lichess.org
Donate

Caro-Kann, Early Deviations

nice blog, but caro kann is a long term opening so all those lines where black is better mean little if black cant convert endgames consistently, its an effective but boring opening that requires more patience

nice blog, but caro kann is a long term opening so all those lines where black is better mean little if black cant convert endgames consistently, its an effective but boring opening that requires more patience

"When you have decided how to play those five lines, it's time to look at the the 3rd move deviations."

  • Why? You should beat the players that play 2nd or 3rd move deviations without preparation. Time is beter spent on study of games in the 5 main lines, which stronger opponents are likely to play.

"make a list of all 4th move deviations, and decide how you're going yo play."

  • There are not many relevant 4th move deviations. Time is better spent on study of games with the regular continuations.
"When you have decided how to play those five lines, it's time to look at the the 3rd move deviations." * Why? You should beat the players that play 2nd or 3rd move deviations without preparation. Time is beter spent on study of games in the 5 main lines, which stronger opponents are likely to play. "make a list of all 4th move deviations, and decide how you're going yo play." * There are not many relevant 4th move deviations. Time is better spent on study of games with the regular continuations.

@g6firste6second, @tpr: Thank you for commenting! You both have good points, but what I aim at is to highlight an often overlooked aspect of opening studies. Covering Caro-Kann can't be done in a blog post, it requires a book (or rather a series of books).

My target audience is club players in the ELO range of 1500-1700. That's a group of players I know well, being one myself.

Most opening books are aimed at stronger players, and the recommendations in them can be useless or even harmful to club players. The same can be said for my posts - if you're above or below the 1500-1700 range, my advice may not be for you.

@g6firste6second, @tpr: Thank you for commenting! You both have good points, but what I aim at is to highlight an often overlooked aspect of opening studies. Covering Caro-Kann can't be done in a blog post, it requires a book (or rather a series of books). My target audience is club players in the ELO range of 1500-1700. That's a group of players I know well, being one myself. Most opening books are aimed at stronger players, and the recommendations in them can be useless or even harmful to club players. The same can be said for my posts - if you're above or below the 1500-1700 range, my advice may not be for you.

#4
"Most opening books are aimed at stronger players" * Strong players use a database with games, no books.

"recommendations in them can be useless" * Yes, commenting on positions that do not happen is useless indeed.

"or even harmful" * No it is never harmful.

#4 "Most opening books are aimed at stronger players" * Strong players use a database with games, no books. "recommendations in them can be useless" * Yes, commenting on positions that do not happen is useless indeed. "or even harmful" * No it is never harmful.

@tpr: "Stronger players" is a relative term. Nobody writes books for 2800+ players. The primary target for chess books are players in the range of 2000-2200, and to me, they are stronger players.

"Harmful" is also a relative term. Chess books cause no harm (except maybe to your financial status), but to me, wasting time on studies that neither improve my results nor my skills is harmful. That's what books aimed for a different level can cause.

I'll give you one example: in a book on the Semi-Slav, the author writes (after going through the vast theory of the Moscow, Anti-Moscow, Meran and Anti-Meran) "You must learn all these lines at least 20 moves deep to play the Semi-Slav". No, I don't. That bight be good advice for a Master level player, but for a club player, it's completely bollocks. And potentially harmful!

@tpr: "Stronger players" is a relative term. Nobody writes books for 2800+ players. The primary target for chess books are players in the range of 2000-2200, and to me, they are stronger players. "Harmful" is also a relative term. Chess books cause no harm (except maybe to your financial status), but to me, wasting time on studies that neither improve my results nor my skills is harmful. That's what books aimed for a different level can cause. I'll give you one example: in a book on the Semi-Slav, the author writes (after going through the vast theory of the Moscow, Anti-Moscow, Meran and Anti-Meran) "You must learn all these lines at least 20 moves deep to play the Semi-Slav". No, I don't. That bight be good advice for a Master level player, but for a club player, it's completely bollocks. And potentially harmful!

Are you kidding me. You write a few options for white and after 3 moves you claim equality. I respect your work, searching for possible sidelines, but it is a bit poorly developed.
Example:
1.e4 c6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 can be challenging.
Do not understand me wrongly, I appreciate your work and your claims of equality are probably sound if we check Stockfish's evaluation on high depth. However this does not help you in a regular game.

Are you kidding me. You write a few options for white and after 3 moves you claim equality. I respect your work, searching for possible sidelines, but it is a bit poorly developed. Example: 1.e4 c6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 can be challenging. Do not understand me wrongly, I appreciate your work and your claims of equality are probably sound if we check Stockfish's evaluation on high depth. However this does not help you in a regular game.

@SCube009: You have a point, but my goal here is to find a simple, solid and easy-to-remember reply to the early sidelines. In the Caro-Kann. d5 is such a move for nearly all 2nd move deviations. If I investigate all of them ten moves deep, I won't remember any of that when it appears in a game.

By "equal" I mean that Black has a statistical performance of 50% or nearby. That can be interpreted as White has lost or weakent the opening initiative. That's why the main lines are main lines!

@SCube009: You have a point, but my goal here is to find a simple, solid and easy-to-remember reply to the early sidelines. In the Caro-Kann. d5 is such a move for nearly all 2nd move deviations. If I investigate all of them ten moves deep, I won't remember any of that when it appears in a game. By "equal" I mean that Black has a statistical performance of 50% or nearby. That can be interpreted as White has lost or weakent the opening initiative. That's why the main lines are main lines!

perhaps it would be wise for caro kann practitioners to trade as much pieces as possible, regardless of whichever sideline or mainline they find themselves in, and take their chances in the endgame, since this opening is geared for that kind of play
cheers

perhaps it would be wise for caro kann practitioners to trade as much pieces as possible, regardless of whichever sideline or mainline they find themselves in, and take their chances in the endgame, since this opening is geared for that kind of play cheers