Caro-Kann

Country Teams Tournament – Rounds 5 & 6

Leave a Comment / Caro-Kann, Country Teams Tournament, Kings Gambit /
In Round 5 of the tournament I came up against the Kings Gambit. I am not as well versed in the Kings Gambit as I would like to be but I managed to play a strong opening taking advantage of a few opening mistakes by my opponent to come up with a strong attack. This was my favourite game of the tournament as there were some great attacking opportunities that I really had to think through in order to achieve the win.

In my last round game I was ready to try something aggressive and prepared to play a little risky. I however did more than that and played some very poor moves! For the second time in the tournament I blundered a Queen, but my position was already beginning to become quite weak by this point and it shows the importance of incorporating opening principles and theories into games! The opening is the Caro Kann. The game did not follow the mainline variation and I played some mistakes early in the opening.

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Blitz Game

Leave a Comment / Blitz, Caro-Kann /
Here is a Blitz game I played today. The opening is the Caro Kann. As you would know I am not a huge fan of the Caro Kann and I usually play the opening as White so with the game transposing to the Caro Kann and myself with the Black pieces I felt like I was already on the backfoot. But I managed to hold the position and my opponent went for a risky attack that allowed me to win the game.

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Chess Traps – Blackburne Shilling Gambit

Leave a Comment / Blackburne Shilling Gambit, Caro-Kann, Smothered mate, Trap /
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit is an attack that comes from the Italian game. The attack by black is characterised by the third move Nd4. This move goes against the opening principal of moving a piece more then once in the opening.

The opening looks to temp white into taking the now unprotected pawn on e5. However this would be an incorrect move that allows black to have a strong attack. If the pawn is rejected white looks to have the advantage in the game. 0-0 or Nxd4 are both considered strong moves for white.

As a young player I almost always opened with the Italian game and enjoyed moving into the Fried Liver variation as white. I can remember opening with the Italian game as a young player at my local chess club (Adult club) and falling into this exact trap! It is fair to say i have not done so since!

This trap also shows an example of a smothered mate with the help of a piece pinned to the King just like the chess trap from the Caro Kann that has been posted also.

 

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Chess Traps – Caro Kann

Leave a Comment / Caro-Kann, Trap /
Just me experiencing some nostalgia!?
A very obvious but fun trap that can occur in the Caro Kann.

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