Caro-Kann Defense: Maróczy Variation, Maróczy Gambit is a chess opening with the ECO code B12, part of the Caro-Kann Defense family. It goes 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. f3 dxe4 4. fxe4 e5 5. Nf3 exd4 6. Bc4. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... c6. After 11 moves it is Black to move. After the last move Black is a pawn ahead in material. 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. f3 – White plays the pawn to f3
3... dxe4 – Black captures on e4 with the d-pawn
4. fxe4 – White captures on e4 with the f-pawn
4... e5 – Black plays the pawn to e5
5. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
5... exd4 – Black captures on d4 with the e-pawn
6. Bc4 – White plays the bishop to 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.
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