Caro-Kann Defence - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Caro-Kann Defence is a chess opening

Chess opening

A chess opening is the group of initial moves of a chess game. Recognized sequences of opening moves are referred to as openings as initiated by White or defenses, as created in reply by Black. There are many dozens of different openings, and hundreds of named variants. The Oxford Companion to...

—a common defense against the King's Pawn Opening characterised by the moves:

1. e4 c6

The usual continuation is

2. d4 d5

followed by 3.Nc3 (the Classical Variation), 3.Nd2 (the Modern Variation), 3.exd5 (the Exchange Variation), or 3.e5 (the Advance Variation). The classical variation (3.Nc3) has gained much popularity. The Caro-Kann, like the Sicilian Defence

Sicilian Defence

The Sicilian Defence is a chess opening that begins with the moves:The Sicilian is the most popular and best-scoring response to White's first move 1.e4...

and French Defence

French Defence

The French Defence is a chess opening. It is characterised by the moves:The French has a reputation for solidity and resilience, though it can result in a somewhat cramped game for Black in the early stages...

, is classified as a "Semi-Open Game

Semi-Open Game

A Semi-Open Game is a chess opening in which White plays 1.e4 and Black breaks symmetry immediately by replying with a move other than 1...e5.The Semi-Open Games are also called Single King Pawn Games, and are the complement of the Open Games or Double King Pawn Games which begin 1.e4 e5.-Popular...

", but it is thought to be more solid and less dynamic than either of those openings. It often leads to good endgames for Black, who has the better pawn structure

Pawn structure

In chess, the pawn structure is the configuration of pawns on the chessboard. Since pawns are the least mobile of the chess pieces, the pawn structure is relatively static and thus largely determines the strategic nature of the position.-General observations:Weaknesses in the pawn structure, such...

.

The opening is named after the English

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

player Horatio Caro

Horatio Caro

Horatio Caro was an English chess master.Caro was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, but spent most of his chess career in Berlin, Germany. He played several matches. In 1892, he drew with Curt von Bardeleben , lost to Szymon Winawer . In 1897, he lost to Jacques Mieses . In 1903, he drew...

and the Austria

Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

n Marcus Kann

Marcus Kann

Marcus Kann was an Austrian chess player.Kann and Horatio Caro jointly analysed and published their analysis of the chess opening later to-be-called Caro-Kann Defence, in the German Bruederschaft magazine in 1886.During the 4th German Chess Congress in Hamburg in May 1885, Kann defeated...

who analysed the opening in 1886.

Marcus Kann scored an impressive 17 move victory with the Caro-Kann Defence against German–British chess champion Jacques Mieses

Jacques Mieses

----Jacques Mieses was a German-born Jewish chess Grandmaster and writer. He became a naturalized British citizen after World War II.p258-Chess career:...

at the 4th German Chess Congress

German Chess Championship

The German Chess Championship has been played since 1861, and determines the national champion.Prior to 1880 three different federations organized chess activities in Germany: the Westdeutscher Schachbund , the Norddeutscher Schachbund and the Mitteldeutscher Schachbund . Each one organized its...

in Hamburg in May 1885.

Classical / Capablanca Variation

The most common way of handling the Caro-Kann, the Classical Variation (often referred to as the Capablanca Variation after José Capablanca

José Raúl Capablanca

José Raúl Capablanca y Graupera was a Cuban chess player who was world chess champion from 1921 to 1927. One of the greatest players of all time, he was renowned for his exceptional endgame skill and speed of play...

), is defined by the moves

1.e4 c6

2.d4 d5

3.Nc3 (or 3.Nd2) dxe4

4.Nxe4 Bf5

This was long considered to represent best play for both sides in the Caro-Kann. White usually continues

5.Ng3 Bg6

6.h4 h6

7.Nf3 Nd7

8.h5 Bh7

9.Bd3 Bxd3

10.Qxd3

Although White's pawn

Pawn (chess)

The pawn is the most numerous and weakest piece in the game of chess, historically representing infantry, or more particularly armed peasants or pikemen. Each player begins the game with eight pawns, one on each square of the rank immediately in front of the other pieces...

on h5 looks ready to attack, it can prove to be a weakness in an endgame.

Much of the Caro-Kann's reputation as a solid defence stems from this variation. Black makes very few compromises in his pawn structure

Pawn structure

, and plays a timely c5 to contest the d4 square. Black has the options of castling

Castling

Castling is a special move in the game of chess involving the king and either of the original rooks of the same color. It is the only move in chess in which a player moves two pieces at the same time. Castling consists of moving the king two squares towards a rook on the player's first rank, then...

queenside, castling kingside, and even leaving his king in the centre. Should things proceed to an endgame, Black often stands well thanks to his solid pawn structure and kingside pawn majority.

Here is a brilliancy illustrating White's attacking chances when the players castle on opposite sides in the Classical Variation: Lev Milman – Joseph Fang, Foxwoods Open, 2005[2] 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 (10...Qc7 avoids White's next) 11.Bf4 Bb4+ 12.c3 Be7 13.0-0-0 Ngf6 14.Kb1 0-0 15.Ne5 c5?! (15...Qa5 is usual and better) 16.Qf3 Qb6? (necessary was 16...cxd4 17.Rxd4 Nxe5 18.Bxe5 Qc8 19.Rhd1 Rd8 20.Ne4 with a small White advantage) 17.Nxd7 Nxd7 18.d5 exd5 19.Nf5! Bf6 20.Rxd5 Qe6 21.Bxh6 (21...gxh6 22.Rd6 Qe8 23.Rxf6 Nxf6 24.Qg3+ mates on g7) 21...Ne5 22.Qe4 Nc6 23.Qf3 Ne5? (23...gxh6 24.Rd6 Qe5 25.Nxh6+ Kg7 26.Nf5+ Kh7 with an unclear position) 24.Qe4 Nc6 25.Qg4! Qxd5 (25...Ne5 26.Rxe5 Qxe5 27.Bxg7 Bxg7 28.h6 wins) 26.Bxg7 Qd3+ 27.Ka1 Ne5 28.Ne7+!! Kh7 29.Qg6+!! fxg6 30.hxg6+ Kxg7 31.Rh7# (White is down a queen, a rook, and a bishop!)

Smyslov / Karpov / Modern Variation

Another solid positional line, this variation is characterised by the moves

1.e4 c6

2.d4 d5

3.Nc3 (or 3.Nd2) dxe4

4.Nxe4 Nd7

At one time named after the first world champion Wilhelm Steinitz

Wilhelm Steinitz

Wilhelm Steinitz was an Austrian and then American chess player and the first undisputed world chess champion from 1886 to 1894. From the 1870s onwards, commentators have debated whether Steinitz was effectively the champion earlier...

, nowadays the variation is variously referred to as the Smyslov Variation after the seventh world champion Vasily Smyslov

Vasily Smyslov

Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster, and was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight occasions . Smyslov was twice equal first at the Soviet Championship , and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won...

who played a number of notable games with it, the Karpov Variation, after the twelfth World Champion Anatoly Karpov

Anatoly Karpov

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. He was the official world champion from 1975 to 1985 when he was defeated by Garry Kasparov. He played three matches against Kasparov for the title from 1986 to 1990, before becoming FIDE World Champion once...

, in whose repertoire it appeared quite often, or, most commonly, the Modern Variation. The short-term goal of 4...Nd7 is to ease development by the early exchange of a pair of Knights without compromising the structural integrity of his position. Play is similar to the Classical Variation except that Black has more freedom by delaying the development of his bishop, and is not forced to play it to the g6 square. However, this freedom comes at a cost as White enjoys added freedom in taking up space in the center, and often plays the aggressive 5.Ng5!? where Black's development is brought into question as well as the positional weakness of the f7-square. The famous last game

Deep Blue - Kasparov, 1997, Game 6

The Sixth game of the Deep Blue - Kasparov rematch, played in New York City on May 11, 1997 and starting at 3:00 p.m. EDT, was the last chess game in the rematch of 1997 of Deep Blue versus Garry Kasparov...

of the Deep Blue versus Garry Kasparov

Garry Kasparov

Garry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, a former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist, and one of the greatest chess players of all time....

rematch where Kasparov committed a known blunder

Blunder (chess)

In chess, a blunder is a very bad move. It is usually caused by some tactical oversight, whether from time trouble, overconfidence or carelessness. While a blunder may seem like a stroke of luck for the opposing player, some chess players give their opponent plenty of opportunities to blunder.What...

and lost was played in this very line.

Specialist knowledge is a must to play this opening. Otherwise Black could fall prey to early attacks such as the quick mating trap for White 5.Qe2 and then 6.Nd6#.

Bronstein-Larsen Variation and Korchnoi Variation

The Bronstein-Larsen Variation and Korchnoi Variation both begin with the following moves:

1.e4 c6

2.d4 d5

3.Nc3 dxe4

4.Nxe4 Nf6!?

5.Nxf6+

The Bronstein-Larsen Variation arises after:

5...gxf6!?

Black has voluntarily opted for an inferior pawn structure and a practical necessity of castling queenside, while gaining dynamic compensation

Compensation (chess)

In chess, compensation refers to various advantages a player has in exchange for a disadvantage. The term normally refers to medium to long-term advantages as opposed to short-term advantages...

in the form of the open g-file for the rook and unusually active play for the Caro-Kann. It is generally considered somewhat unsound, though world championship challenger David Bronstein

David Bronstein

David Ionovich Bronstein was a Soviet chess grandmaster, who narrowly missed becoming World Chess Champion in 1951. Bronstein was described by his peers as a creative genius and master of tactics...

and former world championship candidate Bent Larsen

Bent Larsen

Jørgen Bent Larsen was a Danish chess Grandmaster and author. Larsen was known for his imaginative and unorthodox style of play and he was the first western player to pose a serious challenge to the Soviet Union's dominance of chess...

employed it with some success.
The Korchnoi Variation arises after:

5...exf6

Viktor Korchnoi

Viktor Lvovich Korchnoi ; pronounced in the original Russian as "karch NOY"; Ви́ктор Льво́вич Корчно́й, born March 23, 1931 is a professional chess player, author and currently the oldest active grandmaster on the tournament circuit...

has played 5...exf6 many times (including his first world championship

World Chess Championship

The World Chess Championship is played to determine the World Champion in the board game chess. Men and women of any age are eligible to contest this title....

match with Anatoly Karpov

Anatoly Karpov

), and this line has also been employed by Ulf Andersson

Ulf Andersson

Ulf Andersson is a leading Swedish chess player. FIDE awarded him the International Master title in 1970 and the Grandmaster title in 1972 .-Career:...

. Black's 5...exf6 is regarded as sounder than 5...gxf6!? of the Bronstein-Larsen Variation and offers Black rapid development, though also ceding White the superior pawn structure and long-term prospects.

Advance variation: 3...Bf5 and 3...c5

The 3...Bf5 variation that follows with

1.e4 c6

2.d4 d5

3.e5 Bf5

has gained popularity after having previously been widely regarded as inferior for many years, owing chiefly to the strategic demolition that Aron Nimzowitsch

Aron Nimzowitsch

Aron Nimzowitsch was a Russian-born Danish unofficial chess grandmaster and a very influential chess writer...

(playing as White) suffered at the hands of José Capablanca

José Raúl Capablanca

in one of their games at the New York 1927 tournament (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1007846):

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Bd3?! (after the exchange of the light-squared Bishops, Black's play is based on White's light-squared weakness) 4...Bxd3 5.Qxd3 e6 6.Nc3 Qb6 7.Nge2 c5?! (7...Ne7 8.0-0 Qa6) 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.0–0 Ne7 10.Na4? (10.b4! Bxb4 (10...Qxb4 11.Nb5 Qa5 12.Be3 a6 13.Rab1 axb5 14.Bxc5 Nbc6 15.Rxb5 Qc7 16.Bd6 Qd7 17.Rfb1 Nd8 18.Rc5±) 11.Rb1 Qa5 12.Nb5= Moutousis-Cilia Vincenti, Thessalonika, 13.Nov.1988, 1–0) 10...Qc6 11.Nxc5 (11.Qg3 Nf5 12.Qb3 Nc6) 11...Qxc5 12.Be3 Qc7 13.f4 Nf5 14.c3 Nc6 15.Rad1 g6 16.g4 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 h5 18.g5 0–0 19.Nd4 Qb6 20.Rf2 Rfc8 21.a3 Rc7 22.Rd3 Na5 23.Re2 Re8 24.Kg2 Nc6 25.Red2 Rec8 26.Re2 Ne7 27.Red2 Rc4 28.Qh3 Kg7 29.Rf2 a5 30.Re2 Nf5 31.Nxf5+ gxf5 32.Qf3 Kg6 33.Red2 Re4 34.Rd4 Rc4 35.Qf2 Qb5 36.Kg3 Rcxd4 37.cxd4 Qc4 38.Kg2 b5 39.Kg1 b4 40.axb4 axb4 41.Kg2 Qc1 42.Kg3 Qh1 43.Rd3 Re1 44.Rf3 Rd1 45.b3 Rc1 46.Re3 Rf1 0–1.

The Advance Variation has since been revitalized by aggressive lines such as the Bayonet Attack (4.Nc3 e6 5.g4), a popular line in the 1980s and later favoured by Latvian Grandmaster Alexei Shirov

Alexei Shirov

Alexei Dmitrievich Shirov is a Soviet-born Latvian chess grandmaster. He has consistently ranked among the world's top players since the early 1990s, and reached a ranking as high as number four in 1998...

, or the less ambitious variation 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3, popularised by English Grandmaster Nigel Short

Nigel Short

Nigel David Short MBE is an English chess grandmaster earning the title at the age of 19. Short is often regarded as the strongest English player of the 20th century as he was ranked third in the world, from January 1988 – July 1989 and in 1993, he challenged Garry Kasparov for the World Chess...

and often seen in the 1990s.
The 3...c5 variation that follows with

1.e4 c6

2.d4 d5

3.e5 c5!?

is an important alternative and avoids the weight of theory associated with 3...Bf5. It was used by Mikhail Botvinnik

Mikhail Botvinnik

Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik, Ph.D. was a Soviet and Russian International Grandmaster and three-time World Chess Champion. Working as an electrical engineer and computer scientist at the same time, he was one of the very few famous chess players who achieved distinction in another career while...

in his 1961 match

World Chess Championship 1961

The 1961 World Chess Championship was played between former champion Mikhail Botvinnik and champion Mikhail Tal in Moscow from March 15 to May 13, 1961. Tal had unseated Botvinnik in the 1960 match, thus Botvinnik was entitled to this rematch the next year. Botvinnik, a Russian, defeated Latvian...

versus Mikhail Tal

Mikhail Tal

Mikhail Tal was a Soviet–Latvian chess player, a Grandmaster, and the eighth World Chess Champion.Widely regarded as a creative genius, and the best attacking player of all time, he played a daring, combinatorial style. His play was known above all for improvisation and unpredictability....

(though with a negative outcome for Botvinnik – two draws

Draw (chess)

In chess, a draw is when a game ends in a tie. It is one of the possible outcomes of a game, along with a win for White and a win for Black . Usually, in tournaments a draw is worth a half point to each player, while a win is worth one point to the victor and none to the loser.For the most part,...

and a loss). The line was christened the "Arkell/Khenkin Variation" in the leading chess magazine New in Chess
New In Chess
New In Chess is a chess magazine that appears eight times a year with chief editors International Grandmaster Jan Timman and Dirk Jan Ten Geuzendam. It contains notes by top players and chess prodigies on their own games...

yearbook 42 in recognition of the work these two Grandmasters did and the success they were having with the variation. In comparison to the French defense, Black lacks the tempo

Tempo (chess)

In chess, tempo refers to a "turn" or single move. When a player achieves a desired result in one fewer move, he "gains a tempo" and conversely when he takes one more move than necessary he "loses a tempo"...

normally spent on ...e6. However, White can only exploit this by the weakening of his own central bind with 4. dxc5 when Black has good chances of regaining the pawn.

Exchange variation and Panov–Botvinnik Attack

The Exchange Variation is
1.e4 c6
2.d4 d5
3.exd5 cxd5.
The Panov–Botvinnik Attack begins with the move
4.c4.
It is named after Vasily Panov

Vasily Panov

Vasily Nikolayevich Panov was a Soviet chess player, author, and journalist. Winner of the Moscow City Championship in 1929, he also played in five USSR Chess Championships from 1935 to 1948. His greatest tournament victory was Kiev, 1938...

and the world champion Mikhail Botvinnik

Mikhail Botvinnik

. This system often leads to typical isolated queen's pawn

Isolated pawn

In chess, an isolated pawn is a pawn which has no friendly pawn on an adjacent file. An isolated queen's pawn is often called an isolani. Isolated pawns are usually a weakness because they cannot be protected by other pawns...

(IQP) positions, with White obtaining rapid development, a grip on e5, and kingside attacking chances to compensate for the long-term structural weakness of the isolated

Isolated pawn

d4 pawn. The major variation in this line 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nf3, when Black's main alternatives are 6...Bb4+ (a position which often transposes into lines of the Nimzo-Indian Defence

Nimzo-Indian Defence

The Nimzo-Indian Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:This hypermodern opening was developed by Grandmaster Aron Nimzowitsch who introduced it to master-level chess in the early 20th century. Unlike most Indian openings the Nimzo-Indian does not involve an immediate fianchetto,...

) and 6...Be7, once the most common line. 6...Nc6?! is inferior as it is favourably met by 7.c5!, after which White plans on seizing the e5-square via the advance of his b-pawn to b5 or by exchanging the Black's Knight on c6 after Bb5.
The "true" Exchange Variation begins with
4.Bd3 Nc6
5.c3 Nf6
6.Bf4 Bg4
7.Qb3
This line is considered to offer equal chances, and was tried by Bobby Fischer

Bobby Fischer

Robert James "Bobby" Fischer was an American chess Grandmaster and the 11th World Chess Champion. He is widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. Fischer was also a best-selling chess author...

. Some of the strategic ideas are analogous to the Queen's Gambit Declined

Queen's Gambit Declined

The Queen's Gambit Declined is a chess opening in which Black declines a pawn offered by White in the Queen's Gambit:This is known as the Orthodox Line of the Queen's Gambit Declined...

, Exchange Variation, (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5) with colours reversed.

Other lines

White can play 2.c4. Then Black may play 2...d5 (see 1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5). This can transpose to the Panov-Botvinnik (B14, given above, with exd5 cxd5 d4) or Caro-Kann (B10, with the double capture on d5). Or Black may play 2...e5 (see 1.e4 c6 2.c4 e5).

Also White can play 2.Nc3. Then Black may play 2...d5 (see 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5). This can lead to the Steinitz Variation (B17, given above), Caro-Kann (B15), Two Knights, 3...Bg4 (B11), or Caro-Kann (B10). Or Black may play 2...g6 (see 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 g6).

Two Knights Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3, played by Bobby Fischer

Bobby Fischer

in his youth, where White's intention is to benefit from rapid development as well as to retain options regarding the d-pawn. Black's logical and probably best reply is 3...Bg4. After 4.h3 Bxf3 5.Qxf3, the positional continuation, Black has the option of 5...Nf6 or 5...e6. This variation sets a trap: if Black plays along the lines of the Classical Variation, he gets in trouble after 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 (4...Nd7 is playable) 5.Ng3 Bg6?! (5...Bg4) 6.h4 h6 7.Ne5 Bh7 (7...Qd6 may be best) 8.Qh5! g6 (forced) 9.Bc4! e6 (9...gxh5?? 10.Bxf7#) 10.Qe2 with a huge advantage for White. Now 10...Qe7! is best. Instead, Lasker

Emanuel Lasker

Emanuel Lasker was a German chess player, mathematician, and philosopher who was World Chess Champion for 27 years...

-Radsheer, 1908 and Alekhine

Alexander Alekhine

Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine was the fourth World Chess Champion. He is often considered one of the greatest chess players ever.By the age of twenty-two, he was already among the strongest chess players in the world. During the 1920s, he won most of the tournaments in which he played...

-Bruce, 1938 ended quickly after, respectively, 10...Bg7?? 11.Nxf7! and 10...Nf6?? 11.Nxf7! 4....Bh5 is a complex line, in which White can trap the bishop, though Black gains tremendous compensation.

Fantasy or Tartakower
Savielly Tartakower
Ksawery Tartakower was a leading Polish and French chess Grandmaster. He was also a leading chess journalist of the 1920s and 30s...

Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3, which somewhat resembles the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit

Blackmar-Diemer Gambit

The Blackmar–Diemer Gambit is a chess opening characterized by the moves:- History :The Blackmar–Diemer Gambit arose as a development of the earlier Blackmar Gambit, named after Armand Blackmar, a relatively little-known New Orleans player of the late 19th century who popularized its...

. 3...e6 is probably the most solid response, preparing to exploit the dark squares via ...c5, though 3....g6 has been tried by Yasser Seirawan. Interesting, though probably insufficient is 3....e5. This so-called 'Twisted Fantasy Variation' aims to exploit white's weaknesses on the a7-g1 diagonal. An idea which is similar to 3....Qb6, a variation championed by Baadur Jobava. Related to the Fantasy Variation are the gambits 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.f3, originated by Sir Stuart Milner-Barry

Stuart Milner-Barry

Sir Stuart Milner-Barry KCVO, CB, OBE was a British chess player, chess writer, World War II codebreaker and civil servant. He represented England in chess both before and after World War II...

, and 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.f3 by (von Hennig).

Gurgenidze Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 g6; it is because of this variation, originated by Bukhuti Gurgenidze

Bukhuti Gurgenidze

Bukhuti Ivanovich Gurgenidze was a Georgian chess Grandmaster, born in Surami.He was a multiple Georgian Champion, and played in eight USSR Chess Championships. He shared first place with Mikhail Tal at Tbilisi in 1969–70 and placed first at Olomouc in 1976. Gurgenidze was a trainer to several...

, that 3.Nc3 fell from favour in the 1970s. 3.Nd2 has since been regarded as the accurate way to reach the positions arising from ....dxe4. After 3.Nd2,....g6 is met by 4.c3, when the fianchettoed bishop has little to do.

Hillbilly Attack: 1.e4 c6 2. Bc4?! This is often played by club players. Black can simply play 2...d5 3. exd5 cxd5, gaining a tempo on the bishop.

The Dunst Attack The Dunst is 1.Nc3, however, it has many transpositional possibilities, and one of them involves the Caro-Kann. After the moves 1.e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3.Qf3!?, white's position is sound according to Graham Burgess. See here for an in depth article on the theory of this variation, supporting its viability as a real weapon against the Caro-Kann.

Note that the Caro-Kann can sometimes be reached by transposition of moves from the English Opening

English Opening

In chess, the English Opening is the opening where White begins:A flank opening, it is the fourth most popular and, according to various databases, anywhere from one of the two most successful to the fourth most successful of White's twenty possible first moves. White begins the fight for the...

: 1.c4 c6 2.e4 d5.

ECO codes

The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings

Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings

The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings is a classification system for the opening moves in a game of chess. It is presented as a five volume book collection describing chess openings...

has ten codes for the Caro-Kann Defence, B10 through B19:

B10

Hillbilly Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.Bc4
Modern; English Variation, Accelerated Panov: 1.e4 c6 2.c4
Breyer Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d3
Stein Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 e5 6.Ngf3 Ne7 7.O-O O-O 8.b4
Massachusetts Defense: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 f5
Masi Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 Nf6
Scorpion-Horus Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d3 dxe4 4.Bg5
Spielmann/Goldman Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Qf3
Two Knights Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3

B11

Two Knights Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3
Mindeno Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4
Retreat Line, Mindeno Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.h3 Bh5

B12

Landau Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Bd3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 6.e6
Mieses Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Be3
Diemer-Duhm Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.c4
Advance Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5
Prins Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.b4
Bayonet Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.g4
Tal Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4
Van der Wiel Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nc3
Dreyev Defense: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nc3 Qb6
Bronstein Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Ne2
Short Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2
Botvinnik-Carls Defense: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5
Maroczy Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3
Fantasy/Lilienfisch Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3
Maroczy Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 dxe4 4.fxe4 e5 5.Nf3 exd4 6.Bc4
Modern Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2
New Caro-Kann 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 g6
Edinburgh Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Qb6
Ulysses Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nf3 dxe4 4.Ng5
De Bruycker Defense: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 Na6
Hector Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 dxe4 4.Ng5

B13

Rubinstein Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4
Panov-Botvinnik: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4
Panov-Botvinnik, Gedult-Gunderam Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.c5

B14

Carlsbad Line: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6
Czerniak Line: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 Qa5
Reifir-Spielmann Line: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 Qb6

B15

Gurgenidze Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 b5
Von Hennig Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Bc4
Milner-Barry Gambit, Rasa-Studier Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.f3
Knight Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6
Tarrasch/Alekhine Gambit: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Bd3
Tartakower Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6
Forgacs Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.Bc4
Gurgenidze System: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 g6
Gurgenidze Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 g6 4.e5 Bg7 5.f4 h5
Campomanes Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6

B16

Finnish Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 h6
Bronstein-Larsen Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ gxf6
Korchnoi Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6

B17

Karpov Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7
Smyslov Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Bc4 Ngf6 6.Ng5 e6 7.Qe2 Nb6
Tiviakov-Fischer Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Bc4 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6
Kasparov Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Ng3
Ivanchuk Defense: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Ng5 Ndf6

B18

Classical Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5
Flohr Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.Nh3

B19

Spassky Variation: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3

Classical / Capablanca Variation

Smyslov / Karpov / Modern Variation

Bronstein-Larsen Variation and Korchnoi Variation

Advance variation: 3...Bf5 and 3...c5

Exchange variation and Panov–Botvinnik Attack

Other lines

ECO codes

B10

B11

B12

B13

B14

B15

B16

B17

B18

B19

Further reading