4. Model Game – Nepomniachtchi vs Carlsen
In the Classical Variation with 3.Nc3 (or 3.Nd2), White develops his knight and protects the e4-pawn. Since Black does not have a reliable way to keep the tension – true, moves like 3…g6, 3…b5, or even 3…a6 do exist, but these are more suitable as surprise weapons – we get the following position after 3…dxe4 4.Nxe4.
White controls more space, while Black has a solid position. The character of the game is primarily defined by which option the second player chooses on move four:
With the “old” move 4…Nd7 (a favourite of World Champion Anatoly Karpov), Black prepares to develop with …Ngf6 without accepting doubled pawns. In practice, this is most often met with 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.Ng5!? – White can avoid the exchange of knights, because 6…h6?! runs into 7.Ne6!.
By playing 4…Bf5 (already used with success by Capablanca), Black immediately attacks the knight on e4 and solves the problem of developing his light-squared bishop. In the main line 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4, White’s play is based on grabbing as much space as possible and exploiting it long-term.
The direct 4…Nf6!?, sometimes called the Tartakower Variation, is the currently most popular option. Following 5.Nxf6 exf6 (5…gxf6?! is dubious by modern standards), we get an intriguing pawn structure that we will examine more closely in a second:
The characteristic structure of the line 4…Nf6 5.Nxf6 exf6
This pawn formation has been widely considered to be inferior for Black up until the new millennium. White has a mobile pawn majority on the queenside. In contrast, Black’s majority on the kingside is hampered by his doubled f-pawns (we see an analogous scenario in the Exchange Variation of the Ruy Lopez). Yet, there are some significant advantages inherent in the black position to compensate for this:
While the pure pawn endgame would indeed be lost, because of the inability to create a passed pawn on the kingside, the evaluation of the position in the middle- and endgame depends on the subtleties of the position. Let’s look at some examples, demonstrating typical stratagems:
Abdumalik,Z - Kosteniuk,A, chess24.com INT 2020
A position typical for the line with 6.c3. 15...Bb8! Thanks to the pawn on h4, the plan of building a queen and bishop battery is strong. 16.Rfe1 Qc7 17.f4 White has parried the threat at the cost of weakening her king position. Now, 17...a6! would have been best - preparing ...b5 with a reasonable game. In the game, Black went astray with 17...Ng6? , which allowed a strong breakthrough in the centre. 18.d5! cxd5 19.cxd5 Bxd5? 20.Bxg6+- 1-0 (42).
So,W - Caruana,F, Chess.com INT 2021
White could have gone for the thematic central breakthrough 18.d5! with the point that after 18...cxd5 White can go for the positional pawn sacrifice 19.c5! White creates a protected passed pawn on the c-file, while the d5-pawn will most likely fall. For example, 19...Qd7 20.b4 Qc6 21.Rd3 Rcd8 22.Red1 White will retrieve the sacrificed pawn and remain with a clear positional advantage. Note that 19.cxd5 (instead of 19.c5!) is less strong due to 19...Re5 20.Qd3 Ne8! with a solid blockade.
Nepomniachtchi,I - Xue,H, Samarkand (Blitz Wch) 2023
Black must use his kingside majority - 29...g5!, followed by ...h5, would have offered sufficient counterplay. In this way, Black ensures the mobility of his kingside pawns. One possible plan to follow: ...h5-h4, and if White takes on h4, then Black obtains counterplay via the g-file. In the game, Xue went for 29...h5?, which allowed White to fix the kingside structure with 30.h4! Now, Black cannot easily mobilise his pawn majority.
Karjakin,S - Jobava,B, Tashkent FIDE GP Tashkent, 2014
Finally, an example demonstrating Black’s chances if White develops without following a clear plan. 16...Bxh3! Jobava unleashes a promising piece sacrifice. Though Black is not winning after this, White is under some pressure. 17.gxh3 Qxh3 18.Bxg6! The only move - Black was threatening ...Qxf3 and also ...Nh4! 18...hxg6 19.Re3 g5! Black had a draw in his pocket (19…Bf4 20.Rd3 Qg4+ 21.Kf1 Qh3+ 22.Kg1 Qg4+), but decides to keep attacking, ultimately winning a great game.
The pawn structures after 4…Nd7 and 4…Bf5 are identical, but after the latter, the pawn moves h4-h5 and …h6 often occur. In the above position, White’s main hopes to gain the upper hand lie in exploiting his space advantage and using the outpost on e5, which can, at the right moment, be occupied by a knight. Black concentrates on finishing his development and freeing his game with …c5. During the next moves, he would like to play …Ngf6, exchange the knight on e4, and put his other knight on f6, followed by developing the light-squared bishop to f5 or g4. If White prevents this by moving the knight from e4, leaving the d7-knight blocking the bishop, Black will activate the c8-bishop with …b6, …Bb7, …c5. Once …c5 is achieved, we may get the following structure:
This is a universal pawn formation that can be reached via different openings. White has a pawn majority on the queenside versus Black’s majority on the kingside. In ancient textbooks, such positions were often considered advantageous for White. However, the evaluation depends on several factors, like the control of the open d-file, the mobility of the pawns, the activity of the pieces, etc. White may hope for an advantage in the endgame due to the possibility of creating a distant passed pawn on the queenside. If Black has a normal, active position, he can generate counterchances by active piece play, advancing his majority, or, in some cases, go for a minority attack.
Andreikin,D - Sjugirov,S, Moscow 2012
This example demonstrates the importance of challenging a white knight on e5. In the game, Black was lost after just two more moves: 11...0-0?! 12.Ngf3 a6? Black cannot afford to lose a valuable tempo. He had to try 12...Nbd7; for example, 13.0-0 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 b6 with good chances to equalise. 13.g4! White can start a direct attack and does not even need to castle. 13...Nbd5 14.Rg1!? The straightforward 14.g5 hxg5 15.Bxg5 also gives White good chances of a successful attack. 14...Bb4+ 15.Kf1 (15.c3?? Nxc3) 15...Be7 16.g5 hxg5 17.Nxg5. All the white pieces take part in the attack, and he scored a convincing win.
Instead of playing 11…0-0, challenging the e5-knight was a priority: 11...Bd6 (Black can also start with 11…Nbd7) 12.Ngf3 Qc7 13.Bd2 Nbd7, or 13.0-0 0-0 14.Re1 Nbd7 15.Bf4 b6, and Black finishes his development and obtains satisfactory play.
Ganguly,S - Iturrizaga Bonelli,E, Dubai 2018
White controls more space and has the pair of bishops, while Black is solid. The player with the black pieces found an excellent way to neutralise the advantage of the two bishops - 20...Qf8! Black prepares ...Bh6. 21.Rcd1 Bh6 22.Bxh6 Qxh6 Black is comfortably equal. White no longer has the pair of bishops and is also missing his dark-squared bishop in the defence of d4. 23.Qe5 Qg7 24.Qg5 Ne8! The knight is headed for f5, increasing the pressure against d4 with ample counterplay – Black went on to win this game.
Savchenko,B - Riazantsev,A, RUS-chT blitz Sochi 2017
In this position, Black cannot put his kingside majority into motion, but he can strike on the wing where White is supposed to be stronger: Riazantsev played the instructive 25...b5! By deflecting the c4-pawn, Black gets access to the important d5-square. 26.cxb5 axb5 27.a4 bxa4 28.bxa4 Ra8 Now, Black is even slightly better because the a4-pawn is a weakness (Black can increase the pressure by means of ...Ra5, ...Ra8 and ...Qa7).
The inclusion of the moves h4-h5 for White and …h6 for Black brings fresh nuances into the position. By advancing the h-pawn, White has increased his advantage in space on the kingside, and the presence of a pawn on …h6 offers White some attacking possibilities in case Black castles kingside (still, …0-0, leading to a sharp battle, is played in the main line). The pawn on h5 also provides some long-term chances:
De Firmian,N - Dreev,A, SWE-chT 2003
This endgame is slightly inferior for Black – to hold it, he has to be familiar with an important principle: Keep the piece that can attack the white kingside pawns! Therefore, Black's best strategy would be to exchange his bishop for the white knight. 28...Bc7! 29.Kc2 Bxe5 30.Bxe5 Nd7 31.Bc3 f5! This typical advance is the cornerstone of Black's counterplay. Next comes ...Kf7, followed by. ..g7-g6 with enough counterplay. In the game, Dreev opted for 28...Nh7?!, preparing the thematic ... f7-f5. After 29.Kc2 f5, White could have started advancing his queenside pawns with 30.b4, which offered good winning chances. For example, 30…Nf6 31.a4 fxg4 32.fxg4 Bc7 33.Nd3 Nd7 34.a5 Kf7 35.Nf2!, preparing to transfer the knight to e4 - Black would have had a difficult time defending this.
Vignesh,NR - Svane,R, Sharjah Masters 2017
Black should decide how to deal with the pressure against g7. GM Svane played the best move 23...Nf6!, accepting doubled pawns. In the arising rook endgame after 24.Nxf6 Bxf6 25.Bxf6 gxf6, Black wants to proceed with ...Rg8 and ...f6-f5, when the potential weakness of the h5-pawn offsets the doubled f-pawns.
Anisimov,P - Riazantsev,A, EU-ch 11th Rijeka 2010
Apart from attacking the centre with …c5, there’s also the motif of generating counterplay on the light squares. Riazantsev went for 22...b5! A typical way of attacking a structure with pawns on d4 and c4. Black aims to utilise the d5-square after provoking the advance c4-c5. 23.c5 Ne8 24.Kc2 Bf6! Black is more than happy to exchange his bishop for the knight to achieve complete domination of the light squares. 25.f4 Bxe5 26.fxe5 Nc7 After installing a knight on d5, Black can start undermining White's space advantage by means of the advance ...f7-f6.
The above examples present only a small sample of the possible plans for both sides. For a more detailed overview, please refer to Caro-Kann - Pawn Structures, Tactical Ideas, Endgames, and Theoretical Trends.
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6! 5...gxf6?! was once regarded as a good fighting option, but the evaluation of modern engines renders it dubious at best. White has various ways to keep an advantage. One good line is, for example, 6.c3 Bf5 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.Nh4 Bg6 9.g3 e6 10.Bg2 Bg7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Be3 with a significant advantage. White has the better pawn structure and can expand in the centre with c4; capturing the bishop on g6 is a constant option.
6.c3 Supporting d4, and preparing Bd3 is the most popular continuation. There are several other possibilities.
A) 6.Be3 White prepares Bd3 differently. Be3 prepares the setup Bd3, Ne2, 0-0, c4 – the first player hopes to make use of his extra pawn in the centre. This is a sound positional idea that should be taken seriously. A reasonable way to meet this is 6…Na6 (a sharp alternative is 6...Qb6, and if 7.Qe2, the computer suggests 7…Bd6!?) 7.a3 Bd6 8.Bd3 0-0 9.Ne2 Re8 10.0-0 Nc7 11.Re1 Bg4 and Black’s active pieces offset his doubled pawns.
B) 6.Nf3 is relatively tame – simple development is good enough: 6…Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 Bg4 Chances are equal. White may prefer to develop with Be2 to avoid the pin with …Bg4, but then the bishop is passive.
C) 6.Bc4 is another reasonable way to develop. After 6…Bd6 7.Qe2+ Be7 8.Nf3 0-0 9.0-0 Re8= Black wins back the tempo lost by moving his bishop twice.
6...Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Qc2 A crucial point of White’s move order – he attacks h7, forcing Black to weaken his position. The discovery of the move 9…h5! is responsible for the surge in popularity of the entire line with 4…Nf6. 8…Re8+ 9.Ne2
9…h5! Pushing the h-pawn two squares is the most active and best move. After 9…g6?!, White can start an attack with 10.h4, while 9…h6 is comparatively more passive than 9…h5 – Black misses the option to create counterplay with …h5-h4 (in case White plays 0-0). After 9…h5, White can decide between castling queenside or kingside. 10.Be3 Nd7 11.0-0-0 Nf8, leads to a sharp fight - White will attack on the kingside, while Black will do the same on the queenside with, for example, …Be6, …b5, etc. 10.0-0 is a calmer alternative, leading to strategically complex play, e.g. 10…h4 11.h3 Nd7 12.Bd2 Nf8.
GM Ivan Cheparinov provides a theoretically dense repertoire on the Caro-Kann (Caro-Kann According to Cheparinov), recommending 4…Nf6 against the Classical System. GM Grigor Grigorov also covered 4…Nf6 in his two-part camp on the Caro-Kann, providing a complete survey containing must-know theory, typical plans, and endgames (Play the Caro-Kann - Part 1) – great study material!
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5. This was the most popular way to play before 4…Nf6 became the new fashion, and it may well take over again, as it’s an absolutely sound line.
5.Ng3 is the most natural reply – the attacked knight moves away, winning a tempo. Less common alternatives are:
A) The original 5.Nc5!? can be met with the energetic 5…e5!?, with the idea 6.Nxb7 Qb6 7.Nc5 Bxc5 8.dxc5 Qxc5 and Black’s extra pawn in the centre, combined with easy development, compensates for the pair of bishops.
B) White has also tried the gambit move 5.Bd3. White sacrifices a pawn for a lead in development. A plausible continuation is 5…Qxd4 6.Nf3 Qd8 7.Qe2 e6 8.0-0 (8.Bf4 can be met with 8…Bxe4 9.Bxe4 Bd6, offering the exchange of bishops. 10.Rd1 can be parried with 10…Qa5+) 8...Bxe4 9.Bxe4 Nf6 10.Bf4 Nbd7 11.Rfd1 Qb6. White has certain compensation for the pawn, but Black is solid and can finish his development with …Be7, …0-0.
5...Bg6 6.h4. This space-gaining move is the main line.
Another idea is 6.N1e2 (or 6.Nh3), followed by Nf4, to exchange the bishop on g6, or create pressure on the e6 square in combination with Bc4 and Qe2. After 6…Nf6 7.Nf4, Black can choose between two reliable options: 7…e5!? 8.Nxg6 hxg6 9.dxe5 Qa5+ 10.Bd2 Qxe5+ 11.Qe2 Bd6. White has the pair of bishops, but thanks to Black’s activity, chances are roughly equal. The other move, 7...Nbd7 may lead to major complications after, for example, 8.Bc4 Qc7 9.Qe2 e6 and now 10.Bxe6!? fxe6 11.Nxe6, which looks quite scary! The computer gives equality after Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Bb4; to play this OTB, one needs to be well prepared!
6...h6 7.Nf3. Apart from this natural developing move, preparing Ne5, White can also try to attack the bishop on g6 with Nh3-Nf4, or include the move f4, before playing Nf3.
A) 7.Nh3 e6 8.Nf4 Bh7 9.c3 (9.Bc4 Nf6 10.Nfh5 was tried in some games, but this is easily neutralised with 10…Nbd7 11.c3 Nd5!? 12.Qe2 Qe7. Castling queenside is coming next; the white knight on h5 feels misplaced) 9...Nf6. Black has little to fear in this position. 10.Bd3 (or 10.Bc4 Bd6 11.Nfh5 0-0=) 10...Bxd3 11.Nxd3 Bd6=
B) 7.f4, with the idea of strengthening the control of e5, also leads to some weaknesses and closes the diagonal of the c1-bishop. Chances are equal after 7…e6 8.Nf3 Nd7 9.h5 Bh7 10.Bd3 Bxd3 11.Qxd3 Ngf6 12.Bd2 Be7 13.0-0-0 0-0=. Now, White should abstain from 14.f5?! , because of the strong reply 14…Bd6!.
7...Nd7. Black prevents Ne5, though it’s not mandatory to do so. 7...e6 is a fully-fledged alternative (this is recommended in Caro-Kann Defense - Complete Guide for Black - Part 1), with the idea that after 8.Ne5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Nd7, Black will exchange the knight on e5 and eventually neutralise White’s activity.
8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3.
We have arrived at the main tabia of the line with 4…Bf5. In the 2000s, it was discovered that after 10…e6 11.Bd2 Ngf6, Black can very well castle kingside, which leads to a fully-fledged fight (albeit with a lot of theory).
The traditional plan, involving castling queenside, gives White a long-term initiative due to his advantage in space. For example 11...Qc7 12.0-0-0 0-0-0 13.Ne4 Ngf6 14.g3 Nxe4 15.Qxe4 Nf6 16.Qe2 Bd6 17.c4 c5 18.Bc3 with sustained pressure.
12.0-0-0 Be7. The modern way of handling this position. Black is not afraid of a potential attack by his opponent and relies on his defensive possibilities and counterattacking options. Practice and analysis have shown the viability of this approach. A sample line runs 13.Kb1 0-0 (13...Qb6 is another interesting try, making a useful move without committing to …0-0 yet) 14.Ne4 c5, leading to major complications for which both sides must be well prepared.
Authors GM Alexei Dreev and GM Pier Luigi Basso offer the player a choice between 4..Nf6 and 4…Bf5 in Caro-Kann According to Dreev - Part 3 by covering both moves – highly recommended!
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7
Although it’s probably slightly less strong and a little more difficult to handle than 4…Nf6 or 4…Bf5, the line 4…Nd7 can still be regarded as a viable option. 5.Ng5!? This, or 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.Ng5, leading to the same position, is the most principled reply. White avoids the exchange of knights and exploits the fact that 5…h6 can be met with 6.Ne6. Let’s examine possible alternatives for White on move five:
1) 5.Qe2 introduces an amusing and well-known trap – 5…Ngf6?? 6.Nd6#. 5…Ndf6 6.Nf3 Nxe4 7.Qxe4 Nf6 8.Qf4 Nd5 9.Qd2 Bf5 leads to a playable (for both sides) position.
2) 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6 (6.Ng3 poses no problems. 6…e6 7.Bd3 Be7 8.0-0 c5=) 6…Nxf6. Here, White can try different options: 7.Ne5 Be6!? (7...Bf5 is possible, but after 8.c3 Black has to avoid 8…e6? 9.g4 Bg6 10.h4, and Black must make a major concession to save the bishop.) 8.Be2 g6 leads to a complicated game with reasonable chances for Black. 7.Bc4 can simply be met with 7…Bf5. The flexible 7.c3 offers some hope for a modest plus. After 7…Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3 9.Qxf3 Qd5 10.Be2 e6, both sides can be more or less satisfied. Black has a solid position with good equalising chances, while White can count on the long-term advantage offered by the pair of bishops.
3) 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.Ng5 and 5.Bc4 Ngf6 6.Ng5 transpose to 5.Ng5.
5...Ngf6 (5...h6!? looks like a blunder, but it is actually playable: 6.Ne6 Qb6 7.Nxf8 Nxf8 8.Nf3 Nf6 (or 8...Bf5) 9.Bd3 Ne6 10.c3 0-0 11.0-0 c5 with reasonable chances to equalise) 6.Bd3. This is White’s most sustainable continuation.
Black can deal successfully with the alternative 6.Bc4 e6 7.Qe2 Nb6. Due to White’s threats against f7 and e6, Black is forced to misplace his knight, but after 8.Bd3 (or 8.Bb3 h6 9.N5f3 c5=) 8...h6, the g5-knight also has to retreat. 9.N5f3 c5 10.dxc5 Nbd7!?, or 10...Bxc5 11.Ne5 Bd6 (11…Nbd7) – we have discussed this position above in “Typical Pawn Structures”.
6...e6 7.N1f3 Bd6.
Black has to avoid 7...h6?, which was infamously played by Kasparov against Deep Blue, leading to a crushing defeat for the 13th World Champion. 8.Nxe6! fxe6 (8...Qe7 is no improvement. 9.0-0 fxe6 10.Bg6+ Kd8 11.Bf4) 9.Bg6+ Ke7 10.0-0. In a higher sense, Black is already lost. White will include all his pieces in the attack, while his opponent is powerless due to a total lack of coordination.
8.Qe2 (Black has no problems after 8.0-0 h6 9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Bxe4 0-0 11.c4 Nf6 12.Bc2 b6=) 8...h6 9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Qxe4.
The critical position of the 4…Nd7-line. Black has a choice between 10…Nf6 and 10…Qc7, the latter being the best try. 10…Qc7.
It may seem more logical to drive back the white queen, but 10...Nf6 has the serious drawback of giving up control of e5. White retains a long-term initiative after 11.Qe2 Qc7 12.Bd2 b6 13.0-0-0 Bb7 14.Kb1 (Here, and on the following moves, White has other good moves as well) 14…0-0-0 15.Rhe1 c5 16.dxc5 Bxc5 17.Bc3.
11.0-0 b6 12.Qg4! Kf8!. Although Black is forced to give up his castling rights, his position remains resilient enough. He maintains reasonable equalising chances after, for example, 13.b3 Bb7 14.Bb2 Nf6 15.Qh3 Nd5 16.g3 c5, or 13.Re1 Bb7 14.b3 Nf6 15.Qh3 Bb4 16.Rd1 Bc3 17.Rb1 c5.
The Classical Variation (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4) gives White a space advantage while Black maintains a solid position. Black has three main fourth-move options that define the character of the game:
The modern Tartakower Variation 4...Nf6
After 5.Nxf6+ exf6, Black accepts doubled f-pawns in exchange for:
Main line: 6.c3 Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Qc2 Re8+ 9.Ne2 h5! - the key modern move that revitalized this line. White can castle queenside (10.0-0-0) for sharp tactical play or kingside (10.0-0) for strategic complexity.
The evaluation of endgames arising from the Tartakower Variation depends on piece activity and pawn mobility, with the doubled f-pawns being one of several factors.
The traditional 4...Bf5
Black immediately challenges the e4-knight and develops the problematic light-squared bishop.
Main line: 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3
The modern approach involves castling kingside for Black (11...e6 12.0-0-0 Be7 13.Kb1 0-0), accepting sharp complications rather than the traditional queenside castling, which grants White lasting pressure.
The less common but viable 4...Nd7
Black prepares ...Ngf6 without accepting doubled pawns.
Critical line: 5.Ng5! Ngf6 6.Bd3 e6 7.N1f3 Bd6 8.Qe2 h6 9.Ne4 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 Qc7!. Black must avoid 7...h6?? 8.Nxe6! (famously winning for White in Kasparov-Deep Blue). After 10...Qc7 11.0-0 b6 12.Qg4! Kf8!, Black sacrifices castling rights but maintains reasonable equalising chances.
White
Black