[Event "The Caro Kann Defence: Complete Repertoire: DO's and DON'TS - Black's Perspective  - Middlegame Plan #1"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/ZziYzSGs/5mm2NYJT"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Do's and Don'ts - Black's Perspective"]
[Black "Middlegame Plan #1"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/ShreksGonGiveItToYa"]
[ECO "B11"]
[Opening "Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack, Mindeno Variation"]
[UTCDate "2022.11.09"]
[UTCTime "07:18:10"]
[Variant "Standard"]

{ Welcome to my series of "Do's and Don'ts". Got this from other courses's blueprint from Chessable. In here I've selected ten games which I find very instructive and could give you some middlegame plans and insights on what to do versus what not to do. } 1. e4 { [%csl Ge4][%cal Ge2e4] } 1... c6 { With the Caro-Kann, Black foregoes central control in favour of more manageable growth.
The queen's bishop may still move freely, unlike the French position, but the knight can no longer occupy the c6 square.
In order to gain an edge in the endgame, Black typically seeks to allow White's pawns overextend or establish a bad structure.
Now that White has no real obstacles to establishing a solid central position, they should play 2. d4.
Bobby Fischer will sometimes follow with his 2. Nf3 with 3. Nc3. [%csl Gc6][%cal Gc7c6] } 2. Nc3 { [%csl Gc3][%cal Gb1c3] } 2... d5 { This could either transpose to the Exchange Variation. But white usually play Nf3 here leading to a "Two Knights Attack" variant. [%csl Gd5][%cal Gd7d5] } 3. Nf3 { These are the moves that characterise the Two Knights Variation.
Black has a few options available to him in this predicament.
The move 3...Nf6 is discussed in detail here since it is a strong practical alternative when playing for all three outcomes. } 3... Bg4 { [%csl Gg4][%cal Gc8g4] } 4. Be2 { [%csl Ge2][%cal Gf1e2] } 4... Bxf3 { [%csl Gf3][%cal Gg4f3] } 5. Bxf3 { [%csl Gf3][%cal Ge2f3] } 5... e6 { [%csl Ge6][%cal Ge7e6] } 6. d4 { [%csl Gd4][%cal Gd2d4] } 6... Ne7 $6 { White is pressing hard on d5, preventing black from releasing his knight on b8.
Black has to play Ne7 first before he could play c5. Black's goal in here is to play something like Nd7 and then Nf6, Qb6. Keep in mind that Ne7?! Is not a good move since this would effectively cram black's position. Instead play Be7, Nf6, if e5 then Nd7, there comes c5! [%csl Ge7][%cal Gg8e7] } ( 6... Be7 { Be7 was a better move in here. But it seems to me that black mixed up theory and got himself in a bad place. [%csl Ge7][%cal Gf8e7] } 7. O-O { [%csl Gg1][%cal Ge1g1] } 7... Nf6 { [%csl Gf6][%cal Gg8f6] } 8. e5 { [%csl Ge5][%cal Ge4e5] } 8... Nfd7 { [%csl Gd7][%cal Gf6d7] } 9. Ne2 { [%csl Ge2][%cal Gc3e2] } 9... c5 { [%csl Gc5][%cal Gc6c5] } ) 7. Bg5 { Black's plans to play c5 followed by Nc6 were shattered when black was by then pinned via Bg5. This affectively removes a potential defender from the d5 square. [%csl Gg5][%cal Gc3d5,Ge7d5,Gf3d5,Gg5e7,Gc1g5,Gd7d5] } ( 7. Qe2 { [%csl Ge2][%cal Gd1e2] } 7... Nd7 { [%csl Gd7][%cal Gb8d7] } 8. O-O { [%csl Gg1][%cal Ge1g1] } 8... Nf6 { [%csl Gf6][%cal Gd7f6] } 9. Bg5 { [%csl Gg5][%cal Gc1g5] } 9... Qb6 { [%csl Gb6][%cal Gd8b6] } 10. Rfd1 { [%csl Gd1][%cal Gf1d1] } ) 7... h6 { Black wants to get rid of the dark square bishop. But surely enough white decided to keep the standpoint on black's knight via e7. [%csl Gh6][%cal Gh7h6] } 8. Bh4 { [%csl Gh4][%cal Gg5h4] } 8... Qb6 { Not only does this threaten Qxb3 (Which black doesn't usually play due to white's industrial level of advantageous attack.) It also supports the c5! Thrust. [%csl Rb1,Gb6,Rb3][%cal Gd8b6,Rb2b3,Ra1b1] } 9. b3 $2 { This is the point at which everything started to alter. During the debriefing, I said that I had written down some questions to ask him concerning the B3 push.After giving it some consideration, he seemed to concur that he had just failed to see the obvious connection between. White was worried about his b3 pawn. He didn't seem to like Rb1 since the rook seems misplaced. [%csl Gb3][%cal Gb2b3] } ( 9. Rb1 { [%csl Gb1][%cal Ga1b1] } 9... Qa6 { [%csl Ga6] } 10. a3 { to easily block the b pawn threat. [%csl Ga3][%cal Ga2a3] } ) 9... Ng6 { "Before beginning, I made a pact with myself that I would force myself to spend a longer amount of time to think about the next action I should do. This is the point when the investment began to bear fruit. I saw that move Ng6 produced a relative fork between the bishop that white had in the darker squares and the knight that was on c3 (or a found assault, etc). Only one of the parts was salvageable for him." [%csl Gg6][%cal Ge7g6,Gf8b4,Gg6h4] } 10. Bg3 { [%csl Gg3][%cal Gh4g3] } 10... Bb4 { "I was successful in gaining a piece when white's dark-squared bishop was forced to retreat from the board." [%csl Gb4][%cal Gf8b4,Gb4e1] } 11. O-O { [%csl Gg1][%cal Ge1g1] } 11... Bxc3 { [%csl Gc3][%cal Gb4c3] } 12. Rb1 { [%csl Gb1] } 12... Bxd4 { White is just getting ripped apart in here. Down a piece but white decided to continue fighting. Keep in mind that in position where you are down a piece. I think it would be appropriate if you would avoid exchanging pieces since this would simplify the game thus the inevitable defeat would have been obvious. [%csl Gd4][%cal Gc3d4] } ( 12... Qxd4 { [%csl Gd4][%cal Gb6d4] } 13. Qxd4 { [%csl Gd4][%cal Gd1d4] } 13... Bxd4 { [%csl Gd4][%cal Gc3d4] } ) 13. Bd6 { [%csl Re5,Gd6][%cal Gg3d6,Rg6e5,Rd4e5] } 13... Be5 { [%csl Ge5][%cal Gd4e5] } ( 13... Ne5 { [%csl Ge5][%cal Gg6e5] } 14. Bxe5 { [%csl Ge5][%cal Gd6e5] } 14... Bxe5 { [%cal Gd4e5] } ) 14. Bxe5 { Exchanging pieces is once again beneficial for black since this would simplify the position and takes out white's fuel in finding some attacking chances despite down a piece. [%csl Ge5][%cal Gd6e5] } ( 14. Ba3 { [%csl Ga3,Ge5][%cal Gd6a3] } 14... Qa5 { [%csl Ga5][%cal Gb6a5] } 15. Bb2 { [%csl Gb2][%cal Ga3b2] } 15... Bxb2 { [%csl Gb2][%cal Ge5b2] } 16. Rxb2 { Doesn't matter, black is just up a piece in here. [%csl Gb2][%cal Gb1b2] } ) 14... Nxe5 { [%csl Ge5][%cal Gg6e5] } 15. exd5 { [%csl Gd5][%cal Ge4d5] } 15... Nxf3+ { [%csl Gf3][%cal Ge5f3] } 16. Qxf3 { [%csl Gf3][%cal Gd1f3] } 16... cxd5 { [%csl Gd5][%cal Gc6d5] } 17. Rfe1 { [%csl Ge1][%cal Gf1e1] } 17... O-O { [%csl Gg8][%cal Ge8g8] } 18. Rbd1 { [%csl Gd1][%cal Gb1d1] } 18... Na6 { This is a fantastic step in my opinion.
If I am successful in making Nb4 work, I will let myself to threaten the pawns on a and c, while also protecting the pawn I have on d.
In addition to this, it allows the rooks to communicate with one another and prevents the queen's defence of the e pawn from being hindered. [%csl Ga6][%cal Gb8a6] } 19. Re3 { [%csl Ge3][%cal Ge1e3] } 19... Nb4 { [%csl Gb4][%cal Ga6b4] } 20. c4 { No more contemplating, white's effort in trying to find counter play is obviously short-lived. [%csl Gc4][%cal Gc2c4] } 20... Rad8 { [%csl Gd8][%cal Ga8d8] } 21. cxd5 { [%csl Gd5][%cal Gc4d5] } 21... Rxd5 { [%csl Gd5][%cal Gd8d5] } 22. Rxd5 { [%csl Gd5][%cal Gd1d5] } 22... Nxd5 { [%csl Gd5][%cal Gb4d5] } 23. Rd3 { [%csl Gd3][%cal Ge3d3] } 23... Qa5 { Black is threatening to deliver checkmate if white misses this. [%csl Ga2,Ga5][%cal Gb6a5,Ga5e1,Ga5a2] } 24. g3 { [%csl Gg3][%cal Gg2g3] } 24... Qxa2 { [%csl Ga2][%cal Ga5a2] } 25. Rd4 { White's last nail to his coffin. Qa1+ with a fork on the king and rook. Game has been decided. [%csl Gd4][%cal Gd3d4] } 25... Qa1+ { [%csl Ga1][%cal Ga2a1] } 26. Kg2 { [%csl Gg2][%cal Gg1g2] } 26... Qxd4 { 0-1, tedgecco 1191 - AndyPridmore 1224, Live Chess, Chess.com, 2022.09.22 [%csl Gd4][%cal Ga1d4] } 0-1