Attack Black With The Caro-Kann Advance Variation
The Caro-Kann (1. …c6) is one of Black’s most solid ways of replying to the King’s Pawn Opening (1. e4). It is favored by many players with the Black pieces. Because if White doesn’t play energetically, then Black can quickly equalize. If you are in search of an ambitious way to counter the Caro-Kann with White. Then the Caro-Kann Advance Variation could be just what you have been looking for.
In this article, we cover everything you need to get started with the Caro-Kann Advance Variation, including:
- The general character of this opening and why Black often struggles against it.
- Thematic middlegame ideas for White.
- How to take your understanding of the Caro-Kann Advance Variation to the next level.
Why Play The Caro-Kann Advance Variation?
Some players are content so long as they can reach an equal position out of the opening. However, when playing with the White pieces, the goal should be to try to secure an advantage!. White moves first in chess, giving them a natural edge. So if Black is able to nullify this and reach equality. Then the opening has already been a success for them.
Related: Click here to learn how to play the Caro-Kann from the Black perspective.
If you are playing to win with the White pieces, you should be trying to pose Black as many problems as possible, as quickly as possible!
In the Caro-Kann Advance Variation, after 1. e4 c6, 2. d4 d5, White pushes their e-pawn forward another square with 3. e5.
This pawn on e5 is quite annoying for Black. For starters, it prevents Black from playing their kingside knight out to f6. The most natural square for it to develop to. Later in the game, the e5 pawn also gives White superior attacking chances if Black castles kingside.
The statistics tilt strongly in White’s favor in the Advance Variation. According to chess.com’s opening explorer, at master level the Advance Variation performs better than any of White’s main third-move alternatives against the Caro-Kann. White wins 43% of games in the Advance Variation, while Black wins just 32% of the time.
In case you still need convincing about the merits of the Advance Variation. Listen to American Grandmaster Sam Shankland - a noted Caro-Kann expert with the Black pieces. He admits that the Advance Variation is probably the greatest test the Caro-Kann player must be prepared to face. If Caro-Kann players find the Advance Variation tough to come up against. Then that’s all the more reason to play it with White!
However, be warned - playing the Advance Variation will require some preparation on your part. Posing the greatest challenges for Black will require some study and memorization of the opening moves, as well knowledge of the thematic middlegame ideas and tactics.
Related: Tips To Improve Your Chess Opening Study.
Thematic Ideas In The Caro-Kann Advance Variation
Keeping The Extra Pawn In The Botvinnik-Carls Defense (3. …c5)
Black’s main break against the Advance Variation is …c5 - a move which attacks White’s key d4 pawn. Most commonly, Black delays …c5 for a few moves - but sometimes Black will play …c5 as early as move three. This is known as the Botvinnik-Carls Defense.
Notice that Black’s c5 pawn is actually undefended, seemingly offering White the opportunity to capture it for free with 4. dxc5. The reason that Black is prepared to allow this is they believe they can ruin White’s center, and will be able to regain the pawn later.
Against the Botvinnik-Carls Defense, our recommendation for White is to delay capturing on c5 for a move, and to play 4. Nf3 instead.
If, next move, Black still does not defend their c5 pawn, playing for example 4. …Nc6 (the most common move in the database). Then you can go ahead and capture with 5. dxc5 and challenge Black to recover their pawn.
White has many resources to keep the extra pawn in this line.
- In case Black plays …e6 to threaten …Bxc5, then Be3 defends c5.
- In some positions, b4 can also be possible, to securely defend c5 with a pawn.
- If Black tries to target the e5 pawn instead, then Bb5 can pin Black’s knight on c6 - and if need be, then Bxc6 can remove the Black knight from the board entirely.
The longer Black remains with a material deficit, the more nervous they will become.
Tactical Protection of the e5 Pawn
When Black seemingly threatens to capture the e5 pawn, it is worth calculating a little further. In some cases, it is not necessary to defend the e5 pawn directly. As it can be immune from capture due to tactics.
Related: Sharpen your tactical skills with Improve Your Chess Tactics by Yakov Neishtadt, available from the USCF store.
The following position is one such example. With Black to move, what happens if Black captures with …Nxe5? Before coming up with your answer, it is worth highlighting that the White knight on f3 is pinned in front of White’s queen, thanks to Black’s light-squared bishop.
The solution: If Black captures …Nxe5, White can actually ignore the bishop’s pin and recapture with Nxe5 anyway!
White is prepared to give up their queen because after the critical continuation: …Bxd1, White has Bb5+ at the end - where Black’s only legal way of blocking the check is with …Qd7. Once the smoke clears, White will have won back the queen and have a decisive material advantage. In fact, Black’s position is already resignable.
This is just one of many examples in the Caro-Kann Advance Variation where the e5 pawn can be untouchable. Be on the lookout for such opportunities in your own games!
Exploit Black’s Lack Of Development
As we mentioned earlier, the White pawn on e5 can be very bothersome for Black’s kingside development.
This position from Carlsen vs. Fedoseev, 2021 illustrates the point. Due to White’s e5 pawn, Black’s kingside knight has had to go to e7 rather than to f6.
With White to move, many players in this position would simply castle kingside. But the great Magnus Carlsen instead decided to dial up the pressure against Black’s cramped position with the strong flank advance: h4!
To give his bishop an escape square, Fedoseev played …h6, but then Carlsen played h5 anyway, sending the bishop back via …Bh7.
Carlsen still wasn’t done causing his opponent headaches. His next move Qg4 threatened Qxg7 and provoked Fedoseev into a mistake: …Kf8. Note that in case Black had castled instead, then Bxh6 would have been decisive.
With his king having forfeited castling rights, Black’s position was already very difficult to play. From here, the 16th World Chess Champion converted smoothly with the White pieces. Click here to check out the full game.
Getting Started With The Caro-Kann Advance Variation
As is the case with all chess openings, learning the Caro-Kann Advance Variation will come about through a combination of studying the theory and practicing it in your own games.
Aside from this article, we have a recommended book and a recommended video course to take your knowledge of the Advance Variation to new heights.
Book Recommendation: Attacking The Caro-Kann
If you like to study chess openings the classical way, playing through the moves on a physical board with a quality book by your side, then you can’t go past Alexey Dreev’s Attacking the Caro-Kann.
Dreev is a noted opening theoretician who also boasts extensive experience playing the Caro-Kann with the Black pieces. Of the Advance Variation, he writes: “My long-term experience in playing the Caro-Kann Defense with Black has shown to me that his problems in this variation are not easy to solve at all.”
Across 235 pages, this paperback can be your one-stop guide to playing the Caro-Kann Advance Variation.
Video Course Recommendation: Fighting Against The Caro-Kann
If video instruction is your preferred learning method, then the popular instructor Victor Bologan has created a wonderful resource in the form of Fighting Against The Caro-Kann With The Advance Variation.
Over the course of 4 hours 38 minutes, GM Bologan provides a repertoire for White which keeps Black under pressure and feeling the space disadvantage. The course also comes complete with 50 essential games to further enhance your understanding of the Caro-Kann Advance Variation. Whatever Black tries, you will be ready for it. Click here to check it out.
Whichever learning option you select, be sure to mix theory with practice. Review all games you play in the Caro-Kann Advance Variation once you have finished playing them. As you gain more experience with the lines that Caro-Kann players at your level go for. You will get to know which chapters to go back to in order to continually enhance your knowledge of the Advance Variation.
One of the best ways to gain this experience quickly is to try the Advance Variation in online blitz chess. That way, you can practice the opening in games that do not matter too much. Without risking your hard-earned rating in an opening which you are still new to. By following this advice, before long, you will have several games in the Caro-Kann Advance Variation, which can inform your further study of this important chess opening for White.
Related: How To Use Blitz Chess To Improve Your Game
Summary: Is The Caro-Kann Advance Variation Right For You?
The Advance Variation could be a great way of playing against the Caro-Kann if you:
- Are happy to invest in learning some opening theory: Putting Black under the most pressure with the Advance Variation requires precise play from White. Your results will be much better if you take the time to memorize some of the most critical lines.
- Like to put your opponent under immediate duress: Black can be faced with several difficult problems early in the Caro-Kann Advance Variation. As we have seen, in the Main Line Black can find it awkward to develop their kingside pieces, whereas in the Botvinnik-Carls Variation, Black can find themselves struggling to regain the pawn they sacrificed at the start.
- Enjoy playing aggressive chess: Generally, White’s prospects are better when queens remain on the board, whereas a queen trade tends to favor Black. It is necessary to be comfortable with this way of playing in order to play the Advance Variation successfully.
Does that sound like a chess opening for White that you would enjoy? If so, try the Advance Variation and start crushing the (supposedly) solid Caro-Kann!