Description
The modern chess player faces a challenging task before every game: the choice of opening. For most players, the ideal opening for Black has the following characteristics:
- It requires a limited amount of memorization.
- It contains an element of surprise for the opponent.
- It leads to an equal position.
- It allows for a relatively complex game, with winning chances for Black.
Obviously, the ideal opening does not exist. Before every game, the modern chess player needs to consider numerous variables – the most obvious being his specific opponent and the tournament situation – and then compromise. As the number of games played in each variation increases and opening theory becomes more and more developed, finding a suitable opening becomes harder and harder, and players tend to follow the most popular variations.
Openings rise and fall in popularity over time, as players continue to learn and find new ideas for both sides. The two main replies to 1.e4 have always been 1…e5 and 1…c5, and with good ‘homework’ it is exceedingly likely you will equalize with either. However, in tandem with their popularity, the amount of theory that is needed to play those openings has increased as well. In this book, I recommend the Caro-Kann Defense as a viable and flexible opening for Black. Let’s examine, point by point, how it compares to both 1…e5 and 1…c5.