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Classical Variation

Caro-Kann Defense

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5

Black trades in the center and develops the bishop to f5 before it gets locked in.

Fun fact: The Classical Variation is also known as the Capablanca Variation, after the world champion José Raúl Capablanca. Source

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The idea

After 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4, Black develops the bishop with 4...Bf5, attacking the knight. This is exactly what the Caro-Kann is designed for: the bishop is outside the pawn chain before Black plays ...e6.

White has a central pawn on d4 against Black's on e6 later, so White has a bit more space. Black's position has no weaknesses.

Plans for White

The main move is 5.Ng3, attacking the bishop and gaining time. White follows with h4 and h5, pushing the bishop back to h7 and gaining space on the kingside.

White often castles queenside and plays for an attack, using the extra space on the kingside.

Plans for Black

Retreat the bishop to g6, and when White plays h4, answer with ...h6 so the bishop has h7 to go to. Then develop with ...Nd7, ...e6, ...Ngf6 and ...Be7 or ...Bd6.

Later, ...c5 challenges White's d4 pawn and gives Black's pieces more room.

Watch out for

For Black, the main danger is the bishop running out of squares. Once White has played h4 and h5, the bishop on g6 needs h7, so don't block it in, and trade it on d3 when White offers.

For White, the danger is overextending. The pawn on h5 gains space, but it can become a weakness in the endgame. If Black's position holds, the trades that follow usually help Black.

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