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Caro-Kann for Black

Against , the pawn backs up and you fight for the centre from the first move without shutting in your light-squared bishop: you get it out before blocks its path. Against the Advance, and then the break, which hits White's pawn chain at its base on d4. In the Classical, challenges the knight on e4 and, if White trades, opens the e-file so you develop quickly with your king safe. Against the Exchange, with puts pressure on d4; against the Panov, with or holds d5.

54 lines in 6 chapters.

The first lesson is free. The rest of the course opens with Premium:

The plans in this course

The bishop gets out first

Develop the light-squared bishop before you shut it in.

After 2. 3. your d5 pawn is fixed, and later you will need to support it and develop your kingside. But as soon as you play , your light-squared bishop is shut in behind its own pawns. That is why it comes out first: places it actively outside the pawn chain, and only then comes . If White chases it with , the bishop finds another square on the same diagonal and stays outside the chain.

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Hit the base of the chain

Break White's pawn chain by attacking its base.

In the Advance, White's pawns on d4 and e5 form a pawn chain that takes away space on your kingside. A chain is attacked at its base: the break hits the d4 pawn. If that pawn falls or is exchanged, the e5 pawn loses its support. Even though you already played , it is worth bringing the pawn to c5 in two moves, usually after and .

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Over-the-board games, 2300+: 51% of 1,998. Online, 2200+: 60% of 5,643.

Challenge the central knight

Drive White's knight from the centre without losing material.

After , the recapturing white knight stands in the centre and is White's best piece. None of your pawns attacks it for now, and challenges it at once. If it retreats, for example with , it loses time; if it is exchanged with , you recapture with a pawn and material stays level. The plan does not change if White has not played yet.

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Over-the-board games, 2300+: 72% of 943. Online, 2200+: 62% of 6,093.

Recapture with the king's pawn

Open the e-file for your pieces and keep your king safe.

After you recapture with , not with the g-pawn. The e-file opens: the bishop comes out to d6, you castle short and the rook reaches e8 in a few moves. The doubled f-pawns do not bother you, because your king stays safe behind f7, g7 and h7. With , by contrast, the king is left without shelter on the kingside.

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Over-the-board games, 2300+: 83% of 485. Online, 2200+: 84% of 2,480.

Pressure on the central pawn

Activate your pieces by pressing White's d4 pawn.

After the pawn structure is almost symmetrical, and whoever has the more active pieces wins. The point to fight over is the d4 pawn: attacks it. Once White's knight has come out to f3, develops the light-squared bishop before and pins that knight, one of d4's defenders, to the queen; with no knight on f3, a bishop on g4 just hangs to the queen. If takes the g4 square away, the bishop goes to f5, but if White's bishop on d3 covers f5, prepare that square first with .

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Against the isolated pawn

Blockade White's isolated pawn and play against it.

In the Panov, White plays to seek active play and put pressure on d5. defends that square, and , or with the bishop on g7, completes your development and keeps your king safe after castling. If White exchanges on d5, White is left with an isolated pawn on d4 that no pawn can defend. The d5 square, in front of that pawn, is yours: a piece placed there blockades it.

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If White develops the king's knight after

0 of 12 done

You will learn to answer with and to recognise when the game turns into the Exchange, where you press d4 with and , or into the Two Knights, where you challenge the e4 knight with and recapture with .

Challenge the central knightRecapture with the king's pawnPressure on the central pawn

  1. NextIf they pin with Pressure on the central pawn5 moves of yoursStart
  2. Not startedIf they play firstPressure on the central pawn4 moves of yoursPaid
  3. Not startedIf they pin and then play Pressure on the central pawn8 moves of yoursPaid
  4. Not startedIf they support d4 with Pressure on the central pawn5 moves of yoursPaid
  5. Not startedIf they unpin with Pressure on the central pawn6 moves of yoursPaid
  6. Not startedIf they take g4 with Pressure on the central pawn4 moves of yoursPaid
  7. Not startedIf they trade knights on f6Challenge the central knight6 moves of yoursPaid
  8. Not startedIf the knight retreats to g3Challenge the central knight4 moves of yoursPaid
  9. Not startedIf they put the bishop on d3Pressure on the central pawn6 moves of yoursPaid
  10. Not startedIf hits your bishopPressure on the central pawn5 moves of yoursPaid
  11. Not startedQueen on e4, then Challenge the central knight6 moves of yoursPaid
  12. Not startedQueen on e4, then Challenge the central knight9 moves of yoursPaid

If White pushes the king's pawn after

After 2. 3., you will learn to develop the bishop with before and to attack the base of the pawn chain with .

The most common mistake, on move 6; 51 players in 100 play it. lets drive your bishop to h7. There the squares on its diagonal (g6, f5 and e4) are covered by White's pawns, and the bishop is shut in. Then breaks open your kingside: after your position is full of weaknesses.

The bishop gets out firstHit the base of the chain

If White exchanges in the centre after

After 2. 3. , you will learn to press d4 with and , and to hold d5 with and if White enters the Panov with .

The most common mistake, on move 5; 26 players in 100 play it. leaves b7 undefended. attacks it while c4 and the c3 knight pressure d5; after you are a pawn down.

Pressure on the central pawnAgainst the isolated pawn

If the knight defends from c3 after

After 2. 3. 4., you will learn to challenge the knight with , to recapture with and to complete your development with and .

The most common mistake, on move 7; 31 players in 100 play it. walks into a fork: gives check and attacks the bishop. After you have given the piece back and you are a pawn down.

Challenge the central knightRecapture with the king's pawn

If the queen's knight comes out at once after

You will learn to continue with and , to challenge the e4 knight with and to recapture with , just as in the Classical.

The most common mistake, on move 3; 11 players in 100 play it. lets the pawn advance with tempo: kicks the knight, which goes back with . After you are a pawn down and behind in development.

Challenge the central knightRecapture with the king's pawn

If the knight defends from d2 after

After 2. 3. 4., you will learn to challenge the knight with , to recapture with and to castle after .

Challenge the central knightRecapture with the king's pawn