Caro-Kann Tartakower
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.Be3!? Na6!?
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The main move is 6...Bd6, but the text has been played by Magnus Carlsen.
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| How should White respond? |
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7.a3
This is the main continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database. Either the text or 7.c3 is obligatory if White wishes to play Bd3 without the bishop being harassed by ...Nb4. The move c3 is common in the Tartakower Variation of the Caro-Kann, usually played at move six. But one of the main points of 6.Be3!? is to allow c4 without spending a tempo on c3, hence the text. The radical alternative, 7.Bxa6!?, does not, contrary to first impressions, damage Black's pawn-structure as Black can reply 7...Qa5+!
7...Bd6 8.Bd3 0-0 9.Ne2!?
9.Nf3 allows the pinning ...Bg4, although that is not necessarily a bad thing for White.
9...Re8 10.0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the game? |
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There are 30 examples of the position in Mega26, with both sides' setups being fairly typical for the Tartakower Variation, except that the white dark-square bishop is somewhat passively placed, and the black queen's bishop seems a little out of place in that it normally heads for the kingside via d7. Dragon1 gives White a slight edge, and Stockfish17.1 comes to agree if given enough time.
10...Nc7
Ian Nepomniachtchi (2771) - Carlsen (2830), World Blitz Championship (Samarkand, Uzbekistan) 2023, went 10...Bg4 11.Qd2 Nc7 12.c4 Bxe2!? 13.Bxe2 f5 with an equal game, according to the engines (½–½, 37 moves) They suggest 11.h3, 11.Re1 and 11.Bxa6!? as possible improvements.
11.c4 b5!? 12.Qc2
The engines much prefer the thematic 12.c5, a move that does not appear in Mega26.
12...bxc4!? 13.Bxh7+
The engines prefer 13.Bxc4.
13...Kh8 14.Ng3!?
Samuel Zenelaj (2290) - Yixing Wu (2151), Hvar (Croatia) 2023, continued 14.Be4 Nd5 15.Nc3 Rb8, with a slight edge for Black, according to the engines (½–½, 25 moves).
14...Bxg3!?
The engines reckon 14...g6 15.Bxg6 fxg6 16.Qxg6 Qe7 gives Black the upper hand.
15.hxg3 Nd5 16.Be4 g6 17.Rfe1 Kg7
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| How should White proceed? |
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18.Qxc4??
The position is equal after a move such as 18.Bd2, 18.Rac1 or 18.Qc1!?, according to the engines.
18...Rxe4 19.Bh6+
Not 19.Qxc6? Bf5.
19...Kxh6 20.Rxe4
Giving up two bishops for rook and pawn is rarely a good deal, and this is no exception as White's remaining pieces cannot easily get at the black king, and meanwhile the black knight has an unchallengeable central outpost.
20...g5 21.f4?!
Almost certainly an improvement is 21.Qxc6, although Black has a comfortable advantage after both 21...Bf5 and 21...Be6.
21...gxf4 22.Qxc6 Bf5 23.Re5 Be6 24.Rxe6!?
There is nothing better.
24...fxe6 25.Qxe6 Qg8 26.Qh3+ Kg7 27.Qd7+ Qf7 28.Qg4+
AH now tried to play 28...Re8, until I pointed out he was in check.
28...Kf8 29.fxg4
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| How would you assess this late-middlegame? |
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White has three pawns for a knight, and the slightly safer king, but the black king is not easily got at. The engines agree Black is winning.
29...Re8 30.Rc1 Qe7
Threatening to win White's rook with 30...Qe3+.
31.Qh3 Qe3+?!
Not 31...Nxf4?? 32.Qh6+, but the engines reckon Black should go after White's pawn weaknesses with 31...Qe4.
32.Qxe3 Rxe3
32...Nxe3 may be slightly better.
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| What should White play? |
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33.Rc8+?
33.Rc5 keeps Black's edge to a minimum, eg 33...Nxf4 can be met by 34.Rf5. The engines give 33...Ne7 34.Ra5, with good drawing chances.
33...Kf7 34.Rd8?!
Perhaps 34.f5 is best, but Black is winning, according to the engines.
34...Nxf4 35.d5 Re7 36.d7 Rb7 37.b4 Ke6 38.Kf2 Rd7 39.Re8+
The engines reckon exchanging rooks increases Black's advantage.
39...Kxd6 40.g4 Ne6 41.Ke3 Ke5 42.Ra8 Rg7 43.b5 Nc7!? 44.Rb8
Not 44.Rxa7? Nd5+ and 45...Rxa7.
44...Rxg4 45.Rb7 Nd5+ 46.Kf2 Ra4 0-1
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| Mural of St Christopher unwittingly carrying the Christ-child across a river |
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