Customer Reviews

Starting Out: The Caro-Kann (Starting Out - Everyman Chess)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I play only the Caro-Kann against e4 and have worked through several books and most of ECO. I was skeptical as to whether this book would have enough new info to be worth the price. It did. There is excellent coverage of new ideas in key lines up to this very year, and the author's coverage of some critical positions is very good, especially where the top players themselves have not yet made up their minds. This is not the only Caro-Kann book you would need in order to play the defense well, becuase there are several lines that are incredibly deep in theory, such as 6. Nge2 c5 in the Advance variation. But this is the first book to offer real coverage of 3. ... c5 against the Advance, rather than just reprinting Boleslavsky's ancient (and flawed) analysis, and the author recommends you try this if you prefer NOT to memorize long tables of variations. Excellent advice. Good coverage as well of 3. f3 and other sidelines. Upshot: not the place to go for the most detailed variations, but a great book to understand the defense as a whole and start developing it into your "repertoire" against e4 -- just as I have.

This book is a good introduction to the Caro-Kann and addresses some of the complaints about earlier books in this series (ie: this book has an index of variations!). One drawback is the author is not a Caro-Kann player -- I have not decided if that is net good or net bad. On the positive side, it means he wont be chearleading for either side, on the negative I think some enthusiasm may be lost.

Like the rest of the series, the writing is quite crisp, and the example games fairly appropriate. The format is the same as in the previous games in the series, although the sicilian book in the series has a 'strategy' subtitle for general strategy for white and black -- that's not to say this information is missing here, it is simply not provided for in it's own section at the end of each variation.

One thing i'm not terribly fond of in this book is the statistics section -- I don't find it too useful, and anyone with a decent database can generate statistics rather easily (the author used chessbase).

Overall, if you have looked at a general opening book, and decided the Caro-Kann is something you wish to play, this is an excellent first book.

The Caro-Kann is a solid defense to 1 e4. It begins with 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 (yes, those who have second thoughts with Black after seeing the almost inevitable 2 d4 can still change their minds and play 2...d6, switching to a Pirc, but that's another story).

Gallagher leads us through the main lines we need to know to play this defense, as well as to decide what to play against it with White. We begin with the Classical: 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4. And I agree with the author that those interested in this ought to buy Tal's book on his 1960 match versus Botvinnik as well. Black has a choice of 4...Bf5, which is fairly solid, or 4...Nd7, which can be a little trickier, or the more dubious 4...Nf6. The Classical lines take up over half the book.

Then we proceed to the Advance Variation (1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 e5). Gallagher spends quite a bit of time on 3...c5 here. In this, Black is playing an Advance Variation of the French defense a tempo down. We also see a good analysis of 3...Bf5 4 Nc3, where White hopes to launch a kingside attack that includes g4 as a tempo-gaining shot at that f5 Bishop.

Next is the Panov (1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 cxd5 4 c4). This is my favorite for White. That's because I can use this analysis to play White against the Scandinavian, the Queen's Gambit Declined (if I open 1 d4), and even the Nimzo-Indian (the same isolated queen pawn position can arise in all of these). After 4...Nf6 5 Nc3 e6 6 Nf3 Be7 7 cxd5 Nxd5, we're there (the author now recommends 8 Bd3). Gallagher talks about that isolated White Queen pawn, and how minor piece trades tend to favor Black here by reducing White's attacking chances.

Late in the book, there is a section on the move 2 c4, which I think Gallagher ought to have given a little more discussion. This is an attempt by White to get to a Panov before committing to playing d4. The idea is to make it harder for Black to employ certain defences (such as 5...g6) that might otherwise be used versus the Panov. After 1 e4 c6 2 c4 (I agree with Gallagher that this move looks ugly, leaving that awful hole on d4), I think Black ought to be considering 2...e5, and Gallagher gives a couple of brief ideas here. However, Black is often content to get into a Panov with 2...d5. Next is 3 exd5, to which the author gives 3...cxd5 as the automatic response. But I disagree. I think the automatic response ought to be 3...Nf6!? After that, White will have to humbly crawl back into the Panov with 4 d4, and let Black defend against it any way she wants to. Or else "win" Black's pawn with 4 dxc6 Nxc6, but this is a well-known position from the Scandinavian, and most folks would already prefer Black.

After 1 e4 c6 2 c4 d5 3 exd5 cxd5 4 cxd5 Nf6, I think White is getting what she wants after 5 Nc3, and she even has the option of playing 5 Bb5+ instead.

This book also has three pages on the Exchange Variation (1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 cxd5 4 Bd3). And it has a section on the infamous Fantasy Variation (1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 f3). I once fell into a famous trap in this line that Gallagher boasts he won three games in as White. I, and Gallagher's opponents, played the following first nine suicidal moves as Black:

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 f3 dxe4 4 fxe4 e5 5 Nf3 exd4? 6 Bc4 Bb4+? 7 c3 dxc3 8 Bxf7+ (this wins by force) Kxf7 9 Qxd8 cxb2+ 10 Ke2 bxc1=N+ (as the book shows, 10...bxa1=Q gets Black mated, so I tried something else) 11 Rxc1 (White's advantage is overwhelming but now my opponent demonstrates that with bad enough play, any position can be compromised) 11...Bg4 12 Qc7+ Nd7 13 Qxb7 Rb8 14 Qxa7 Nc7 15 Nc3 Bc5 16 Qc7 Rb2+ 17 Ke1 Rxg2 18 Qf4+ Ke8 19 Rab1 Rf8 20 Rb8+ Nxb8 21 Qxb8+ Bc8 22 Ne5 Bf2+ 23 White Resigns

This book is very readable and clear, and I think it is an excellent introduction to the Caro-Kann. I recommend it.

The Caro-Kann has been the first defence I studied versus 1.e4. It's a shame I didn't have that book when I studied it because Gallagher explained the ideas of the CK (for both white and black) very well, and I would have saved a lote of tiresome work (and painful defeats!) if I had it at that time!

This book is especially impressive as Galagher's own experience on the CK is from the white side only. A must buy for a first book on the CK (especially for the black player). Even more experienced players can find many interesting section as "the fantasy variation" (where white playes 3.f3; ) is astounding (here Gallagher's own experience on the white side shines through).

Joe Gallagher's survey can only serve as a very basic introduction to the Caro-Kann. One must also bear in mind that Gallagher does NOT play the Caro-Kann Defense himself, and this at times shows itself in how he discusses the variations. Still, the book is okay if it is your first introduction to this defense. It is NOT a complete Caro-Kann Defense book -- that book hasn't been written yet... There are four new Caro-Kann books to be published in the coming months that promise us something good:

- Anatoly Karpov: "Karpov's Caro Kann: Advance and Gambit Systems" (February 2007)
- Anatoly Karpov: "Karpov's Caro Kann: Panov's Attack" (February 2007)
- Jovanka Houska: "Play the Caro-Kann : A Complete Chess Opening Repertoire Against 1e4" (February 2007)
- Peter Wells: "Chess Explained: The Caro-Kann" (November 2006)

For me, a good openings book should contain the following:
1) Historical background and major practitioners
2) General discussion of pawn structures
3) Variations -- each variation should have
- Themes and traps for White
- Themes and traps for Black
- Move by move analysis of variation
- Games survey (important historical games as well as those that illustrate strategic/tactical ideas)
4) Detailed index of variations with page number references

There are many Caro-Kann books that contain some of the above, but none of them do it all. Most of the openings books you will find out there are either a mass of variations with little or no discussion or intro-type books which are too general/superficial to provide a serious chessplayer with the tools he or she needs to compete.

[...]

Another well-done effort out of Joe Gallagher and Everyman Chess. Good coverage of even the silly lines, and excellent coverage of middlegame transitions from the different systems. If you can take hunkering down with Black while White overextends him/herself, and don't want to play the French, this is a great place to start. If you want to find out how to keep Black in the bunker WITHOUT overextending yourself (and without learning every nuance of the Caro-Kann), it's hard to think of a better guide.

If you know absolutely nothing about the CK, this book seems a very good place to start. I would imagine it ages very quickly, because he circles a lot around modern lines. It seems like a good buy for weaker players. Stronger players most definitely need additional database treatment, because his analysis is far from adequate in several important lines, but as an overall guide to where to put your effort, it is a good book.
Finally, I'd say: If you want to know how to play against it with white, skip the 3. f3 chapter. He actually recommends it(!) and gives a few example games where black plays horrifically as argument. Shame, mr. Gallagher!

A poor choice of author by Everyman. From the word go Gallagher makes it clear that he hates the Caro-Kann. "I don't play the opening with Black and I am a fully paid-up member of a club that doesn't believe in the Caro-Kann strategy." Throughout the book you sense the author is hating himself for having to hack it. He also presents games mostly won by white and tells you that he didn't show too many black wins because games won by black with this defense are
boring and drawn-out. He even makes a compelling case for you NOT to use this defense by showing Kasparov losing with it.
Need I say more?

Joe Gallagher's "Starting Out: The Caro-Kann" provides the reader with just enough material about the defense to give it a try in a club setting or tournament game. As an introduction to the opening for low-to-moderately-rated club players, I would recommend it for its simplicity, clarity, and communication of ideas about the Caro-Kann. Most of the significant variations of the opening are covered in an overview kind of way, with a few illustrative games for each variation presented to help the reader get a feel for the ideas and strategies. Gallagher provides some relevant and lively side comments about the games, including his own experiences playing against the different variations. Each variation has a brief introductory paragraph along with some statistics about White's percentage of success in mater-level games against the variation (not terribly relevant to the intended audience) and an approximation of the amount of opening theory a player needs to know to deal with the variation competently. Interspersed throughout the games are highlighted concepts, ideas, and potential dangers in the opening variation. Using games to illustrate not just the opening, but also the transition from opening to middle game and, ultimately, the endgame is an effective format so the reader can see where the opening variation might lead. Upon full digestion of this book, a player would be ready for some more in-depth exploration of the Caro-Kann Defense.

I would like to make some non-technical, general comments on this excellent series of Everyman "Starting Out" opening books in the hope that they will encourage people to try them. I took many years off from playing chess, and in the past was always unhappy about memorizing incredibly complex opening variations in the various reference books that were available such as ECO. Like many players, once I was out of the opening things became a little slippery and because of the reference book nature of the sources I didn't fully comprehend how opening strategy led to successful middle and endgames. Now that I have resumed playing the game, these books are wonderful in that they take one step by step through the openings right to the end of the game. Whenever I study an Everyman book (and I have a large number of them), I really feel the better for it and walk away with much deeper understanding of the general concepts behind the specific opening strategy advocated. I played the Caro-Kann for years rather mechanically, and a book such as this has really improved my game. So experienced players should not pooh-pooh the "Starting Out" title as they are likely to benefit greatly from the deep knowledge the text will impart.