Opening Repertoire: The Caro-Kann (Everyman Chess: Opening Repertoire)

The Caro has been my primary weapon against 1.e4 for almost a decade and it has served me well, so well in fact I'd rather play black and face 1. e4 than play white or play against anything else.Jovanka Houska put out a great Caro-Kann book for Everyman in 2007, and this book is largely an update of her previous work. That being said, what an enormous and excellent update it is. The first book was a slim volume of 208 pages, and this repertoire edition is 480 pages. Houska's one of the best opening writers in Everyman's stable because she doesn't just overwhelm you with variations (though there are plenty of those), rather she takes you through typical pawn structures, tabiyas, dangerous pawn pushes from the opponents, thematic counter attacks of your own etc.In her last book she introduced the Caro audience to an alternative way to play against the advance, after 3. e5, then c5! To be fair both Peter Wells and Joe Gallagher gave this variation a cursory examination in their books, but in this new edition, Houska has devoted three chapters to it. It's a good line, played often by British GM Keith Arkell and somewhat unorthodox as most people are used to facing 3. … Bf5.In this edition she has completely changed her original assessments on how to play against the Panov, and how to play against the 11.Bd2 Classical variation. In the Panov four knights, she's going for an early g6, and she now says that the 11. Bd2 Classical is more dangerous for the black player than once thought.I'm not going to go through every new update, but one thing I like a lot about this book that's better than the last is the hundreds of hints, memory devices, and formulas peppered throughout the book. I don't have a great memory myself, and these signposts greatly increase the chance that I'll know what to do even if I can't remember an exact move.This is a full repertoire against 1. e4. Yes you may come across a few things from club players not in here. 1. e4 c6 2. Bc4 comes to mind, but of those tries, most are insipid and you should be able to work out proper replies yourself.A word of warning though; this edition is not the breezy guide she issued in 2007 and I think it's probably best for 1600+. Also Everyman has done something with this edition I've never seen them do before, they've added elongated folded back and front covers that you can use as book marks. Nice.

Schandorff's caro kann book has been a great basis for my black repertoire, and I didn't think I would need something else. But Houska's book had a few lines I wanted to have a look at as a second choice. It turned that I like this book even better! It's extremely well researched, and a couple of long sessions with stockfish didn't punch any holes in the analyses. I didn't even bother computer-checking the other chapters.Of course, "anyone" can write a well-checked book these days, but Houska adds tremendous value by explaining things clearly, and spelling out easy ways to remember the lines. She also chooses well (for ambitious amateurs), which is always a difficult exercise in a repertoire book.Anyway, highly recommended!

Terrific black repertoire treatment from an author who loves and plays the opening. Helps the reader understand the key principles, not just variations. Chapter Summaries are helpful, as well as strategic and thematic explanations in each chapter. Language is a bit choppy in places, but good humor which is not too much (annoying in Lakdawala books, for example). Well-organized, with variation index. Error on page 113: 8...Bd6 should say 8...Nf6 and diagram is also incorrect. I am a correspondence IM.

This book is recommended by at least one IM who posts instructional videos on YouTube, and who plays the Caro-Kann as Black -- that's a stronger endorsement than anything that I have to say. I'm still working through it, but I like it so far.One downside is that the diagrams are presented from White's perspective. I'm not sure why they did that.

I've played the Caro-Kann for years. There were always those certain lines at White's disposal that consistently gave me problems. It's quite pleasing to see new alternatives for Black in many of these lines.Not only does Jovanka present fresh ideas for Black, but she backs up her innovations with sound analysis. More than that, she stops at critical junctures and provides clear discussion on the ideas stemming from the position for both Black and White. I've found a couple cases of what appear to be minor publishing errors (a missing move pair in a sub-variation, etc.), but nothing significant, and with nearly 500 pages of robust content, this book has become my "go to" source for the Caro-Kann. Very well done! - Thomas McCaslin

...buy this book. I have a plethora of opening books. Jovanska has written one of the best ones! Take your time and study this if you play the caro. I really like the pawn structure explanations. The book is great at explaining positions you wish to each as well as the ones you really want to avoid. It's well worth the money!

From the Index of Variations you get a page number. Some of the page numbers eventually lead to a game that you could download from a chess database and load into study at lichess, many do not, perhaps most. This is the first opening book that I've purchased that didn't come with an Index of Complete Games. I tend to load the games into a study at lichess and read along with the book. The way this book is laid out, for me, it would be an organizational nightmare to put this into a study.

An excellent book, building on her earlier Play the Caro-Kann. I coach now in a set of schools where the Caro-Kann is a staple. A number of my beginning and intermediate students actually read this book - an accomplishment with younger players who are averse to reading. I have used the earlier version for years and recommend the update.

Livro didático, e bem detalhado, para os adeptos da Caro-Kann

Le meilleur luvre

I've always wanted to have the caro-kann in my repertoire but I don't usually get good results out of it. The best thing about this book is the the author really shows her understanding of the opening by actually explaining the general plans for both sides in plain English. (Although I do realize that most Everyman publications do that) The book prepares you for many variations from the main lines to the more obscure ideas. There is a lot of depth in this book with plenty of unique ideas so they wont be much that isn't covered in this book. The author also promotes the opening as a counter-attacking weapon instead of the stereotypical perception of it just being a solid "hold for a draw" system. All in all, this is a great book for anyone looking for a reliable response to 1.e4.

This is definitely the BEST book on the Caro Kann out there... emphasises understanding of concepts and typical middlegame plans rater than rote memorization. The recommendation of playing 3..c5 against the advance variation is particularly good, bypassing the study of huge mountains of opening theory by playing 3..Bf5. Recommended for players of any rating strength, interested in learning this solid opening.

Es algo más que una nueva edición del libro anterior de Jovanka Houska sobre la Caro-Kann. Ha cambiado algunas líneas (por ejemplo, ha cambiado de variante contra el Panov-Botvinnik). Muy buena explicación de las ideas claves y de los órdenes de jugadas (que en algunas líneas, como en la variante "clásica", son muy importantes.Muy recomendable.