Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation

In the Advance Variation of the Caro-Kann Defense (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5) White gains space at once. Unlike in the French Defense, Black's light-squared bishop is not shut in: the usual reply is 3...Bf5, developing it outside the pawn chain.

Origins

The line goes back to the defence's early days: Marcus Kann won a 24-move game against Jacques Mieses at the German Chess Congress in Hamburg in 1885 that began 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5. For many years the Advance was nevertheless regarded as inferior for White, mainly because of the strategic defeat Aron Nimzowitsch suffered with it against José Raúl Capablanca at New York 1927. Aggressive new ideas revived it, and in the 21st century it has become the most popular line against the Caro-Kann.

The idea

White uses the space advantage either for an early pawn storm on the kingside with g4 or h4, or for quiet development with Nf3 and Be2, which Black meets with ...e6 and ...c5.

Main lines

• 3...Bf5, the main line:
  • 4.Nf3, the Short Variation. The quiet 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 was popularised by Nigel Short and often seen in the 1990s;
  • 4.Nc3, the Van der Wiel Attack, with 4...e6 5.g4. It was popular in the 1980s and later favoured by Alexei Shirov;
  • 4.g4, the Bayonet Attack;
  • 4.h4, the Tal Variation;
  • 4.Ne2, the Bronstein Variation.
• 3...c5, the Botvinnik-Carls Defense, also called the Arkell–Khenkin Variation after the work of Keith Arkell and Igor Khenkin. It is a sharp line that avoids the theory of 3...Bf5. Mikhail Botvinnik used it in his 1961 world championship match against Mikhail Tal, with two draws and a loss. White can take with 4.dxc5, which weakens the central bind, or play 4.Nf3, usually met by 4...cxd4.

Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

• An immediate space advantage.
• White can choose between sharp attacking lines and a calm positional set-up.

Weaknesses

• Black's light-squared bishop develops freely, so the usual French-style problem piece is missing.
• The pawn chain gives Black clear targets for ...c5.

Who should play it

The Advance suits White players who want space and the initiative against the Caro-Kann, from aggressive pawn storms to quiet positional play.

The numbers

On Lichess the results are almost level: White 47.3%, Black 47.9%. Under 1400 White leads 49.5% against 46.9%; at 1400–1799 Black leads 48.8% against 47.1%, and at 1800–2199 47.8% against 47.3%. From 2200 up White is ahead again, 49.2% against 44.2%. In about 33,400 master games White won 34.6%, Black 22.3%, and 43.1% were drawn.