Beating the Caro-Kann

[Kevin Pacey]

The Caro-Kann Defence can give White considerable trouble even at the elite player level, and a lot of class players find it annoying, if only since it can often result in rather dull positions that are also solid for Black, in a number of the theoretically approved main lines (which also can require a lot of understanding and/or memory work). How to cut down the workload for the average player who doesn't want to give up playing 1.e4, especially over an opening he faces far less typically than the Sicilian or 1...e5? I'll offer some suggestions of my own, using the PGN viewer capability of this forum as an aid:


[Event "It"]
[Site "Leningrad, USSR"]
[Date "1934"]
[Round ""]
[White "Botvinnik, M"]
[Black "Kmoch, H"]
[Result "1-0"]

1.e4 c6 2.d4 {White can cut down on the theory a bit already here, e.g. with 2.Nc3 and if 2...d5 3.Nf3 [3.Qf3 is an offbeat move I've also played, which may not be totally harmless in practice, and it's certainly not as weak as some books make it out to be]; however 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 e5 4.Ngf3 Bd6 gives Black equality with a full share of the centre, which is one reason why diehard King's Indian Attack players might prefer 1.Nf3 to 1.e4. Otherwise, I've had much more trouble [than vs. the French] in coming up with quick and dirty ideas for White that have any sort of potency, as the Caro-Kann is a solid sort of animal indeed.} d5 3.exd5 {Alternatively 3.e5 is one of the main systems, and it may lead to closed positions of the sort that class players may not wish to go into when playing 1.e4; Besides that the Classical, beginning with 3.Nc3 [or first 3.Nd2] 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4, is arguably the main line of the Caro-Kann still, with all its heavy theory and/or solidity, and Black will probably not mind seeing it.} cxd5 4.c4 {The Panov [actually reached in this game via 1.c4 c6 2.e4 d5 etc.], a major system of the Caro-Kann that can lead to an open and sharp game, though there's still some theory to absorb. At least White usually can afford a misstep better than Black can. Alternatively, a way to really cut down on the theory is 4.Bd3, and after 4...Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 [if 5...g6 6.Nf3 Nh6 7.O-O Bf5 then 8.Ne5 or 8.Re1 could be tried] play 6.Bg5 Bg4 7.Ne2 e6 8.Qc2 as in Topalov-Ivanchuk, Linares 1994 [instead of playing the now clearly de-fanged 6.Bf4 main lines of the Exchange Variation that began at move 4].} Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 {White should also prepare something against the less spirited 5...e6 and 5...g6 lines. A bit of additional work, but at least White can be rewarded with his share of fun by playing the Panov.} 6.Bg5 {6.Nf3 Bg4 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Qb3 Bxf3 9.gxf3 can lead to an endgame, if White is into such; there are only a couple of ways for either side to sidestep that, and they're not looking so convincing.} e6 {6...dxc4 is a big alternative here that White should study too.} 7.c5 {7.Nf3 is a major alternative. However, it might transpose.} Be7 {7...Bd7!? guards c6, and so aims to get in ...b6. Then 8.a3 may be best.} 8.Bb5 O-O 9.Nf3 Ne4 10.Bxe7 Nxe7 {Also possible was taking with the queen.} 11.Rc1 Ng6 12.O-O Bd7 13.Bd3 {Trading bishops was also fine.} f5 14.b4 Be8 {Black's position is slowly becoming critical, as is often the case when he doesn't get in ...b6 or ...e5 after c4-c5 is played in the Panov. Instead it seems he should attempt to slow down White on the queenside with 14...a6.} 15.g3 Rc8 16.Re1 Qf6 17.a3 Ne7 18.Ne5 Qh6 19.f3 Nf2 20.Qe2 {Not 20.Kxf2 Qxh2+ 21.Ke3 f4+ 22.gxf4 Qxf4+ 23.Ke2 Qh2+ with a draw by perpetual check.} Nh3+ 21.Kg2 g5 22.Nb5 Bxb5 23.Bxb5 Rf6 24.Bd7 Rd8 25.b5 Qh5 26.c6 Rh6 {Now 27.c7 Nf4+ 28.Kh1 Rxd7 29.gxf4 is one way to win, but Botvinnik chooses a more cautious path.} 27.Kh1 1-0