Carro-Kann?

I have heard a lot of good stuff about this opening.
What exactly is it?
Have you got a textbook example of it in action?

Originally posted by crec2k
I have heard a lot of good stuff about this opening.
What exactly is it?
Have you got a textbook example of it in action?

There's good and bad regarding the Caro. Plus there are a few variations based upon White's third move. For example, if white plays the advance variation, 3. e5, get used to being cramped as black for quite a while. :-)

My advice is to check out the site listed in the post above by hypermo, maybe buy a book or two for someone just starting out with it, and then play,play, play it every chance you get.

If you can learn to get through the middle game in cramped positions, make some simplifying exchanges, and keep your pawn structure in tact, then you'll usually end up loving the endgame. But if you are an aggressive attacking player looking for opportunities to attack as black early, forget it.

Here's a link to about a gazillion games that use the Caro:
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessopening?eco=B10

Good luck!

The Caro-Kann is Black's most solid defense to 1.e4 but the main lines allow White to dictate.

I prefer these sideshoots :
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 g6 idea 4.Nf3 Bg4;
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 idea 4.Nc3 Qc8!? (played by Seirawan);
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 g6 (Gurgenidze's System);
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 g6

& the transpositional 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6 & 4...d5.

Originally posted by jpmoldovan
The Caro-Kann is Black's most solid defense to 1.e4 but the main lines allow White to dictate.

I prefer these sideshoots :
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 g6 idea 4.Nf3 Bg4;
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 idea 4.Nc3 Qc8!? (played by Seirawan);
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 g6 (Gurgenidze's System);
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 g6

& the transpositional 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6 & 4...d5.

Originally posted by hypermo2001
why Qc8 in Seirawan's line??