Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c6/2. d4
| Caro-Kann defence | |
|---|---|
|
a b c d e f g h 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 a b c d e f g h | |
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) | |
| Moves: 1. e4 c6 2. d4 | |
| ECO code: B10 | |
| Parent: Caro-Kann | |
2. d4
[edit | edit source]White plays the principled move: if your opponent allows you to put two pawns in the centre, then put two pawns in the centre.
Black responds 2...d5. Black threatens to take on e4 if White leaves their e-pawn where it is. As d5 is supported by Black's c-pawn, Black is very happy to answer 3. exd5 (the exchange variation) with 3...cxd5: functionally having traded White's central e-pawn for Black's peripheral c-pawn, so White's most common responses are 3. e5, protecting the pawn by moving it out of harms way, or 3. Nc3, preparing to recapture it.
2...d5, because it is in accordance with the plan set in motion by 1...c6, is almost always the move here, chosen more than 95 times in 100 in serious games. On rare occasions a few other things have been tried, though often d5 follows soon after:
- 2...g6, preparing to fianchetto, has been played.
- 2...Na6!? is called the De Bruycker defence. The knight makes its way to c7 via a6.
- 2...Nf6!? is called the Masi variation. This invites 3. e5!, and the knight relocates to d5 and, if kicked again with 4. c4, to c7.
Theory table
[edit | edit source]
1.e4 c6 2.d4
| 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Main line | ... d5 |
= |
| Modern Defence | ... g6 |
+= |
References
[edit | edit source]- Nunn's Chess Openings. 1999. John Nunn (Editor), Graham Burgess, John Emms, Joe Gallagher. ISBN 1-8574-4221-0.
- Modern Chess Openings: MCO-14. 1999. Nick de Firmian, Walter Korn. ISBN 0-8129-3084-3.
- Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.