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@@siraf1234 Anand, Grischuk, and Ding Liren have all successfully used Nf6 against Two Knights. If it's good enough for them it's more than good enough for you. There's a reason masters overwhelmingly prefer 2. d4 against the Caro-Kann.
@@KKH808 Yes, in one off games. Theyve also used the Alekhines, maybe even the smith morra. Doesnt make their opening choices good, just means that the openings they chose they knew better and the opponent didnt know the refutation.
I hope he has discussed this with levi before doing this video.. otherwise it looks like a low blow.. i dont want any friction between my top two chess teachers
My first thought when I saw Eric made this was “oh no, my Caro” I’ve been playing this defense for the last few months and have really enjoyed it but Eric might have killed it for me 🤦🏻♂️ I’m not mad, just disappointed 😔
Lol levy is a joke, you can only be worse by watching him play. I’m so thankful for Eric Rosen and the work he puts in for us to expand our own knowledge.
I really liked levy's video - eric completed the theme perfectly with the white persoective - what a nice synergy! Why are y'all so mad about amazing people showing us sometimes basic and sometimes funny lines...
@@jasonbird792 it’s his style of play combined with his unwarranted ego. he’s very confident but if you compare his games to say someone like Jerry from chess network his mistakes are jarring to say the least.
This is one of the very best opening tutorials I've ever watched, and I've watched a lot of them. Great pacing, beautiful ideas made simple, and a sense of patience with the ever hopeful amateurs like me.
Brilliant video thank tou Eric Rosen, an International Chess Master who was born Sept. 3, 1993 and grew up in Skokie, Illinois. Eric’s older brother Alex taught him to play chess in the summer of 2001 at the age of 7, while they were on a family vacation at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. He competed in his first tournament at age 8. By age 9, he won the Illinois 3rd Grade State Championship. He graduated from Niles North High School in 2012, where he led his chess team to two state championships, won the U.S. K12 Championship during his junior year, was voted homecoming king his senior year and was a featured subject in the documentary Chess State, which chronicled high school chess in Illinois. He earned his Fide Master Title in 2011, and his International Master Title in 2015. He attended the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana for two years, where he and his longtime friend and fellow chess player Michael Auger revived the school’s chess team. The team made it to the Final Four competition of College chess in 2013 and 2014, an almost unprecedented accomplishment for a school that had no formal chess program. He later transferred to Webster University, where from 2015 to 2017 he competed for Webster University SPICE under the direction of former World Women's Champion, Susan Polgar. He graduated from Webster in 2017 with a B.A. in Interactive Digital Media, Over the years, Eric has worked with a number of coaches who helped him tremendously. These include Tamara Golovey, GM Dmitry Gurevich, GM Yury Shulman, and GM Mesgen Amanov. After graduating from Webster, Eric focused on teaching chess and on a number of creative freelance projects, all while traveling the world and competing in chess tournaments. In 2017, he also established a Twitch Channel and began creating more regular content for his RUclips Channel, which he established in 2013. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he stopped traveling and for now is mainly based in St. Louis and devotes almost all his working time to creating online content. His RUclips and Twitch channels took off in 2020, growing to more than 300,000 RUclips subscribers and more than 100,000 Twitch followers by Jan. 1, 2021. Other Interests: Tennis, Scrabble, Photography, Ping Pong, Hacky Sack, Bowling, Geoguessr (check out the Eric Rosen Extra channel on RUclips)
This video may also be helpful to you, shows which lines maybe to avoid and also learning what white wants to do in these positions, so you can attempt to stop it.
Hey Eric, what is your opinion on the Bayonet Attack as white against the Caro Kann? Super fun and aggressive :). 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. g4 Be4 5. f3 Bg6 6. h4 h5 7. e6 fxe6
Audible is the shit. Helps with insomnia once you get used to it... I literally fall asleep within ~15 minutes of turning on any audio book now. Some folks need to "train" their brain a bit to adjust, but once you do it's almost an automatic / drug free sleep aide.
Ah yes I learn this and then for the next 20 games, my opponent never plays caro kann and the one game they do, I forget everything I learn from this video
Great content, thanks Eric! I like to play the Caro-Kann with Black, now I'm feeling a little bit more prepared to play against it with White, with some other variation than my usual Panov Attack...
I would love to see a tricky danish gambit video. I saw levy’s but it was more solid approached and I’d like to see a more aggressive and teapot version 👍
Love your stuff!!!! Always thumbs up and always trying to catch your streams. The best chess channel hands down!! And remember, more hands when you're coaching!!!!! hahahaha
Hi Eric! Can you make this kind of video about Scottish opening? It’s really underrated opening maybe a lot of people will love to play it after your video!
8:55, so interesting. When I was less experienced Caro-Kann player I had exactly ALL THESE TEN MOVES in the game against a famous Russian GM Crest64. And then, as far as I know, I blundered Nxf7 threat. That was so disgusting, I even decided to change my opening repertoire after that defeat. Only a bit later I decided: hey, perhaps Caro is what I need actually, but I just have to take it much more seriously than just some template stuff. Since that time I never had such position again... but my Caro opponents in Two Knights had, haha. A really nice weapon against a club Caro player!
Today I CRUSHED someone with the Bf5 trap line and I giggled like a maniac after every move! They didn't take the queen, so no "oh no my queen" moment, but check mate a few moves later was almost as sweet. Thanks Eric!
I just won a bullet game using the "oh no my queen" variation. Worked perfectly and I got to do the catchphrase! Also a full piece up in an ongoing daily game because of this video. It is so well explained, that even a brand new player like me can understand it and use it effectively. Thank you Eric for the excellent content.
I would say it crushes. After watching this video, my win percentage against the Caro shot way up, well over 60%, to put it humbly. I study this video.
Nice! Keep up with the opening videos, as a player that doesn't study openings these are really fun and helpfull and can build my repertoire. Edit: I would like to see Evans gambit covered.
You really have to make a video about traps in the Caro Kann for black, showing this cool trap I learned from you and is also the only reason I started playing the Tartakower :). 1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Ng3 h5 6. Bg5 h4 7. Bxf6 hxg3 8. Be5 Rxh2 9. Rxh2 Qa5+ 10. c3 Qxe5+ 11. dxe5 gxh2 12. Nf3 h1=Q
Summary for Caro-Kann players Against the 2 knights attack, play Bg4 (top engine move) and avoid all the tricky nonsense. And that's the end of the "crush the Caro-Kann" BS. You're welcome.
I actually wanted to write a short comment about some *funny* and *trappy* line in Caro-Kann from personal experience, but it turned out for quite a longread...
"So there's a funny line", that I fell HARD for it once several years ago and it was quite an embarassment on my part that I remember it to this day. I played Black.
Wikipedia's page calls this "Apocalypse attack", which goes: 1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Ne5
So basically, White develop Knight to f3, exchanges pawns and plants the Knight to e5, and it is [1] looks quite menacing for Black, [2] there is very hard to dislodge this White Knight from this square. There are, in fact, two moves that Black can make to attack him: f6 and Nc6.
And Black response 4. ... f6 is in fact a terrible ??, because White has this Qh5+, which forces Black to lose. (That's the move that I made and I admit, I really didn't think this through): 4. ... f6 5. Qh5+ {Black has 1 legal move} g6 6. Nxg6 hxg6 {oh no my knight? not actually, because} 7. QxRh8
And it's like Agadmator said, "Captures, captures, captures and we're up a whole ROOK" :)
And the White Queen is very safe on this square, in the game that I lost I tried to prevent the Queen from escaping this "tight space" by playing 7. ... Nf8, (I was thinking that Queen cannot take knight because Black Bishop on f8 will become unpinned, and it will stay there blocked while I try to do something), but then White plays 8. d4 and SUDDENLY White Bishop on c1 becomes "fully operational" and sees my Knight on h6, and Black Bishop on f8 remains pinned and cannot defend, so I made the only proper move in that game: I resigned.
----
And that's not all about this opening!
So then if Black avoids that blunder and plays other move to dislodge that Monster Knight on e5, which is Knight to c6, White can pin that Knight using a Bishop: 4. ... Nc6 5. Bb5
And if Black is not careful, White can have a lot of tactics to gain the advantage, for example if Black try to attack the Bishop with a-pawn, then 5. ... a6 6. NxNc6 {Queen under attack} bxNc6 7. Bxc6+ {fork!} Bd7 8. BxRa8
"Captures, Captures, Captures, Captures and we're taken another ROOK" :)
----
And if Black defends properly by putting Bishop in front of King, then the engine recommend to exchange it for the Knight: 5. ... Bd7 6. NxBd7 QxNd7
And White has a quite nice position, with two strong developing moves ready to play: O-O and d4, d4 will open Bishop's diagonal, then Knight can come out, then the left Rook will be ready to join the game etc etc...
Black's position? I'm not a master but very mediocre player, I would say that it's lot less than okay, because they first need to deal with that annoying Bishop that still looms on b5 and pins the Knight to the Queen to the King, and the kingside isn't even properly developed.
So there you have it, thank you if you read this all, and I really think this is an interesting opening (for White :) )
In Chapter 4, there is another way for Black to play on move 11. Instead of 11...h6, which weakens Black's king's side, why not play more actively with 11...Qa5+? White has two responses: 12. Bd2 or 12. c3. If 12. Bd2, Black can play 12...Qc7; if 12. c3, Black can play 12...Nd5. Either way, White has no discernable advantage. Should White play 12. Bd2, the game could go as follows if White insists on castling queenside: 12...Qc7. 13. 0-0-0 b5. 14. Bd3 c5. Black is first to initiate active play against White's king.
Hey, I play this line a lot and little VERY USEFUL correction: the first line is actually wrong, Bf5 is NOT a mistake, more like an inaccuracy. The whole line is not forced: 7.Ne5 Qd6 and Black survives although there are still some traps involving the Queen. More importantly, playing 9. Bc4?? is such a shame if your opponent knows this trap... You'll just get a good position and miss a material gain: 9. Qf3!, threatening mate, Nf6 and then 10. Qb3! threatening mate again and attacking b7. Best Black move is Qd5, after which Qxb7 Qxd5+ Be2 wins material for White and instead of going for a (very fun) cheap trap you actually win the game. Other nice line I won a lot of games with: 10...e6?? Qxb7 Nd7 Nxc6 Qc8 Ba6! Amazing move, White gets an exchange as well and is up 4 points in material with a golden position, it's totally free so why go for Bc4?
I love that these two have an extremely watchable rivalry. When I watch each, especially when they are in some way against each other, it doesnt feel like learning. It feels like watching a sport and I love it.
Wait, I can't believe this. I love you, Eric. Deep work, by Cal Newport has been one of my all time favorite reads, and you just recommended it. That's a subscription and a half, if I wasn't already subscribed
What if instead of 7) Ne5 Bh7 Black plays 7) …Qd6 threatening the Knight BEFORE moving the bishop to h7? What is the best line? I’ve been playing d3 defending the Knight (probably wrong since I’m doing it)
There is no such thing as "Crush the Caro Kann" im afraid. The games you crush is when opponent make bad moves. Tip: Easiest way for black to handle the 2 knights attack is 3...dxe4 and 4...Nf6 transposing into Tartakower variation. No traps or fun for white. Good Caro players should know this already.
Punish Bf5 - There is also an engine line that swaps queens and wins the exchange and two pawns. Completely winning! You don't play Bc4 on move 9 you play Qf3. Qf3Nf6 Qb3e6 Qxb7Nd7 Nxc6Qc8 and now comes the blow Ba6 winning the exchange and swapping the Queens off!
So why didn't you use the Two Knights line vs the Caro in your match with Levy. Instead you kept playing 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 in every single game.
Take any opening in Chess, for Black or White, there are many videos on how to "Crush" that opening! Then there are counter videos on how to "crush" the "crushing lines" and so on. Games go on..... Tried them all. Once you learn the antidotes, you are just fine. But an opponent with better understanding of all aspects of the chess jungle will always find a way to win.
![Crush the Scandinavian Defense in 8 Moves! [TRAPS for White]](/img/1.gif)
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Thank you!
I only play this line against caro kann rip my free wins
please do the counter to italian game and different lines of gambits and fried liver
Hey Eric, I'm 1600 and play the Blackmar Diemer Gambit and keep running into 2... c6
Could you help with this?
Why do the 2 knights attack when you could do the Tal variation and have a simple attacking game without giving the adv away?
You're dead to me
Oh no
Caro kan’t eric vs levy when??
"How to counter CRUSH the Caro-Kann"
why has barely anyone seen this
hahahahaha oh boy i wanna see a rosen vs levy match :) and sorry gotham but boy will i be for rosen
Can't wait for Levy's "How to counter CRUSH the Caro-Kann"
Arms races are great for progress
Just play 3… Nf6 and that avoids this whole video lol. Scores 48% in blitz/rapid.
@@KKH808 its objectively bad.
@@siraf1234 Anand, Grischuk, and Ding Liren have all successfully used Nf6 against Two Knights. If it's good enough for them it's more than good enough for you.
There's a reason masters overwhelmingly prefer 2. d4 against the Caro-Kann.
@@KKH808 Yes, in one off games. Theyve also used the Alekhines, maybe even the smith morra. Doesnt make their opening choices good, just means that the openings they chose they knew better and the opponent didnt know the refutation.
Oh no my friendship with Levy
Also: I've been looking for ways to play against the Caro-Kann lately so thank you very much Eric
LOL
I hope he has discussed this with levi before doing this video.. otherwise it looks like a low blow.. i dont want any friction between my top two chess teachers
@@husshussein556 they are actually really good friends so
Just play the Tal Variation.
@@husshussein556 Levi had inspired me to play the fantasy variation against the Caro Kahn. What do you think of this Eric?
Levy and Eric having a Caro-Kann match would be god-tier content.
Caro-Kann sub battle would be hype too
they've already had one I think
@@pushingyourownagenda9889 oh my bad, thanks!
@@aakarshmishra9088 Who won? My money is on Eric, Gotham is a choker.
As a Caro player, I'm sure glad I watched this cause I'm sure I'm gonna see a sudden spike in these lines now
lol, same
Yeah the amount of people playing the englund on lichess is anooooyyying
@@joe4570 how is it annoying? Once you learn that counter traps you just laugh and laugh and laugh. I love seeing it
My first thought when I saw Eric made this was “oh no, my Caro” I’ve been playing this defense for the last few months and have really enjoyed it but Eric might have killed it for me 🤦🏻♂️ I’m not mad, just disappointed 😔
@@aaronluke17 Nah you just gotta learn these lines so these weapons can't be used against you - it's like espionage
I love seeing these videos showing both sides of the play! I hope this trend continues between you and Levy :)
Amen
100% agree
Amen
Q.E.D.
As soon as I saw the vid I knew it was a response to levy lol
Lol
Lol levy is a joke, you can only be worse by watching him play.
I’m so thankful for Eric Rosen and the work he puts in for us to expand our own knowledge.
@@zacharyheflin6794 I don’t get why levy gets so much hate, he didn’t even do anything wrong
I really liked levy's video - eric completed the theme perfectly with the white persoective - what a nice synergy! Why are y'all so mad about amazing people showing us sometimes basic and sometimes funny lines...
@@jasonbird792 it’s his style of play combined with his unwarranted ego.
he’s very confident but if you compare his games to say someone like Jerry from chess network his mistakes are jarring to say the least.
This is one of the very best opening tutorials I've ever watched, and I've watched a lot of them. Great pacing, beautiful ideas made simple, and a sense of patience with the ever hopeful amateurs like me.
Yeah I just wish Eric Rosen had something for d4 players like me, who prefer placing their dark squared bishop on f4 early on
@@GlobusTheGreat genuine question: are you serious or joking?
@@sollertia_ Then I phrased it perfectly :)
Eric: "Here are some traps and tricks in the Caro-Kann that Levy left out."
Levy: "Shut up Eric, I'm trying to sell a course here!"
As an e4 player:
Levy releases a how to crush with the Caro video: anger
Eric releases a how to crush the Caro video: happy
True that
As an e4 AND c6 player its a win-win for me
The 2 knights is very nice to play against as black just play Qd5 instead of Nbd7🤨
@@danya5211 Nah rather dont go into that line since Bf5 is a mistake.
@@abdurrahmanmujahid1577no I was talking about taking on e4 then Nf6 Qe2 Nxe4 Qxe4 and Qd5 😃
Congrats on 500k! Super well deserved!
Levy whispering to himself: Let's make a video named how to crush the Stafford gambit 😅
After watching Levy's video and this video, I can safely say that chess is hard.
And you, Mister Squid, win this week's award for Most Underrated RUclips Comment.
Submit this to Guinness world records!
Eric apologizing to his mic is the most adorable thing I've seen today I love it!
as a Caro-Kann players this video is great because now I know what to do against these traps😅
Levy’s been real quiet since this dropped 🤔
This was uploaded literally 5 minutes before you wrote this comment?? Levy probably doesn't even know this video exists yet
@@disbade its just a joke man
@@sonnietam5173 I'm aware but this joke literally makes no sense
@@sonnietam5173 Humor and chess mix like oil and water.
@@disbade take a chill pill brother
Brilliant video thank tou Eric Rosen, an International Chess Master who was born Sept. 3, 1993 and grew up in Skokie, Illinois. Eric’s older brother Alex taught him to play chess in the summer of 2001 at the age of 7, while they were on a family vacation at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. He competed in his first tournament at age 8. By age 9, he won the Illinois 3rd Grade State Championship.
He graduated from Niles North High School in 2012, where he led his chess team to two state championships, won the U.S. K12 Championship during his junior year, was voted homecoming king his senior year and was a featured subject in the documentary Chess State, which chronicled high school chess in Illinois. He earned his Fide Master Title in 2011, and his International Master Title in 2015.
He attended the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana for two years, where he and his longtime friend and fellow chess player Michael Auger revived the school’s chess team. The team made it to the Final Four competition of College chess in 2013 and 2014, an almost unprecedented accomplishment for a school that had no formal chess program. He later transferred to Webster University, where from 2015 to 2017 he competed for Webster University SPICE under the direction of former World Women's Champion, Susan Polgar. He graduated from Webster in 2017 with a B.A. in Interactive Digital Media,
Over the years, Eric has worked with a number of coaches who helped him tremendously. These include Tamara Golovey, GM Dmitry Gurevich, GM Yury Shulman, and GM Mesgen Amanov.
After graduating from Webster, Eric focused on teaching chess and on a number of creative freelance projects, all while traveling the world and competing in chess tournaments. In 2017, he also established a Twitch Channel and began creating more regular content for his RUclips Channel, which he established in 2013.
In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he stopped traveling and for now is mainly based in St. Louis and devotes almost all his working time to creating online content. His RUclips and Twitch channels took off in 2020, growing to more than 300,000 RUclips subscribers and more than 100,000 Twitch followers by Jan. 1, 2021.
Other Interests: Tennis, Scrabble, Photography, Ping Pong, Hacky Sack, Bowling, Geoguessr (check out the Eric Rosen Extra channel on RUclips)
JUST AS I START LEARNING THE CARO KANN, Eric makes this video.... maybe I'll wait a couple weeks to start playing it more :)
This video may also be helpful to you, shows which lines maybe to avoid and also learning what white wants to do in these positions, so you can attempt to stop it.
Just play Bg4 and then don't play d4
claim ur "here before levy comments here or posts counter crush caro-kann video" ticket
Alright we've had the Eric vs Levy London match. When's the Caro match coming?
I like your Channel
Simple, positive. You get a like from me, sir.
I would love more videos like this together with Lichess studies, they're insanely helpful!
Hey Eric, what is your opinion on the Bayonet Attack as white against the Caro Kann? Super fun and aggressive :).
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. g4 Be4 5. f3 Bg6 6. h4 h5 7. e6 fxe6
I'd love to see a video like this for playing against the French. I play The Tarrasch and...it's fine. But not as tricky / trappy as this.
in the french a common theme is the greek gift sacrifice. but its less common in the tarrasch, i found
Could you please make a video how to play against the French defence?
Audible is the shit. Helps with insomnia once you get used to it... I literally fall asleep within ~15 minutes of turning on any audio book now. Some folks need to "train" their brain a bit to adjust, but once you do it's almost an automatic / drug free sleep aide.
I love the Bf5 line, it's the same aman showed in the habits series
I've been playing the two knights against the caro ever since!
More like Caro-Kan’t amiright?
Che cringe fra
@@Bobo-yw4ph I’ll see myself out
Who knows this variation from the habits series? (SO to Aman)
me hahaha
Levy: "Am I a joke to you?"
But yes, nice video.
Levy's next video: How to crush Stafford Gambit
Thank you for this one, Eric. I have actually been wanting something like this of late.
I indeed like giving away material. But sometimes I just give it away for free.Would you call me a chess altruist?
Strong player: *blunders oh no my queen checkmate*
Oh no, now eric rosen is gonna make fun of me in his opening videos😩
Thank u eric I won with oh no my queen against the tarktatower variation with checkmate
Haven't I suffered enough Eric? I play the Caro to escape trap-happy e4 players trying to mate me in 9 moves, don't encourage them!
Me studying opening traps deeply and then blundering a whole piece in the game..
u rock eric, 400 rated player, attempting to go up to 1000, i find a lot of players in the 1000 trying the caro opening, thanks
I've been wondering why I've seen an explosion of Carokann throughout the last week...
me watching this as a caro kann player trying to avoid these traps as black
I saw c6, I just didn't like it; you are not a psychic.
You rock Eric - I hate the Caro-Kann and love your video.
Ah yes I learn this and then for the next 20 games, my opponent never plays caro kann and the one game they do, I forget everything I learn from this video
This same format of video but in the French! This was very enjoyable
i have been watching gothamchess for a while now but it is so much easier learning openings with your format i feel like a traitor
Come to Rosen, we have oh no's, dah's, Stafford's and stalemates
@@Altair584 yeah just checked out a lot more of his content second favourite chess channel gotham's sub battle is just to good
Poor Levy, just recently posted a video about the Caro and then Eric comes along…
Eric's style is so much different from Gotham's style lol
You and Levy should definitely have a Caro-Kann only match now and see who crushes.
Great content, thanks Eric! I like to play the Caro-Kann with Black, now I'm feeling a little bit more prepared to play against it with White, with some other variation than my usual Panov Attack...
I would love to see a tricky danish gambit video. I saw levy’s but it was more solid approached and I’d like to see a more aggressive and teapot version 👍
Love your stuff!!!! Always thumbs up and always trying to catch your streams. The best chess channel hands down!! And remember, more hands when you're coaching!!!!! hahahaha
Omg that is amazing!!!!
waiting for levy to say "oh no! my opening!"
Would love a video on playing against the Scandinavian defense or generally recommendations for 1. e4 d5!
he has a video with a cool trap against it
Hi Eric!
Can you make this kind of video about Scottish opening?
It’s really underrated opening maybe a lot of people will love to play it after your video!
this might have to become my main weapon against the Caro-Kann! I'd love a video like this on the Sicilian, never happy with my repertoire against it.
8:55, so interesting. When I was less experienced Caro-Kann player I had exactly ALL THESE TEN MOVES in the game against a famous Russian GM Crest64. And then, as far as I know, I blundered Nxf7 threat. That was so disgusting, I even decided to change my opening repertoire after that defeat. Only a bit later I decided: hey, perhaps Caro is what I need actually, but I just have to take it much more seriously than just some template stuff.
Since that time I never had such position again... but my Caro opponents in Two Knights had, haha.
A really nice weapon against a club Caro player!
The problem with the Caro Kann is that it's all pawns and no hope
Great series
Just found another very nice idea, where instead of Bc4 (Oh no my queen), white can play Qf3 (threatening Qf7#), Nf6 and Qb3! attacking b7 and f7.
Today I CRUSHED someone with the Bf5 trap line and I giggled like a maniac after every move! They didn't take the queen, so no "oh no my queen" moment, but check mate a few moves later was almost as sweet. Thanks Eric!
Hehe now I know what to NOT play against the 2 knights opening (pretty much anything except bishop g4 lol, this opening is strong)
I just won a bullet game using the "oh no my queen" variation. Worked perfectly and I got to do the catchphrase! Also a full piece up in an ongoing daily game because of this video. It is so well explained, that even a brand new player like me can understand it and use it effectively. Thank you Eric for the excellent content.
Levy: How to Crush with xyz
Eric a week later: How to Crush the xyz
I hope this never ends and i learn every opening from that
I'm a secret double agent lol, I learned this opening from Levy and now I've come here to see how others are gonna try to refute it :)
this is what i play against caro because i saw it on the chessbrah channel :D
watching this as a ck player hoping eric shows the critical lines :)
what do you play against pawn to e6?
Now I hate the Caro-Kann defense.
Filthy
Should have named this video "How to CRUSH Levy"
Hahaha literally🤣🤣🤣
as a hobby Caro Kann player I learn a lot from this video of what not to fall for. I wouldn't call the Caro Kann crushed but more to look out for.
I would say it crushes. After watching this video, my win percentage against the Caro shot way up, well over 60%, to put it humbly. I study this video.
These are my most favored type of videos from you Eric, Thanks so much for always including these types of lesson plans, just FANTASTIC!
Hey Eric, love your videos! Would you cover aggressive approaches against the French & English?
stop it this is my main thing i use
Fantastic video, bud. Keep em coming.
Nice! Keep up with the opening videos, as a player that doesn't study openings these are really fun and helpfull and can build my repertoire.
Edit: I would like to see Evans gambit covered.
Eric Rosen, you are a great teacher, and I enjoy your work! Thanks for the great content.
I don't listen to ads, but I'll support you, Eric!
You really have to make a video about traps in the Caro Kann for black, showing this cool trap I learned from you and is also the only reason I started playing the Tartakower :).
1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Ng3 h5 6. Bg5 h4 7. Bxf6 hxg3 8. Be5 Rxh2 9. Rxh2 Qa5+ 10. c3 Qxe5+ 11. dxe5 gxh2 12. Nf3 h1=Q
Love this type of video thanks Eric! I just know I wont face any caro-kanners when I play some chess games now
Summary for Caro-Kann players
Against the 2 knights attack, play Bg4 (top engine move) and avoid all the tricky nonsense.
And that's the end of the "crush the Caro-Kann" BS.
You're welcome.
I actually wanted to write a short comment about some *funny* and *trappy* line in Caro-Kann from personal experience, but it turned out for quite a longread...
"So there's a funny line", that I fell HARD for it once several years ago and it was quite an embarassment on my part that I remember it to this day. I played Black.
Wikipedia's page calls this "Apocalypse attack", which goes:
1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Ne5
So basically, White develop Knight to f3, exchanges pawns and plants the Knight to e5, and it is [1] looks quite menacing for Black, [2] there is very hard to dislodge this White Knight from this square. There are, in fact, two moves that Black can make to attack him: f6 and Nc6.
And Black response 4. ... f6 is in fact a terrible ??, because White has this Qh5+, which forces Black to lose. (That's the move that I made and I admit, I really didn't think this through):
4. ... f6 5. Qh5+ {Black has 1 legal move} g6 6. Nxg6 hxg6 {oh no my knight? not actually, because} 7. QxRh8
And it's like Agadmator said, "Captures, captures, captures and we're up a whole ROOK" :)
And the White Queen is very safe on this square, in the game that I lost I tried to prevent the Queen from escaping this "tight space" by playing 7. ... Nf8, (I was thinking that Queen cannot take knight because Black Bishop on f8 will become unpinned, and it will stay there blocked while I try to do something), but then White plays 8. d4 and SUDDENLY White Bishop on c1 becomes "fully operational" and sees my Knight on h6, and Black Bishop on f8 remains pinned and cannot defend, so I made the only proper move in that game: I resigned.
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And that's not all about this opening!
So then if Black avoids that blunder and plays other move to dislodge that Monster Knight on e5, which is Knight to c6, White can pin that Knight using a Bishop:
4. ... Nc6 5. Bb5
And if Black is not careful, White can have a lot of tactics to gain the advantage, for example if Black try to attack the Bishop with a-pawn, then
5. ... a6 6. NxNc6 {Queen under attack} bxNc6 7. Bxc6+ {fork!} Bd7 8. BxRa8
"Captures, Captures, Captures, Captures and we're taken another ROOK" :)
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And if Black defends properly by putting Bishop in front of King, then the engine recommend to exchange it for the Knight:
5. ... Bd7 6. NxBd7 QxNd7
And White has a quite nice position, with two strong developing moves ready to play: O-O and d4, d4 will open Bishop's diagonal, then Knight can come out, then the left Rook will be ready to join the game etc etc...
Black's position? I'm not a master but very mediocre player, I would say that it's lot less than okay, because they first need to deal with that annoying Bishop that still looms on b5 and pins the Knight to the Queen to the King, and the kingside isn't even properly developed.
So there you have it, thank you if you read this all, and I really think this is an interesting opening (for White :) )
oh no my caro kann
Thank you so much. One question, please: after ...Qd5, Bc4. How to handle ...g6? Trading queens? I'm sure, I miss something.
In Chapter 4, there is another way for Black to play on move 11. Instead of 11...h6, which weakens Black's king's side, why not play more actively with 11...Qa5+? White has two responses: 12. Bd2 or 12. c3. If 12. Bd2, Black can play 12...Qc7; if 12. c3, Black can play 12...Nd5. Either way, White has no discernable advantage. Should White play 12. Bd2, the game could go as follows if White insists on castling queenside: 12...Qc7. 13. 0-0-0 b5. 14. Bd3 c5. Black is first to initiate active play against White's king.
Hey, I play this line a lot and little VERY USEFUL correction: the first line is actually wrong, Bf5 is NOT a mistake, more like an inaccuracy. The whole line is not forced: 7.Ne5 Qd6 and Black survives although there are still some traps involving the Queen. More importantly, playing 9. Bc4?? is such a shame if your opponent knows this trap... You'll just get a good position and miss a material gain: 9. Qf3!, threatening mate, Nf6 and then 10. Qb3! threatening mate again and attacking b7. Best Black move is Qd5, after which Qxb7 Qxd5+ Be2 wins material for White and instead of going for a (very fun) cheap trap you actually win the game. Other nice line I won a lot of games with: 10...e6?? Qxb7 Nd7 Nxc6 Qc8 Ba6! Amazing move, White gets an exchange as well and is up 4 points in material with a golden position, it's totally free so why go for Bc4?
I love that these two have an extremely watchable rivalry. When I watch each, especially when they are in some way against each other, it doesnt feel like learning. It feels like watching a sport and I love it.
Wait, I can't believe this. I love you, Eric.
Deep work, by Cal Newport has been one of my all time favorite reads, and you just recommended it.
That's a subscription and a half, if I wasn't already subscribed
What if instead of 7) Ne5 Bh7 Black plays 7) …Qd6 threatening the Knight BEFORE moving the bishop to h7?
What is the best line?
I’ve been playing d3 defending the Knight (probably wrong since I’m doing it)
I play the Caro....gonna be a rough few weeks
There is no such thing as "Crush the Caro Kann" im afraid. The games you crush is when opponent make bad moves. Tip: Easiest way for black to handle the 2 knights attack is 3...dxe4 and 4...Nf6 transposing into Tartakower variation. No traps or fun for white. Good Caro players should know this already.
Punish Bf5 - There is also an engine line that swaps queens and wins the exchange and two pawns. Completely winning!
You don't play Bc4 on move 9 you play Qf3.
Qf3Nf6 Qb3e6 Qxb7Nd7 Nxc6Qc8 and now comes the blow Ba6 winning the exchange and swapping the Queens off!
Your knowledge of opening traps is incredible Eric. Thanks for sharing this stuff. Keep up the good work!
At 11:50 what if black goes Bishop G4 pinning the knight to the Queen? Didn't see you cover this variation :) I just played against it lol
13:15 joint worst move, g6 and g5 also hang #1 right?
Make a video on french
So why didn't you use the Two Knights line vs the Caro in your match with Levy. Instead you kept playing 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 in every single game.
Hi Eric.
18:20
If you play g4, aren't you blocking the queen from getting to h5.. therefore, hxg5 wins the bishop?
Take any opening in Chess, for Black or White, there are many videos on how to "Crush" that opening! Then there are counter videos on how to "crush" the "crushing lines" and so on. Games go on..... Tried them all. Once you learn the antidotes, you are just fine. But an opponent with better understanding of all aspects of the chess jungle will always find a way to win.