Caro–Kann Defence
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| Moves | 1.e4 c6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ECO | B10–B19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Origin | Bruederschaft (journal), 1886 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Named after | Horatio Caro and Marcus Kann | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | King's Pawn Game | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Caro–Kann Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves:
The Caro–Kann is a common defense against the King's Pawn Opening and is classified as a "Semi-Open Game" like the Sicilian Defence and French Defence, although 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.
The opening is named after the English player Horatio Caro and the Austrian player Marcus Kann who analysed it in 1886. Kann scored an impressive 17-move victory with the Caro–Kann Defence against German-British chess champion Jacques Mieses at the 4th German Chess Congress in Hamburg in May 1885:
After 2. the most common moves are 3. (Classical and Modern variations), 3. (usually transposing into 3.Nc3), 3. (Exchange Variation), and 3. (Advance Variation).
3.Nc3 and 3.Nd2 usually transpose into each other after 3...dxe4 4.Nxe4. Since the 1970s, 3.Nd2 has increased in popularity to avoid the Gurgenidze Variation (3.Nc3 g6), however some players choose to allow it.
The most common way of handling the Caro–Kann, the Classical Variation (often referred to as the Capablanca Variation after José Capablanca), is defined by the moves:
This was long considered to represent best play for both sides in the Caro–Kann. White usually continues:
Although White's pawn 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 pawn structure and plays a timely c6–c5 to contest the d4-square. Variations with Black castling queenside gave the Caro–Kann its reputation of being solid but somewhat boring. More popular recently are variations with Black castling kingside and even leaving his king in the centre. These variations can be sharp and dynamic.
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