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Caro-Kann Defence (Classical)

Black supports ...d5 with ...c6 and develops the light-squared bishop outside the pawn chain before playing ...e6. Rock-solid, a favourite of Karpov.

Intermediate · Other answers to 1.e4 · 21 steps. On Chess Castles, Chess Guru reads each step aloud in English, Hindi or Marathi while the moves play on the board, and you can practise any position against the engine.

Step 1

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position

Caro-Kann Defence (Classical) (B19). You play Black. Black supports ...d5 with ...c6 and develops the light-squared bishop outside the pawn chain before playing ...e6. Rock-solid, a favourite of Karpov.

Step 2

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 1.e4

White plays pawn to e4. It takes a centre square (e4). It opens a line for the queen on d1. It opens a line for the bishop on f1. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 46% of 3.9 million games.

Step 3

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 1...c6

Black plays pawn to c6. It controls the centre (d5). It opens a line for the queen on d8. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 9% of 1.8 million games.

Step 4

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 2.d4

White plays pawn to d4. It takes a centre square (d4). It opens a line for the bishop on c1. It opens a line for the queen on d1. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 77% of 163k games.

Step 5

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 2...d5

Black plays pawn to d5. It takes a centre square (d5). It opens a line for the bishop on c8. It opens a line for the queen on d8. It challenges the opponent's pawns. It attacks the pawn on e4. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 97% of 125k games.

Step 6

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 3.Nc3

White plays knight to c3. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e4, d5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 25% of 122k games.

Step 7

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 3...dxe4

Black plays pawn takes e4. It captures the pawn on e4. It takes a centre square (e4). It gains space. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 93% of 32k games.

Step 8

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 4.Nxe4

White plays knight takes e4. It captures the pawn on e4. It takes a centre square (e4). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 99% of 29k games.

Step 9

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 4...Bf5

Black plays bishop to f5. It develops the bishop into the game. It controls the centre (e4). It attacks the knight on e4. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 51% of 44k games.

Step 10

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 5.Ng3

White plays knight to g3. It controls the centre (e4). It attacks the bishop on f5. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 95% of 23k games.

Step 11

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 5...Bg6

Black plays bishop to g6. It controls the centre (e4). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 100% of 21k games.

Step 12

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 6.h4

White plays pawn to h4. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 62% of 22k games.

Step 13

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 6...h6

Black plays pawn to h6. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 100% of 13k games.

Step 14

♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 7.Nf3

White plays knight to f3. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (d4, e5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 82% of 13k games.

Step 15

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♞︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 7...Nd7

Black plays knight to d7. It develops the knight into the game. It controls the centre (e5). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 80% of 11k games.

Step 16

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 8.h5

White plays pawn to h5. It gains space. It attacks the bishop on g6. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 94% of 11k games.

Step 17

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 8...Bh7

Black plays bishop to h7. It controls the centre (e4). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 100% of 9834 games.

Step 18

♜︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 9.Bd3

White plays bishop to d3. It develops the bishop into the game. It controls the centre (e4). Now castling is possible. Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 100% of 11k games.

Step 19

♜︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 9...Bxd3

Black plays bishop takes d3. It captures the bishop on d3. It controls the centre (e4). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 99% of 10k games.

Step 20

♜︎♚︎♛︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♝︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 10.Qxd3

White plays queen takes d3. It captures the bishop on d3. It controls the centre (d4, e4). Strong players (2000+) chose this move in 100% of 11k games.

Step 21

♜︎♚︎♝︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♞︎♛︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♞︎♝︎♚︎♛︎♜︎
The position

This is the main position of the Caro-Kann Defence (Classical). Now practise it against the engine: choose a strength and play on from here.

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