What is the most annoying system for Caro-Kann players to face?
The easiest answer would be 'The line that scores best for White', but we can't purely rely on the statistics to determine this.
For instance, White's best scoring line in the ChessBase Online Database is the Pseudo-Panov with 2.c4, which can play like this:
White is scoring 57.9% in the ChessBase Online Database from this position, but if you play Black's reply of 7...g6! (in the spirit of the Grunfeld), Black suddenly has a plus score of 51.1%.
Of course, this argument with statistics can be continued endlessly (playing the best-scoring move against the best-scoring reply), but it ultimately doesn't achieve a great deal (as I eventually realized in the mid to late 2010s).
The following game is one I showed to some students 7-9 years ago as a prime example of the limitations of playing primarily 'one move attacks' as opposed to a broader fight for the initiative:
Those of you who follow the 'Game Of The Day' may remember this recent spectacular win from the World Rapid Championship:
Other Tricky Options For White
Probably the most practically unpleasant approach for an unprepared Caro-Kann player is the Fantasy Variation with 2.d4 d5 3.f3, as in this line, Black struggles to develop his light-squared bishop actively (which is the main idea of the Caro-Kann).
However, a creative answer is 3...Qa5, with the idea of preparing a counter-strike in the centre with ...e5. Carlsen used it earlier this year in a crushing win against Firouzja:
This post covered how to deal with the Classical Variation (3.Nc3/3.Nd2).
I've covered how to meet the Two Knights with 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 in this post.
As for the Exchange Caro-Kann (which is the most common answer to the Caro-Kann below 2000 online), I'll save that topic for a future post.
Introducing The Short Caro-Kann
The Short Variation is a variation of the Advance Caro-Kann, that runs like this:
White doesn't try for an early attack on Black's position (such as with the Tal Variation, 4.h4, or the even more direct 4.g4) but rather, flexibly develops his kingside, keeping his options open. He can try to use his lead in development with a well-timed c4 break (especially in response to ...c5), but also has the option to play more prophylactically, using maneuvers such as Nd2-b3 to dissuade Black's main plan of ...c5.
We've talked about how the Short Caro-Kann is geared against ...c5, but what if we could go for a different plan?
Funnily enough, my best-scoring move in the database is the unusual 5...Bb4, where Black swings his bishop around to c7 and plays ...Nd7, all to prepare the ...f6 break to undermine the e5-pawn. Engines don't like it, but it can be extremely effective if the opponent is unprepared for it. The following top-level rapid game is a great example:
In this post, we'll be covering a somewhat refined version of this idea.
The Svane Variation
What is the Svane Variation, and why should we care about it?
Let's introduce our 'hero' for this variation - the German GM Rasmus Svane.
Looking at the screenshot of Svane's Chess.com games from the position gives us a fair idea of White's options from here, and what you're most likely to face in your games.
You may have surmised that this is a more strategic option for Black, where instead of the more direct play that comes from the main line of 6...c5, we are playing more to disrupt White's usual plans.
For instance, 7.Nbd2 is a quite common move in blitz, going for the 'usual' Nd2-b3 plan that works well against quieter approaches such as 6...Nd7 or 6...Bg6. But here it's simply a mistake because of 7...Nf4!, winning the bishop pair for a small advantage.
The following two games are nice examples of how to play after 8.Nb3 Nxe2 9.Qxe2 Be7:
In both games, we can feel how sorely White misses his light-squared bishop when his central pawns are fixed on the dark squares.
White Plays 7.c3
The move 7.c3 is a consolidating approach, which you're more likely to see via. the 6.c3 Ng6 7.0-0 move order (which is aimed against 6...c5).
From here, Svane always played 7...Nd7, but I find 8.Ne1! to be quite unpleasant in reply, threatening to win our bishop with g4 and f3 once the b1-knight moves. Svane usually stopped this with 8...h5 in his games, but then 9.a4 c5 10.Na3 gives White a big advantage, as Black struggles to find harmony with his piece setup, while White keeps a solid grip over the center.
I've included the following Black win from Titled Tuesday so that you can play through these moves yourself:
However, I'm going to suggest a different approach in 7...f6, as advised by the engine:
Black was slightly worse in the early middlegame, but kept a solid position and was able to hold the draw.
That represents the flip side of our 6...Ng6 system; we have a lot of surprise value and reach strategically very interesting positions, with a lot of scope to outplay the opponent, but White can obtain a theoretical advantage in several ways.
The Direct 7.Ne1
What if White plays the immediate 7.Ne1, threatening to win our f5-bishop with g4 and f3?
This is probably the least effective version of the Ne1 plan, as we have our usual plan of 7...h5 to blockade the kingside light squares (avoiding f4/g4/f5).
Of course, White can't just win the h5-pawn:
Returning to 7.Ne1 h5, GM Sergei Zhigalko played 8.Bd3 in numerous games, but Black can even keep the tension with 8...Ne7 (preparing ...Bxd3, ...Nf5, ...Nd7 and ...c5) with nice counterplay. The following blitz game is a good example:
In short, this is one of the less dangerous tries for White against the Svane Variation.
Alpha Zero Style - 7.a4
One of the modern ideas of the Short Caro-Kann in the last decade or so is to charge the White a-pawn forward with 7.a4 followed by a5. The idea of this is not just to acquire queenside space, but it also prepares the c4 break, by not allowing Black to play ...Nd7-b6 to bring his knight to the d5 outpost.
The following game by White (in the old main line of the Short Variation) is a fine demonstration of this concept:
Returning to the 6...Ng6 7.a4 version, after 7...Nd7 8.a5, Svane normally played the thematic 8...f6, playing to destroy White's center. However, it's hard to recommend this approach because of 9.Ne1!, threatening to trap our bishop with g4 and f3. Svane played 9...h5 10.f4 h4 in response, winning a Titled Tuesday game vs. GM Nasuta, but it wasn't because of the opening, where White is close to winning:
So what should we do instead?
I suggest playing more patiently with 8...a6 9.Ne1 h5, although even here, White obtains a pleasant advantage with 10.c3 c5 11.Nc2.
I don't expect 7.a4 to occur to that many players below 2200, but it's absolutely an unpleasant option and a reason why titled players will want to have something other than 6...Ng6 in their repertoire against the Short Caro-Kann.
The Main Line - 7.Be3 Nd7 8.Nbd2
The most common answer to 6...Ng6 in master play is 7.Be3 Nd7 8.Nbd2, where White first develops his bishop before returning to the Nbd2-b3 plan, to avoid ...Nf4 problems and dissuade the ...c5 break.
However, I find this to be one of the better lines for Black, as after 8...f6! 9.exf6 Qxf6, we obtain excellent counterplay in the center.
Note that we don't have to fear the most common variation (10.c4) at all, as we obtain excellent piece play after 10...Bd6 and castling short:
Svane hasn't faced the stronger 10.Bg5 Qf7 11.Nh4 in his Chess.com games, but a good response is 11...Nxh4 12.Bxh4 Bd6, as in the following over-the-board game:
For what it's worth, 12...Be7 is slightly more accurate, but leads to quieter play, whereas the game's 12...Bd6 is a bit more dynamic.
The Critical 7.Be3 Nd7 8.Ne1! - Sidelines
The critical test of Black's setup is 7.Be3 Nd7 8.Ne1!, threatening to win the f5-bishop with g4 and f3, while clearing the way for f4 to neutralize the ...f6 plan. This hasn't stopped Svane from scoring very well online after 8...h5, but we shouldn't sugarcoat the fact that White has a very nice advantage with optimal play.
White should make sure to avoid 9.Nd2?, a common mistake in online play, as then 9...Nxe5! 10.dxe5 d4 regains the piece and leaves Black already fighting for an advantage.
Two Svane wins show the way forward:
White plays better in the next game with 11.Nc4, but Svane still outplays his opponent in the middlegame:
The Problem Line - 7.Be3 Nd7 8.Ne1! h5 9.c3!
That's where the good news ends for Black though - 9.c3! is a strong move, simply consolidating the center and asking Black to show his plan. Svane went for 9...f6 10.f4 h4 in a Titled Tuesday, but I don't find it so convincing, even though he won the game:
Another option is 9...Qb6, which can lead to extremely messy play:
Although that is quite inspiring (the exchange sacrifice is indeed better for Black), White seems to be comfortably better after the simple 10.Qd2, followed by a4-a5 to harass Black's queen.
For this reason, I recommend 9...c5 10.Nd2 Qb6, as played in the following correspondence game:
Looking at possible alternatives, 11.b3 cxd4 12.cxd4 Ba3 gives us decent counterplay on the queenside, and the same is true of 11.Qc1 Rc8 12.Ndf3 Be7, with only a tiny edge for White.
This is still not a complete solution to Black's problems, as 11.b4 cxb4 12.c4! is a possible improvement over the correspondence game, leading to a rather chaotic position after 12...Be7 13.Bxh5 dxc4 14.Nxc4 Qd8 15.Bf3 Rc8 16.Qe2 b5 17.Nd2 gives White an advantage, due to his strong center. However, for a worst-case scenario, this is not too bad, as there's still a lot of imbalance to turn things around against a weaker player.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can say that the Svane Variation vs. the Short Caro-Kann, with 6...Ng6 leads to very interesting positions and an interesting strategic battle. From a practical level, it has a lot of surprise value and stops White from playing in a completely 'systematic' way in the opening and early middlegame.
This variation is optimally suited for faster time controls, or where the opponent doesn't know you will play this variation. Titled players will want to use the Svane Variation more as a surprise weapon, and have another system ready as their main answer to the Short Variation, to avoid some of the problem lines noted in this opening survey.
Let me know: What was your favorite part of this opening survey?
(PS - I'm planning to publish an intermediate repertoire for Black based on the Caro-Kann in early 2024 for Chessable. My recommendations will be geared toward intermediate players, rated between 1600 to 2000 online, and will be different from the variations I showed in this post).
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