Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation

Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code B13, part of the Caro-Kann Defense family. It goes 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... c6. After 6 moves it is White 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. exd5 – White captures on d5 with the e-pawn
• 3... cxd5 – Black captures on d5 with the c-pawn

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 4. Bd3, 4. c4.

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: Exchange Variation course lesson.

Related openings

• It extends: Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5)
• Continues with: Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation – adds 4. Bf4
• Continues with: Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation – adds 4. Nf3 Nc6
• Continues with: Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation, Bulla Attack – adds 4. g4
• Continues with: Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation, Rubinstein Variation – adds 4. Bd3 Nc6 5. c3 Nf6
• Continues with: Caro-Kann Defense: Panov Attack – adds 4. c4
• Related line: Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bf4)
• Related line: Caro-Kann Defense: Ulysses Gambit (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Ng5)
• Related line: Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Nf3 Nc6)
• Related line: Caro-Kann Defense: Modern Variation (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2)
• Related line: Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation, Bulla Attack (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. g4)
• Related line: Caro-Kann Defense: Mieses Gambit (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Be3)

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