[Event "The Caro Kann Defence: Complete Repertoire: Chapter #7: - Classical Variation - Capablanca Variation"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/MBQ3N0F8/34mciScv"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Chapter #7:"]
[Black "Classical Variation - Capablanca Variation"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Shreksify"]
[ECO "B18"]
[Opening "Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation, Flohr Variation"]
[UTCDate "2022.11.09"]
[UTCTime "07:18:10"]
[Variant "Standard"]

1. e4 { [%csl Ge4][%cal Ge2e4] } 1... c6 { [%csl Gc6][%cal Gc7c6] } 2. d4 { [%csl Gd4][%cal Gd2d4] } 2... d5 { The core of the Caro-Kann argument lies here.
In this semi-open game, minor piece play tends to dominate certain lines.
White may handle the resulting tension [%csl Gd5][%cal Gd7d5] } 3. Nc3 { The Caro-Kann opening is often played in this manner, and as you can see, it's a rather straightforward and adaptable opening for white to play. White is permitted unobstructed forward movement as well as adaptable positional manoeuvre. In spite of the fact that it is played against the Sicilian Defense far less often, the setup that White uses is seen exactly as frequently when playing against Philidor's Defense. Even the French Defense couldn't hide this fact from you. You can find it there. The vast majority of times, black plays the solid 3...dxe4, one of the most well-studied of the Caro-Kann lines. Black has alternatives to avoid the weight of theory, although 3...e6, blocking the bishop, and effectively forming a French, with one tempo less, seems a dubious line. [%csl Gc3][%cal Gb1c3] } 3... dxe4 { Against the Classical Caro-Kann, capturing the piece on e4 is the best move.
The move g6 and e6, which appears in other lines, is similarly challenging to play.
As for the LSB, g6 transposes into a Modern Defense, while e6 prevents it. 3...dxe4 is black's only good move. Other moves are not in the spirit of this opening. This move also denies white his e4/d4 pawn center. White almost invariably responds with 4. Nxe4, but a few gambit continuations do exist. [%csl Ge4][%cal Gd5e4] } 4. Nxe4 { [%csl Ge4][%cal Gc3e4] } 4... Bf5 { Known as the Capablanca Variation, this is a deviation from the standard classical move order.
Black wants to play e6, but in order to avoid his bishop from being stranded on the chain of light square pawns, he must instead play f5.
White may, and almost always does, keep to the standard line, which consists of Ng3 and forces the bishop to retire; nevertheless, the risky Nc5 and aggressive Burris Gambit have given white with surprising victory. [%csl Gf5,Rg3,Rc5,Rd3][%cal Gc8f5,Re4g3,Re4c5,Rf1d3] } 5. Ng3 { [%csl Gg3][%cal Ge4g3] } ( 5. Nc5 { Rarely seen, but the knight's poor positioning on c5 must be punished. White wants to win a pawn since black's b pawn is hanging. However after e5! White is pretty much force to take the b pawn or retreat the knight and lose material. [%csl Gc5][%cal Ge4c5] } 5... e5 $1 { [%csl Ge5][%cal Ge7e5] } 6. Nxb7 { [%csl Gb7][%cal Gc5b7] } 6... Qb6 { [%csl Gb6][%cal Gd8b6] } 7. Nc5 { [%csl Gc5][%cal Gb7c5] } 7... Bxc5 { [%csl Gc5][%cal Gf8c5] } 8. dxc5 { [%csl Gc5][%cal Gd4c5] } 8... Qxc5 { Black eventually wins back the pawn but in exchange, white is behind development and a wee bit cramped in here. Black is totally dominating white here. [%csl Gc5][%cal Gb6c5] } ) ( 5. Bd3 { [%csl Gd3][%cal Gf1d3] } 5... Qxd4 { [%csl Gd4][%cal Gd8d4] } 6. Nf3 { [%csl Gf3][%cal Gg1f3] } 6... Qd8 { [%csl Gd8][%cal Gd4d8] } 7. Qe2 { [%csl Ge2][%cal Gd1e2] } 7... Bxe4 { [%csl Ge4][%cal Gf5e4] } 8. Bxe4 { [%csl Ge4][%cal Gd3e4] } 8... Nf6 { Safe or risk-free? I beg to differ. White has huge attacking chances in exchange for that pawn. To me this is equivalent to the "Swashbuckling Smith-Morra Gambit" as what have been seen in the Sicilian Defence. White is up in development with huge attacking prospects but in exchange if black defends black wins a pawn for a short term attack. [%csl Gf6][%cal Gg8f6] } 9. O-O { [%csl Gd7,Gf6,Gg1][%cal Gd7f6,Ge1g1] } 9... Nbd7 { Trying to solidify the position. [%csl Gd7][%cal Gb8d7] } 10. Bf4 { [%csl Gf4][%cal Gc1f4] } 10... e6 { The good thing about this is that our light square bishop is off the board which lessens our hideous burden which can effectively change the outcome of the game. [%csl Ge6][%cal Ge7e6] } 11. Rfd1 { [%csl Gd1][%cal Gf1d1] } 11... Qb6 { [%csl Gb6][%cal Gd8b6] } 12. Nd2 { [%csl Gd2,Gc4][%cal Gf3d2,Gd2c4] } 12... Be7 { [%csl Ge7][%cal Gf8e7] } 13. Nc4 { [%csl Gc4][%cal Gd2c4] } 13... Qa6 { [%csl Ga6][%cal Gb6a6] } 14. Bd3 { [%csl Gd3][%cal Ge4d3] } 14... O-O { Not afraid of that bishop staring at our queen. There is no hidden tactic behind it. [%csl Gg8][%cal Ge8g8] } 15. Ne5 { [%csl Ge5][%cal Gc4e5] } 15... Qa4 { [%csl Ga4][%cal Ga6a4] } ) 5... Bg6 { [%csl Gg6,Re2,Rh3,Rh4][%cal Gf5g6,Rg1e2,Rg1h3,Rh2h4] } 6. Nh3 { [%csl Gg6,Gh3][%cal Gg1h3] } ( 6. N1e2 { [%csl Ge2,Gg6,Gf4][%cal Gg1e2,Ge2f4,Gf4g6] } 6... Nf6 { [%csl Gf6][%cal Gg8f6] } 7. Nf4 { Goes back to the Nh3 maneuver. I'm sure you know what to do here. If not then go back and review this particular move order! [%csl Gf4][%cal Ge2f4] } ) ( 6. h4 { [%csl Gh4][%cal Gh2h4] } 6... h6 { [%csl Gh6][%cal Gh7h6] } 7. Nf3 { [%csl Gf3][%cal Gg1f3] } 7... Nd7 { [%csl Gd7][%cal Gb8d7] } 8. h5 { [%csl Gh5][%cal Gh4h5] } 8... Bh7 { [%csl Gh7][%cal Gg6h7] } 9. Bd3 { [%csl Gd3][%cal Gf1d3] } 9... Bxd3 { [%csl Gd3][%cal Gh7d3] } 10. Qxd3 { [%csl Gd3][%cal Gd1d3] } 10... e6 { [%csl Ge6][%cal Ge7e6] } 11. Bf4 { [%csl Gf4][%cal Gc1f4] } ( 11. Bd2 { In other words, this is the major route.
White is getting ready to cast on the queen's side.
It seems natural to launch a kingside pawn storm given our previous experience with h2-h4-h5. With 11...Ngf6 or 11...Be7, Black may continue to improve his position.
At that point, you can only castle on the king's side. Later, when both sides are trying to advance their pawns to the area of the opposing king, a fierce conflict ensues.
To counter this, Black may attempt a queen-side castle with 11...Qc7, gaining control of the b8-h2 diagonal; then, with 12...O-O-O, he can try to take the initiative. [%csl Gd2][%cal Gc1d2] } 11... Ngf6 { [%csl Gf6][%cal Gg8f6] } 12. O-O-O { [%csl Gc1][%cal Ge1c1] } 12... Be7 { [%csl Ge7][%cal Gf8e7] } 13. Qe2 { [%csl Ge2][%cal Gd3e2] } ( 13. Kb1 { [%csl Gb1][%cal Gc1b1] } 13... Qb6 { [%csl Gb6][%cal Gd8b6] } 14. Ne4 { Trying to get rid of black's major defences on the kingside to get a upper hand on white's assault on the kingside. [%csl Ge4,Gf6][%cal Gg3e4,Ge4f6] } 14... Nxe4 { [%csl Ge4][%cal Gf6e4] } 15. Qxe4 { [%csl Ge4][%cal Gd3e4] } 15... Nf6 { [%csl Gf6][%cal Gd7f6] } 16. Qe2 { [%csl Ge2][%cal Ge4e2] } 16... Qb5 { Offering a queen trade. Of course, the doubled b-pawns are a strength
since it claims the d5 square for your knight and the open c-file. [%csl Gb5][%cal Gb6b5] } 17. c4 { [%csl Gc4][%cal Gc2c4] } 17... Qf5+ { [%csl Gf5,Gb1][%cal Gb5f5,Gf5b1] } 18. Ka1 { [%csl Ga1][%cal Gb1a1] } 18... Rd8 { [%csl Gd8][%cal Ga8d8] } ) ( 13. Ne4 { [%csl Ge4][%cal Gg3e4] } 13... Nxe4 { [%csl Ge4][%cal Gf6e4] } 14. Qxe4 { [%csl Ge4][%cal Gd3e4] } 14... Nf6 { [%csl Gf6][%cal Gd7f6] } 15. Qe2 { [%csl Ge2][%cal Ge4e2] } 15... Qd5 { White plays Qd5 to avoid any tactical sequences with d5 thrust for white and also threatening to take white's a2 pawn. [%csl Gd5,Ga2][%cal Gd8d5,Gd5a2] } 16. c4 $5 { The moment white plays c4, white is inviting black to attack white's queenside. Pawn to c4 straight up weaken white's king safety. [%csl Gc4][%cal Gc2c4] } 16... Qe4 { [%csl Ge4][%cal Gd5e4] } 17. Qxe4 { [%csl Ge4][%cal Ge2e4] } 17... Nxe4 { [%csl Ge4][%cal Gf6e4] } 18. Be3 { [%csl Ge3][%cal Gd2e3] } 18... f5 { An even keel has been reached here. This is favorable for black
Since Bxf4 Nxf2 forks the two rooks, f4 is the primary danger at the moment. [%csl Gf5][%cal Gf7f5] } ) 13... O-O { [%csl Gg8][%cal Ge8g8] } 14. Nf1 { Retreats back the knight on the 1st rank to fuel white's attack on the kingside. [%csl Gf1,Gg4,Gh2,Gg5][%cal Gg3f1,Gg2g4,Gf1h2,Gg4g5,Gh2g4] } 14... Nb6 { [%csl Gb6][%cal Gd7b6] } 15. g4 { [%csl Gg4][%cal Gg2g4] } 15... Qd5 { [%csl Gd5][%cal Gd8d5] } 16. Kb1 { [%csl Gb1][%cal Gc1b1] } 16... Qb5 { Trying to keep the position equal by exchanging queens. [%csl Gb5][%cal Gd5b5] } ) 11... Bb4+ { [%csl Gb4][%cal Gf8b4] } ( 11... Qa5+ { This move asks White to play c3. This stops White's hopes of castling queenside, and thus ends his kingside attack. However white usually gains the upper hand in here since white's attack usually remains undisturbed on the kinside. [%csl Ga5][%cal Gd8a5] } 12. Bd2 Bb4 { [%csl Gb4][%cal Gf8b4] } 13. c3 { The moment white plays c3 this pretty much weakens white's king safety if white ever castles on the queenside. Thus white is discouraged to castle queenside or otherwise be hit with something like h5 g5! [%csl Gc3,Gb5,Ga5,Gc1][%cal Gc2c3,Ga7a5,Gb7b5,Ge1c1] } 13... Be7 { [%csl Ge7][%cal Gb4e7] } 14. c4 { [%csl Gc4][%cal Gc3c4] } 14... Qc7 { [%csl Gc7][%cal Ga5c7] } 15. d5 { [%csl Gd5][%cal Gd4d5] } 15... cxd5 { [%csl Gd5][%cal Gc6d5] } 16. cxd5 { [%csl Gd5][%cal Gc4d5] } 16... Qd6 { [%csl Gd6][%cal Gc7d6] } 17. Qb5 { [%csl Gb5][%cal Gd3b5] } 17... Nf6 { [%csl Gf6,Gd5][%cal Gg8f6,Gf6d5] } 18. dxe6 { [%csl Ge6][%cal Gd5e6] } 18... Qxe6+ { [%csl Ge6][%cal Gd6e6] } 19. Kf1 { [%csl Gf1][%cal Ge1f1] } 19... O-O { [%csl Gg8][%cal Ge8g8] } ) 12. c3 { [%csl Gc3][%cal Gc2c3] } 12... Be7 { [%csl Ge7][%cal Gb4e7] } 13. O-O-O { [%csl Gc1][%cal Ge1c1] } ( 13. O-O $5 { Whats the point of launching a pawn storm on the kingside only for white to castle? This would effectively weaken white's assault on the kingside and it's pretty much postponed for now. [%csl Gg1][%cal Ge1g1] } 13... Ngf6 { [%csl Gf6][%cal Gg8f6] } 14. c4 { [%csl Gc4][%cal Gc3c4] } 14... O-O { [%csl Gg8,Ga5][%cal Ge8g8,Ga7a5] } ) 13... Ngf6 { [%csl Gf6][%cal Gg8f6] } 14. Kb1 { [%csl Gb1][%cal Gc1b1] } 14... a5 { Arry the A pawn trying to bust open white's queenside! Attack like you've never done before! [%csl Ga5][%cal Ga7a5] } 15. Ne4 { [%csl Ge4][%cal Gg3e4] } ( 15. c4 a4 16. Ne4 Nxe4 17. Qxe4 a3 18. b3 Nf6 19. Qc2 ) 15... Nxe4 { [%csl Ge4][%cal Gf6e4] } 16. Qxe4 a4 { [%csl Ga4][%cal Ga5a4] } 17. Ne5 { [%csl Ge5][%cal Gf3e5] } 17... a3 { [%csl Ga3][%cal Ga4a3] } 18. b3 { [%csl Gb3][%cal Gb2b3] } 18... Nf6 { [%csl Gf6][%cal Gd7f6] } 19. Qf3 { [%csl Gf3][%cal Ge4f3] } 19... Qd5 { [%csl Gd5][%cal Gd7d5] } ) 6... Nf6 { [%csl Gf6][%cal Gg8f6] } 7. Nf4 { [%csl Gf4][%cal Gh3f4] } 7... e5 { [%csl Ge5][%cal Ge7e5] } 8. dxe5 { [%csl Ge5][%cal Gd4e5] } 8... Qa5+ { [%csl Ga5][%cal Gd8a5] } 9. c3 { [%csl Gc3][%cal Gc2c3] } 9... Qxe5+ { [%csl Ge5][%cal Ga5e5] } *