1.e4
c6
The Caro-Kann. Black permits white to capture the center, but avoids the French Defense's bad bishop
2.d4
d5
3.e5
The Advanced Variation
3...Bf5
A key difference from the French. Black is able to develop the QB before playing ...e6
4.g4
Diagram But what happens here, wondered a young student. After all, on Bg6 h4 h6 h5 Bh7 and e6!
4...Be4!
[4...Bg6
5.h4
h6
6.h5
Bh7
7.e6
A very annoying variation. Black has to take on e6, and white's Ng1-f3-e5 will be very powerful.]
5.f3
But here, to save the rook, the f3-pawn blocks the f3 square for the Ng1 and opens up g3 for the Black queen.
5...Bg6
6.h4
[6.e6
]
6...h5
Is the white pawn structure over-extended? [6...e6??
7.h5
trapping the bishop]
7.e6
Qd6
And here, thanks to f2-f3 (and the weakened g3 square, Qd6 is quite strong. If exf7, black can recapture with the Bg6. *