb4)
• Related line: Caro-Kann Defense (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4)
• Related line: Caro-Kann Defense: Panov Attack, Fianchetto Defense, Fianchetto Gambit (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. cxd5 Bg7)
• Related line: Caro-Kann Defense: Alekhine Gambit (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Bd3)
• Related line: Caro-Kann Defense: Panov Attack, Fianchetto Defense (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6)
• Related line: Caro-Kann Defense: Alien Gambit (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Ng5 h6 6. Nxf7)

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