[Event "Opening Repertoire - Nikos"] [Site "?"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "1 e4 - Caro Kann"] [Black "?"] [Result "*"] [ECO "B15"] [Annotator "KS"] [PlyCount "19"] [SourceVersionDate "2023.10.02"] {[%evp 0,19,19,31,80,57,57,38,38,38,40,35,35,15,-5,8,8,16,27,17,28,28]} 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 $1 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 {Trendy} (4... Nd7 {Smyslov} 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. c3 $1 {[#]} Bg4 (7... Bf5 8. Ne5 $1 $14) 8. h3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 {About 1/3 of Black players that end up here, get this wrong and play} e6 $6 (9... Qd5 $1 10. Be2 e6 11. a4 $1 $14 {[#] Modern engines love this position for White. Two bishops, more space}) 10. Bc4 $1 $16) (4... Bf5 {Classical Main Line} 5. Qf3 $5 {[%csl Yf5] [#] This move is not a joke. White plays against the Bf5} (5. Ng3 {is the serious and challenging main line, but there is a neat shortcut that modern engines love for White}) 5... e6 6. c3 Nd7 7. Ne2 Ngf6 8. N2g3 Nxe4 (8... Bg6 $6 9. h4 $1) 9. Nxe4 Be7 10. Bd3 O-O 11. Bf4 $14 {[#] White wants to castle long, and undeliably their pieces are more active} Qa5 $1 12. O-O Qd5 13. Rfe1 Rfd8 14. Qg3 Nf8 15. h4 $14) 5. Nxf6+ exf6 6. Be3 $1 {This is the move seems to be challenging and practical for White to investigate} Bd6 7. Bd3 O-O 8. Ne2 {[#]} Re8 9. O-O Nd7 10. c4 $1 {[%CAl Gc4c5,Gd4d5] White plays at the side they are stronger (majority) The idea is to play c4-c5 and play d4-d5 at the right time This is a classic way to play when you have the majority My conclusion: Don't underestimate 3.Nc3! It is a simple, safe and challenging weapon against the popular Caro Kann!} *