Caro-Kann!

Exchange Variation.

The Panov Attack begins.

Let’s play the pawn to g6, with the idea of putting our bishop on g7 next move to target that d-pawn.

Bishop to g7.

The knight recaptures on d5.

The knight takes on c3.

The bishop on c4 is undefended, and so is the pawn on c3. We can attack both with queen to c7. White will lose one of them.

We put strong pressure on White with our queen. The engine considers our position better.

Caro-Kann!

Exchange Variation.

Knight to c6.

Knight to f6. This will also allow us to develop our bishop to g4 later.

White has lost some time trying to bother our bishop. Let’s be aggressive with pawn to e5.

And now we take with the knight. Knight to e5.

Well played! We have a good position and are ready to continue the game.

Caro-Kann!

Exchange Variation.

The Panov Attack begins.

White wants to trade, so we trade.

Let’s put some pressure on the center with knight to c6.

Bishop to f5.

There are two attackers against our knight. Let’s defend with pawn to e6.

We have a solid position here.

Caro-Kann!

Exchange Variation.

Knight to c6.

Knight to f6. This will also allow us to develop our bishop to g4 later.

Remember, we developed the knight so we could put the bishop on g4. So let’s do it! Bishop to g4.

White has escaped and now threatens our b7-pawn. Let’s defend it with queen to d7.

The last piece we still need to develop is the bishop. Let’s play pawn to e6 to open it.

White’s dark-squared bishop is better than ours. Let’s seek the trade with bishop to d6.

Queen recaptures on d6.

Let’s castle kingside too.

Main line of the Caro-Kann.

Caro-Kann!

Exchange Variation.

Let’s copy White with knight to f6.

The bishop pins the knight on g4.

The d4-pawn is now undefended. Knight to c6.

We want to bring our other bishop into the game. Let’s open it with pawn to e6.

Let’s keep the pin and bring our bishop back to h5.

The best move here is bishop to d6.

Let’s force White’s bishop back with pawn to h6.

Queen to c7, forming a battery.

The engine likes our position.

Caro-Kann!

Exchange Variation.

Let’s copy White with knight to f6.

The bishop pins the knight on g4.

The d4-pawn is now undefended. Knight to c6.

We want to bring our other bishop into the game. Let’s open it with pawn to e6.

Let’s break the pin with bishop to e7.

Kingside castling.

White has formed a battery against our h7-pawn. Let’s push it to h6 so it cannot be taken.

Rook to c8.

The position is equal and we are ready to play!

Caro-Kann!

Exchange Variation.

A move we often see.

White develops the knight; let’s use the moment to bring out the bishop.

White brings out the bishop.

Kingside castling.

Rook to e1.

Bishop development.

Defends the attack on the pawn.

Knight development.

Strengthens the king.

Our plan is to expand and take all the space.

Caro-Kann!

Exchange Variation.

A move we often see.

The bishop is well placed on its diagonal, so we will have to trade it. But first, let’s develop our light-squared bishop.

Natural knight development.

We will be able to trade the dark-squared bishops.

We recapture with the queen, of course.

Kingside castling.

Rook opposite the king.

Knight development.

Our opening setup is perfect; let’s continue the game.

We play knight to f6 to attack the center and threaten their knight.

This is the main Tartakower Variation. We capture on e because, even if it looks strange, the pawn structure is solid after kingside castling.

A very common move; here we simply develop our dark-squared bishop.

c3 to solidify the structure.

White develops, and we use the open file to give check and place our rook opposite the king.

A logical move to develop and meet the check: we bring out our light-squared bishop.

Our opponent castles kingside; we will set up our attack on the king using the e-file controlled by our rook.

They chase our bishop, but that is fine: it has a perfect square to return to.

They improve their position by putting their rook opposite ours. Let’s continue our knight maneuver.

They start a queenside attack; let’s create a bishop–queen battery with a possible sacrifice in mind.

They attack h7 with their bishop–queen battery; let’s defend simply while putting our knight into the attack.

Here we have a brilliant bishop sacrifice that pulls the white king into a mating net.

They recapture the pawn, which we will then take with the queen.

If they move the attacked knight away, there is a forced mate.

Only move… unfortunately, it is over for White.

Goodbye king: knight to f4.

A beautiful mate thanks to the rook pin.

We play knight to f6 to attack the center and threaten their knight.

This is the main Tartakower Variation. We capture on e because, even if it looks strange, the pawn structure is solid after kingside castling.

A very common move; here we simply develop our dark-squared bishop.

c3 to solidify the structure.

White develops, and we use the open file to give check and place our rook opposite the king.

A logical move to develop and meet the check: we bring out our light-squared bishop.

Our opponent castles kingside; we will set up our attack on the king using the e-file controlled by our rook.

They chase our bishop, but that is fine: it has a perfect square to return to.

They improve their position by putting their rook opposite ours. Let’s continue our knight maneuver.

They start a queenside attack; let’s create a bishop–queen battery with a possible sacrifice in mind.

They attack h7 with their bishop–queen battery; let’s defend simply while putting our knight into the attack.

Here we have a brilliant bishop sacrifice that pulls the white king into a mating net.

They recapture the pawn, which we will then take with the queen.

If they try to defend it with the pawn, they will face mating problems through a second sacrifice.

White fights with everything they have, but unfortunately the position is too crushing.

They take the rook; there is a forced mate.

We maneuver the bishop.

We maneuver the bishop. x2

Queen check.

End of the game.

We play knight to f6 to attack the center and threaten their knight.

This is the main Tartakower Variation. We capture on e because, even if it looks strange, the pawn structure is solid after kingside castling.

A very common move; here we simply develop our dark-squared bishop.

c3 to solidify the structure.

White develops, and we use the open file to give check and place our rook opposite the king.

A logical move to develop and meet the check: we bring out our light-squared bishop.

Our opponent castles kingside; we will set up our attack on the king using the e-file controlled by our rook.

They chase our bishop, but that is fine: it has a perfect square to return to.

They improve their position by putting their rook opposite ours. Let’s continue our knight maneuver.

They start a queenside attack; let’s create a bishop–queen battery with a possible sacrifice in mind.

They attack h7 with their bishop–queen battery; let’s defend simply while putting our knight into the attack.

Here we have a brilliant bishop sacrifice that pulls the white king into a mating net.

They recapture the pawn, which we will then take with the queen.

They defend the attacked knight with the queen, but it does not work. Let’s attack the queen by using the pin.

If they naively move the queen away, it is mate.

Easy ;)

We play knight to f6 to attack the center and threaten their knight.

This is the main Tartakower Variation. We capture on e because, even if it looks strange, the pawn structure is solid after kingside castling.

A very common move; here we simply develop our dark-squared bishop.

c3 to solidify the structure.

White develops, and we use the open file to give check and place our rook opposite the king.

A logical move to develop and meet the check: we bring out our light-squared bishop.

Our opponent castles kingside; we will set up our attack on the king using the e-file controlled by our rook.

They chase our bishop, but that is fine: it has a perfect square to return to.

They improve their position by putting their rook opposite ours. Let’s continue our knight maneuver.

They start a queenside attack; let’s create a bishop–queen battery with a possible sacrifice in mind.

They attack h7 with their bishop–queen battery; let’s defend simply while putting our knight into the attack.

Here we have a brilliant bishop sacrifice that pulls the white king into a mating net.

They recapture the pawn, which we will then take with the queen.

They defend the attacked knight with the queen, but it does not work. Let’s attack the queen by using the pin.

If they take the knight, we take the queen.

They take the rook to avoid losing theirs, so we take the bishop and the attack continues.

Our position is crushing.

We play knight to f6 to attack the center and threaten their knight.

This is the main Tartakower Variation. We capture on e because, even if it looks strange, the pawn structure is solid after kingside castling.

A very common move; here we simply develop our dark-squared bishop.

c3 to solidify the structure.

White develops, and we use the open file to give check and place our rook opposite the king.

A logical move to develop and meet the check: we bring out our light-squared bishop.

Our opponent castles kingside; we will set up our attack on the king using the e-file controlled by our rook.

They chase our bishop, but that is fine: it has a perfect square to return to.

They improve their position by putting their rook opposite ours. Let’s continue our knight maneuver.

They start a queenside attack; let’s create a bishop–queen battery with a possible sacrifice in mind.

They attack h7 with their bishop–queen battery; let’s defend simply while putting our knight into the attack.

Here we have a brilliant bishop sacrifice that pulls the white king into a mating net.

They recapture the pawn, which we will then take with the queen.

White sees the mate threats and simply decides not to defend the attacked knight.

They threaten the queen, which we bring back into the attack.

Crushing position and a large material advantage.

We play knight to f6 to attack the center and threaten their knight.

This is the main Tartakower Variation. We capture on e because, even if it looks strange, the pawn structure is solid after kingside castling.

The most played move at high Elo. We develop our dark-squared bishop.

After this move, we castle kingside, intending to play on the open file opposite the white king.

Here White creates a threat on h7 with their queen–bishop battery.

To counter the battery on h7, h6 is possible, but h5 is preferred: more modern and stronger, it gains space and neutralizes the kingside attack.

After queenside castling, we get opposite-side castling, so we will develop our plan to attack their king.

We bring our knight to d7, a very interesting move because it continues development and can serve both as a defender for our king and as an attacking piece.

We develop our queen to launch the attack.

White tries to gain space.

We can see that g4 to attack our king is difficult because the h5-pawn both defends the bishop–queen battery and creates a barrier against a pawn storm on our king. Now we launch our assault with b5.

We ignore it and launch our attack.

They recapture, and we trade the bishops.

We use the queen’s position to bring a knight back into the attack.

White repositions the queen, but we are going to open our file for the rooks, and our position is crushing and very pleasant to play.

Well played, the position is crushing: the white king will not last long.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Let’s immediately attack their weak pawns with knight to c6.

Bishop to g4.

Let’s give check with queen to a5.

Pawn to e6 stabilizes our center, opens our bishop to attack the c5-pawn, and gives our knight a path to develop.

A game of chess ;)

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Let’s immediately attack their weak pawns with knight to c6.

Pawn to e6 opens our bishop to attack the c5-pawn and gives our knight a development path.

Let’s recapture, of course. Pawn takes c6.

A very common move in this type of position: pawn to a5.

Let’s take with the pawn on b4.

The very amusing move queen to h4. The idea is that we attack the b4-pawn, while also keeping some checks in reserve.

Queen to e4, forking the king, the g2-pawn, and the e5-pawn.

Do not trade queens here. Queen to g2.

And now our queen retreats to g6.

The white king is weak and exposed. It has nowhere to hide.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Let’s immediately attack their weak pawns with knight to c6.

Pawn to e6 opens our bishop to attack the c5-pawn and gives our knight a development path.

White tries to stabilize their pawn, so let’s destabilize it. Pawn to a5.

Pawn takes on b4, opening our rook.

Let’s get out of the pin with bishop to d7.

Bishop takes on c6.

We will continue our usual development.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Let’s immediately attack their weak pawns with knight to c6.

Pawn to e6 opens our bishop to attack the c5-pawn and gives our knight a development path.

Knight to e7.

The knight reaches its ideal square on f5, attacking the bishop.

White plays this move 90% of the time. If we take, we improve their pawn structure, so we will not. Instead, let’s free our king from the pin with bishop to d7.

We avwes une positiwe solid.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Let’s immediately attack their weak pawns with knight to c6.

Knight to h6.

When the knight comes out, we want to pin it. Bishop to g4.

Pawn to e6, opening an attack on the undefended c5-pawn.

Knight to f5, attacking the bishop.

Black wins most games in this position.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Let’s immediately attack their weak pawns with knight to c6.

Knight to h6.

When the knight comes out, we want to pin it. Bishop to g4.

The idea of our knight on h6: we can play f5 to attack the bishop.

White’s pawns look too stable. Pawn to g5.

With a single pawn move, we attack two undefended pawns. Pawn to e6.

Now our queen targets the g5-pawn and our bishop targets the c5-pawn.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Let’s immediately attack their weak pawns with knight to c6.

Knight to h6.

Let’s play the classic pawn to e6.

Pawn to a5.

Let’s unpin with bishop to d7.

Bishop to c6.

White’s king is weak; the engine gives us an advantage in this position.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Let’s immediately attack their weak pawns with knight to c6.

Recapturing the e5-pawn is actually a bit poisoned. Instead, let’s continue our usual plan with pawn to e6, opening our bishop and giving our knight a development route.

We still should not take the pawn. Instead, pawn to a5.

We can take the pawn. Knight to e5.

White’s bishop is very powerful right now. The best way to fight back is pawn to f6.

Pawn takes e5.

White plays badly here and we have a huge advantage. Let’s play pawn to g6.

Knight to f6.

Even though we are a pawn down, we will certainly win one back very soon, and our solid center makes the engine give us a two-point advantage.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Let’s immediately attack their weak pawns with knight to c6.

Recapturing the e5-pawn is actually a bit poisoned. Instead, let’s continue our usual plan with pawn to e6, opening our bishop and giving our knight a development route.

We still should not take the pawn. Instead, pawn to a5.

If they do not take us, we will take them. Pawn takes on b4.

Rook takes the rook on a1.

Now we win back our pawn. Knight takes the pawn on b4.

The white bishop is trapped.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Knight to c6 adds more pressure on the d4-pawn.

We will reach this position very often.

The d4-pawn is now White’s biggest weakness.

Bishop takes the knight on f3.

Queen to b6, adding another attacker to the d4-pawn.

White really struggles to defend.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Knight to c6 adds more pressure on the d4-pawn.

We will reach this position very often.

The d4-pawn is now White’s biggest weakness.

Bishop takes the knight on f3.

We have knight takes d4, attacking the queen.

Let’s bring our knight back to c6.

A pawn up.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Knight to c6 adds more pressure on the d4-pawn.

We will reach this position very often.

The d4-pawn is now White’s biggest weakness.

Pawn to e6 frees our bishop and also opens e7 for our knight.

Let’s route our knight to its new square. First, knight to e7.

Knight to f5. This puts even more pressure on the weak d4-pawn.

White really wants to defend this pawn. Let’s continue development by placing our bishop on its natural square, e7.

Castling.

We have a good position here.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Knight to c6 adds more pressure on the d4-pawn.

We will reach this position very often.

The d4-pawn is now White’s biggest weakness.

Pawn to e6 frees our bishop and also opens e7 for our knight.

Let’s route our knight to its new square. First, knight to e7.

Knight to f5. This puts even more pressure on the weak d4-pawn.

White really wants to defend this pawn. Let’s continue development by placing our bishop on its natural square, e7.

Let’s take the knight! It is one of the last defenders of that weak d4-pawn, so we are very happy to trade it.

Let’s castle.

Pawn to f6.

We can play bishop to f6, adding an attacker to the weak d4-pawn.

All our pieces are lined up against White’s biggest weakness.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Knight to c6 adds more pressure on the d4-pawn.

We will reach this position very often.

The d4-pawn is now White’s biggest weakness.

Pawn to e6 frees our bishop and also opens e7 for our knight.

This is a bad move by White. When they play h3, we take the knight on f3, removing a defender of the d4-pawn.

The queen on b6 puts extra pressure on the d4-pawn. An interesting point is that this move is only possible thanks to the early c-pawn advance. Without that earlier move, the queen would have remained blocked.

Queen takes on b2. Wins a pawn.

Let’s develop our bishop to b4, pinning the knight.

We are a pawn up and have a very playable position.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Knight to c6 adds more pressure on the d4-pawn.

White pins our knight? Let’s pin White’s pawn. Queen to a5. Now White must decide what to do with the bishop.

Of course, we recapture. Pawn takes on c6.

White threatens a discovered attack against our queen. We must retreat while still defending our c5-pawn. Let’s do it with queen to b6.

Well played! We are better in this position, and we have ideas of bishop to a6 for later.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Knight to c6 adds more pressure on the d4-pawn.

Pawn takes on d4.

Pawn to h5. The idea is fairly complex, related to strengthening our light squares.

All right, let’s pin the knight. Bishop to g4.

Now that our bishop is developed, we can play pawn to e6.

The last step is to develop our queen to b6.

Even though material is equal, the engine thinks we are better in this position.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Knight to c6 adds more pressure on the d4-pawn.

Knight to h6, with the idea of going to f5 next.

Pawn takes the bishop on h6.

Queen to b6.

We have a multitude of threats against White; life is beautiful.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

Let’s immediately attack their weak pawns with knight to c6.

A fairly tricky move that allows White to counterattack our bishop directly.

Our bishop is attacked, so we bring it back to e7.

White develops the bishop.

Pawn to b5 to gain space.

White develops the knight.

White develops the bishop.

Kingside castling.

Our position is solid; let’s play chess.

Caro-Kann!

Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann.

White develops the knight and defends d4.

The pawn takes.

To block the knight.

White develops the knight.

White develops the knight.

The bishop pins the knight.

The f-pawn takes.

We have the development advantage and an extra pawn. This is clearly better ;)

Caro-Kann!

If White does not move the pawn, fine, we will take it instead. Pawn takes on e4.

Let’s develop the knight to f6.

White refused to take our knight. Let’s send a pawn forward to ask why. Pawn to h5.

With White’s h-pawn pushed aside, we can target the white queen with bishop to g4.

Our classic pawn to e6.

Let’s develop our bishop to d6, attacking White’s unstable kingside.

We threaten to take the white knight and double their pawns.

Caro-Kann!

If White does not move the pawn, fine, we will take it instead. Pawn takes on e4.

Let’s develop the knight to f6.

White refused to take our knight. Let’s send a pawn forward to ask why. Pawn to h5.

Pawn to h4.

Bishop to g4.

Black wins most games in this position.

Caro-Kann!

If White does not move the pawn, fine, we will take it instead. Pawn takes on e4.

Let’s develop the knight to f6.

This is a blunder: it simply gives up a pawn for no reason. Let’s go a bit further.

They push our queen back.

They take our knight; we recapture with the e-pawn in the same spirit as the Tartakower: a solid structure, hard to attack, and a very strong open file.

A pawn up, and our position is pleasant.

Caro-Kann!

If White does not move the pawn, fine, we will take it instead. Pawn takes on e4.

Let’s develop the knight to f6.

White tries to trap us: if we develop our knight to d7, there is mate in one with knight d6. Let’s be careful and simply take the d-pawn with the queen.

We avoid the trap, take a pawn, and attack the knight twice. Queen e2 was bad: life is beautiful!

Caro-Kann!

If White does not move the pawn, fine, we will take it instead. Pawn takes on e4.

Let’s develop the knight to f6.

We simply push h6.

Here our opponent will have trouble developing their pieces; let’s play around that.

We develop the bishop.

Let’s play chess ;)

White’s plan was to control the center with their two central pawns, but we immediately reply with the e5 counterattack.

This is a blunder: the pawn is not really edible. We could already enter an endgame with queen takes queen, but there is even better.

White blocks the check with the pawn, a big blunder that loses a rook.

They block the check, but taking the rook is inevitable.

Well played, a full extra rook: it is winning. Life is beautiful.

White’s plan was to control the center with their two central pawns, but we immediately reply with the e5 counterattack.

This is a blunder: the pawn is not really edible. We could already enter an endgame with queen takes queen, but there is even better.

Bad square for the king.

They parry the check with the bishop, but we immediately target the queen with our bishop while giving check.

They cover with the knight; we continue the pressure.

The queen defends, which allows us to take the pawn.

Result: an extra pawn, the enemy king is very badly placed, and our pieces converge toward it.

White’s plan was to control the center with their two central pawns, but we immediately reply with the e5 counterattack.

This is a blunder: the pawn is not really edible. We could already enter an endgame with queen takes queen, but there is even better.

The king moves to the best square.

What can we say… the king is very badly placed, and our pieces will naturally converge toward it. Castling is impossible: crushing position.

White’s plan was to control the center with their two central pawns, but we immediately reply with the e5 counterattack.

As bad as pawn takes e5, again because of queen h4.

The king moves.

Extra pawn and centralized king.

White’s plan was to control the center with their two central pawns, but we immediately reply with the e5 counterattack.

White’s best move.

This move simply loses a pawn for no reason.

Whether White recaptures with the pawn or the queen, it changes nothing: we win a pawn.

White’s plan was to control the center with their two central pawns, but we immediately reply with the e5 counterattack.

White’s best move.

If we do not play the right move here, we could lose our bishop. So, no mistake!

They prepare queen b3 to create a battery targeting f7 while putting b7 under pressure. So we defend our weakness with the bishop.

Queen b3 as expected.

Kingside castling.

White launches the attack, but we had everything planned: we give up the pawn and castle queenside. There will be no fork thanks to our bishop.

So we sacrifice our pawn, but we will get revenge on e4 and prepare our counterattack.

Bishop takes bishop, obviously.

They develop the bishop and protect our future capture of the d4-pawn.

They develop the knight and attack our knight; we trade.

White recaptures.

White repositions the bishop.

White recaptures and leaves room for our plan.

Our plan is simple: push the h-pawn and play on our bishop–queen battery. We should have no problem finishing this game.

White’s plan was to control the center with their two central pawns, but we immediately reply with the e5 counterattack.

White’s best move.

If we do not play the right move here, we could lose our bishop. So, no mistake!

Kingside castling, but the pressure on f7, with possible bishop sacrifices, forces us to block it with our knight.

Pawn takes is very natural because the queens face each other. Here we must develop the queen with check.

The king moves. We take back the pawn.

The threatened bishop comes to defend the attack on the knight, a very logical move.

We do not take the bishop; we return to e6.

We would like to castle queenside, but the queen prevents it. So we block its line with the knight.

White develops the bishop.

Our position has no major weaknesses; let’s play chess ;)

Our idea here is to transpose into the Tartakower with knight to f6.

White enters the Tartakower.

Well played, we have transposed into the Tartakower Variation. We know it; let’s crush our opponent.

Our idea here is to transpose into the Tartakower with knight to f6.

Here we transpose into the main line of the Caro-Kann. See the dedicated chapter: we gain space with the h-pawn.

We know this; let’s crush our opponent.

Our idea here is to transpose into the Tartakower with knight to f6.

The move Qe2 is tricky here because of the mate threat with knight d6. Let’s simplify this.

We will develop our knight and try to gain a tempo on the queen.

We gain a tempo on the queen.

Beware of mate on f7: the queen is not edible.

Let’s play chess ;)