November Camp - Caro-Kann Defence - Pawn Structures, Tactical Ideas, Endgames, and Theoretical Trends.
Introduction and Free Preview
The camp dedicated to the Caro-Kann Defence is already a digital product. This product includes all the videos from the workshop as well as the PGN file related to the training sessions. Overall, the material consists of approximately 10 hours of video and a PGN database which includes 126 files!
You will find the following lectures:
Master the Caro-Kann Exchange Structure - GM Davorin Kuljasevic
Modern Theoretical Trends - GM Pavel Eljanov
Master the Caro-Kann Endgames - GM Grigor Grigorov
Master the Structure Arising after 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6 exf6 - GM Ivan Cheparinov
Typical Structures in the Advance Variation - GM Swapnil Dhopade
Typical Attacking and Tactical Ideas - GM Petar Arnaudov
Q&A Session with GM Grigor Grigorov and GM Petar Arnaudov
In this article, we will briefly present some interesting moments taken from the lectures.
Master the Caro-Kann Exchange Structure - GM Davorin Kuljasevic
In this lecture GM Kuljasevic presents the typical ideas in the Caro-Kann exchange structure. This structure arises in the variation 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5.
As it becomes clear, we have a Carlsbad structure with colours reversed. The same structure often arises in the highly topical London System. Therefore, besides improving your knowledge of the Caro-Kann, this lecture will improve your understanding of a wide range of openings.
The lecture consists of 14 model games and 15 test positions. Additionally, GM Kuljasevic provides extensively annotated solutions to the test positions.
Below, you can take a look at one of the model games.
Modern Theoretical Trends - GM Pavel Eljanov
In this lecture, GM Eljanov provides extremely throughout overview of two fashionable systems:
1) Two Knight's Variation - 1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3
The two knights variation has become an increasingly popular approach for White against the Caro-Kann these days. It usually leads to less theoretically less explored positions compared to the advanced variation (3.e5) and open variation (3.Nc3/Nd2), but still with chances for White to obtain an advantage out of the opening.
2) 1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3
This is another topical variation against the Caro-Kann these days. This modest-looking move was completely unknown in high-level opening theory for many years. It leads to unexplored territories very early in the game. The point is that White keeps the pawn on e4, unlike in most other Caro-Kann variations, so the usual ...Bf5 is not possible here. In case of the most principled continuation 3...dxe4 and the subsequent queen exchange, the endgame is not as harmless as it might seem at first. White has found some ideas to obtain a nagging advantage in the endgame based on the superfluous move ...c6, which potentially weakens the dark squares on the queenside. Therefore, Black needs to know what he is doing there.
GM Eljanov provides almost a complete Black repertoire against these two lines. Additionally, he suggests a number of interesting ideas for White as well.
Master the Caro-Kann Endgames - GM Grigor Grigorov
The Caro-Kann Defence is famous with the endgames which are usually favourable for Black. In this lecture, GM Grigorov mainly focuses on the pawn structure arising in the line 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5. The idea of this approach is to avoid repetitions since the other structures have been covered by the other lecturers.
In the lecture, GM Grigorov examines many modifications of the main pawn structure:
Structure 1
Structure 2
Structure 3
Structure 4
Additionally, the author covers the so-called "light square strategy" in Caro-Kann endgames.
The lecture consists of 15 extensively annotated model games.
Master the Structure Arising after 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6 exf6 - GM Ivan Cheparinov
In this lecture, GM Cheparinov deals with the structure arising after 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6 exf6
This recapture was not so popular back in the 'classical' era of chess because of White's better pawn structure. It has been widely considered as suspicious for Black because White has a clear pawn majority on the queenside in the endgame. However, nowadays strong engines have overruled this rather superficial verdict and provided us with a better understanding of this interesting structure. Many top-level players, including Magnus Carlsen, have used this system for Black, showing that it is a good practical choice. This is especially true when one plays for a win with black pieces. Strategically, this recapture allows Black to strengthen his control over some important central squares, such as e5 or even e4 later. The pawn mass of 4 pawns on the kingside also insulates the black king from many attacking possibilities once Black castles kingside. The recapture with the e-pawn allows him to quickly complete his development with. ..Bd6 and ...0-0 and then control the center with his pieces rather than the pawns. It is also important to note that Black can sometimes even play for a win in the endgame, especially if he is able to block the opponent's pawns with the help of c6-b5-a4 pawn chain.
The lecture consists of 7 extensively annotated model games.
Below, you shall take a look at one of them.
Typical Structures in the Advance Variation - GM Swapnil Dhopade
The Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann Defence arises after 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5
Swapnil introduces the subject in the following way:
I have been playing the Caro-Kann Defence since the start of my career as a chess player, right until I attained my Grandmaster
title. As a staunch adherent of the Caro-Kann Defence, I have tested practically every line with the black pieces and dealt with various white options from the black pieces. With all honesty, I must confess that the Advanced Variation was the toughest one to understand and play against. Many structures are arising from this variation, and the play in all of them is normally quite complex. The engine is of limited help in this variation for players who have little experience in this Caro-Kann Defence. The engine might show huge plus for white in some strategical position, while in fact, it is just better for black. Therefore, it makes sense to grasp the essence of any variation, study the structures arising in that variation. When we say study the Pawn Structure, we mean we need to know the typical plans for both the sides, intricate manoeuvrings, essential pawn breaks, etc. When we have an excellent knowledge of the above, we can play confidently and handle unknown situations much better.
The article consists of 11 model games (featuring 8 pawn structures) and 10 test positions.
Typical Attacking and Tactical Ideas - GM Petar Arnaudov
In this lecture, GM Arnaudov presents the typical attacking and tactical ideas in Caro-Kann Defence. He uses examples which are taken from different systems. Petar goes for a balanced approach, providing examples both for White and Black.
The lecture consists of 10 model games, 6 typical tactical ideas and 2 test positions.
Below, you can see one of the model games.