Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c6/2. d4/2...d5/3. Nc3

Caro-Kann Defence:Classical Variation
a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) rnbqkbnr/pp2pppp/2p5/3p4/3PP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKBNR b
Moves: 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3

Caro-Kann Defence:Classical Variation

The vast majority of times, black plays the solid 3...dxe4, one of the most well-studied of the Caro-Kann lines. Black has alternatives to avoid the weight of theory, although 3...e6, blocking the bishop, and effectively forming a French, with one tempo less, seems a dubious line.

Theory table

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation..

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3

	3	4	5	6
Classical Variation	Nc3 dxe4	Nxe4 Bf5	Ng3 Bg6	h4 h6	=
	... g6	h3 Bg7	Nf3 Nf6	e5 Ne4	+=
	... b5	a3 dxe4	Nxe4 Nf6	Nxf6 exf6	+=
	... e6	Nf3 dxe4	Nxe4 Nd7	c4 Ngf6
	... Nf6
	... a6	Nf3 Bg4	Be2 Nf6	e5 Nfd7	+=

References

• 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.