An Unusual Reply to the Caro-Kann Defence (Part 1)

     As a chess coach, I try to play a variety of openings against my students that I might not play in tournament conditions without some good preparation.  A student of mine played 1. e4 and I replied with 1. ... c6, signaling the Caro-Kann Defence.  Black's plan is to play 2. ... d5 with the support of the c-pawn and queen, countering White's pressure on the d5 square.


By far, the most common second move for White is 2. d4, creating the ideal pawn center and grabbing space in the center of the board.  This is always a good idea, and is highly recommended.


However, this blog post is going in a different direction.

     My student's reply to 1. e4 c6 was the move 2. Nf3.  At first, you might think this is the move


of a beginner, having been taught to develop quickly, knights before bishops, and prepare for castling early.  This is all great advice, and is highly recommended as long as there is not anything tactically or strategically wrong with the move.  So, instead of creating the ideal pawn center, by developing the king's knight to its most natural square, White is also staking claim to the d4 and e5 squares in the center of the board, a strategically sound complement to the control White's first move of 1. e4 provides, attacking the d5 and f5 squares.


     Now, White should realize that 2. ... d5 is very likely coming and has a response prepared to meet it.  As a side note, I personally play 2. d4 vs the Caro-Kann as recommended in a book by Chris Baker called, "A Startling's Chess Opening Repertoire."  So, when I saw this move played, it was not familiar to me already.  Against the French Defence, 1. e4 e6, Baker's book recommends playing 2. Nf3 which allows Black to play 2. ... d5, or transpose into another opening.


Therefore, I did thematically play 2. ... d5 like a Caro-Kann player would normally do.


     Black's second move immediately poses White a question.  "What are you going to do about the threat on the e4 pawn?"  To answer this question, let us go back to the main response to the Caro-Kann 1. e4 c6  2. d4.  Yes, I know.  I said this post was not about this move.  And it still is not, but this is worth a look.


     In the main line 1. e4 c6 2. d4 Black plays the move 2. ... d5 immediately creating the same question, "What are you going to do about the threat on the e4 pawn?"  White's most popular responses are 3. Nc3 (Main Line), 3. Nd2 (Modern Variation), 3. exd5 (Exchange Variation), and 3. e5 (Advance Variation).  In future blog posts, we will compare the 2. d4 lines to their counterparts in the 2. Nf3 lines.