[Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "BDG v Caro Kann Defence"] [Black "?"] [Result "*"] [ECO "B15"] [Annotator "Martin & Alan"] [PlyCount "15"] [EventDate "2002.??.??"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 {If White wants to play a completely clean BDG then s/he must choose between either facing the O'Kelly or Ziegler defence. The latter defence is regarded by many as the perfect BDG antidote, with IM Jovanka Houska stating as much in her book entitled 'Play the Caro-Kann'. However, steering the game into an O'Kelly Defence fairs no better. To avoid all these technicalities,} 4. Nge2 $5 {is our recommended BDG (and most importantly not as we know it!) move. It looks a bit odd but White is seeking to maintain a knight on e4 once the Black e-pawn is captured. In our main variation, instead of giving up the f-pawn, the d-pawn is offered and it is this line we will focus on. We will also briefly cover two other lines where Black sticks with the true Caro-Kann with 4...Bf5 and the greedy 4...f5.} ({ We should add that many BDG players would probably like to play} 4. f3 { to avoid placing the bishop on the weaker c4 square but after} Nf6 {(O'Kelly Defence) if now} 5. fxe4 {Black can strike with} e5 $1 {with a comfortable/ better game,}) ({And if we venture into a pure Ziegler by playing} 4. Bc4 { first then after} Nf6 5. f3 exf3 6. Nxf3 Bf5 7. O-O e6 8. Ne5 Bg6 $1 {Black sits comfortably although both Alan and Martin have tried} 9. g4 $6 {with mixed results. However, if Black knows what to do then s/he should stand a lot better.}) 4... Nf6 ({Black can try} 4... f5 {to hold on to the e-pawn which seems logical if a bit risky. After} 5. Nf4 Nf6 6. Bc4 {White has a nice harmonious set up. One possible line ...} Qd6 {to stop Ne6 and threaten g5.} 7. O-O g5 8. Nh5 h6 9. Nxf6+ Qxf6 10. Qh5+ Kd8 11. d5 $1 {when white has excellent compensation for the pawn deficit.}) (4... Bf5 {is perhaps the true Caro Kann 'at all costs' move but is seems a bit odd to place the bishop here when the white knight is moving to g3 with a gain of tempo. In any case, White can use the move order to their advantage!} 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Ncxe4 e6 8. c3 Nd7 9. Bd3 Ngf6 10. Nxf6+ Qxf6 11. Nh5 {when Black needs to exchange his bishop for the knight rather than the bishop on d3 as in most 'standard' Caro Kann lines.} Bxh5 (11... Qe7 12. Bxg6 fxg6 13. Nf4 {just looks ugly for Black.} ) 12. Qxh5 {White stands better with the two bishops on an open board.}) 5. Ng3 Bg4 6. Be2 $5 (6. Qd2 {was tried in Simons v Forster in Oct 2017 as an alternative safer way of playing but it is less exciting and a draw was soon agreed.}) 6... Bxe2 7. Qxe2 Qxd4 8. Bf4 $5 {White's play is all about fast development and this is the current optimal square for the bishop. It also sets a cunning trap. Black now has 3 main choices but all look promising for White. Please return to the Bulletin page to see the choices.} *