Caro-Kann Defense: Panov-Botvinnik, Herzog Defense 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 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 dxc4 7. d5 Na5. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... c6. After 14 moves it is White 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. exd5 – White captures on d5 with the e-pawn
3... cxd5 – Black captures on d5 with the c-pawn
4. c4 – White plays the pawn to c4
4... Nf6 – Black plays the knight to f6
5. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3
5... Nc6 – Black plays the knight to c6
6. Bg5 – White plays the bishop to g5
6... dxc4 – Black captures on c4 with the d-pawn
The line goes on for 2 more moves; the lesson shows them all.
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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