Fantasy Variation of the Caro-Kann ⎸Chess Openings

[@Jaksary]

I climbed from 600 to 900 rating playing only Caro-Kann ideas after watching your video about the opening. This was the first chess opening I started to learn ever! On my way I encountered f3 a lot but I'm just now checking out this video. My goal is to hit 1000 this year and I'm climbing super fast as I play and learn. Your channel is one of the best ones on youtube, for the kind of content I want to see. Thanks for the great work you put in to these!

[@blaze8817]

did u hit it yet

[@Jaksary]

@@blaze8817 about there yeah, taking it chill with chess now and learning concepts and not worrying about the rating, twice as strong now :)

[@blaze8817]

@@Jaksary Well done! I'm basically doing the same thing. I must agree, Stjephans' videos are super helpful for all levels.

[@allanshpeley4284]

If you're rated 1000 or less then you don't need opening theory - you need to stop hanging your pieces.

[@DDHDTV]

@@Jaksary you're 1800 now?

[@TheChessViking]

Maybe you are getting tired of this but I just love your thumbnail :-) Haven't watched this one still but just wanted to say it again!! You are kind of converting me into trying the Caro-Kann really soon. I have checked the other videos and was looking forward to the Panov one because that is where I really lack knowledge. The exchange one was nice, ...g6 is something to look at but in general I think I can get by in the normal lines just on reversed Carlsbad knowledge and playing for minority attack etc. The Panov requires more concrete knowledge like I thought. Will check this one out later, thanks for the series!

[@HangingPawns]

Thanks again! I'm glad you like the thumbnails:) The Caro is a very complex opening, and I've just started to scratch the surface in my own analysis. So far I've mostly been playing the Karpov against the main line so I'd advise that to start because it's simple to play (the video is coming tomorrow:). And against the panov I usually play Be6, g6, Bg7. I find that structure favorable for black. Pls let me know if you play a game! And if you'd like we can play an all Caro-Kann game series on lichess to practice

[@gbadeboolukayode]

@@HangingPawns I wouldn't mind this Sir. Should I send you a request?

[@TommyRemengesau7]

@@gbadeboolukayodeI think he was talking to the commenter💀

[@oregano3312]

This is some of the most useful content there is for intermediates trying to climb. I like to go through and memorize the main line but also try to figure out why other moves don't work. Its especially useful when a line is as forcing as dxe4. You also really helped my kings gambit as almost no one plays main line just Nc6 and d5 but now I am able to punish micro inaccuracies such as these. This channel is seriously a goldmine for anyone who is willing to really break down lines and master their openings

[@noahcrow8982]

Best instructive videos on the Caro-Kann. I have only watched a few so far, but I also won 7 straight games with the Caro-Kann!

[@HangingPawns]

Good job:D

[@protocolo94]

The Fantasy is one of my favourite variations ever! Thank you so much for the video!

[@qablo81]

Good vid. I play the fantasy with white (also I´m a CaroKann player with black) and you should mention two things: in the main line dxe4, fxe4 and e5, after Nf3, is quite frecuent that players take on d4 (is not good, but happens a lot at club level). Also worth mention the Bb4+ trap. In the Qb6 line, the most common move I face by far (in rapid time controls at least) after Qb6, Nc3 is direct e5, without capturing on e4. And after dxe5, Bc5.

[@HangingPawns]

Thanks very much for the input! I am aware of those variations, but I was planning to make the videos shorter so I deliberately didn't go into too much depth and into some lines at all. Now that you mention it I relized it was a mistake:) I also play the fantasy against the Caro and have been facing these, but I only concentrated on good options for both. Anyway. I will work to improve this in the future. Thank again!

[@bahrss]

Thanks for these theory lessons! I had a lot of fun playing slightly unsound 3. ..e5 with a twisted fantasy. Works good so far (~1700-1800 Lichess blitz) - most of the people take on e5, and after Qb6 do not play Nc3! giving black huge atacking chances after Bc5.

[@eternalodball6426]

just reached 1400 in 4 months because of carokan , queen's gambit and viena these are literally the best openings

[@owencrawford5984]

I have never encountered this variation as of yet but I look forward to seeing it so I can try some of these out!

[@HangingPawns]

The fantasy is very fun and unkown (which makes it a great surprise weapon:D).

[@frostyphoenix2864]

@@HangingPawns Gothamchess “hold my beer”

[@seulebrg]

first time i encountered it woth black i got wiped off the board in 20 moves, not again:)

[@mercedesguillen4506]

You deserve more subscribers this is the best video about the Caro kann

[@conradswartz2884]

Great video. I think it's worth mentioning that in the Qb6 line if white does not capture on e4 and goes 5. Bc4, black's best move is not to capture another pawn on f3 allowing the knight to develop. Black should play Nf6 or e5.

[@divithramesh7330]

Hi nice videos, at 2:17 you mention queen takes queen but that just equalises the position, instead you must give a check on h4

[@ninjamitcherz]

Great video - I think it would be highly advised to look into 3. Qb6 4. A4 to immediately attack the queen for those looking into an aggressive sideline.

[@NickMaovich]

2:10 wouldn't Qh4+ Kd2 Qxe4 be stronger continuation? Stockfish 12 gives it -1.5 eval while queen exchange is equal Anyhow, thanks for the videos! Bookmarked whole playlist :)

[@McSuilenroc]

At which move are you referring to?

[@unknowny5920]

@@McSuilenroc after 4.e5 from black, if the white pieces capture the e pawn

[@gekkenhuisje]

Doesn't work, because it's not black's move. Qh4 can't happen until the e pawn has moved up, and after that white plays Nf3, neutralizing the h4 square.

[@unknowny5920]

We are saying what happens when white captures the pawn on e5 btw

[@dkpandey1996]

Yes, what you are saying seems correct. After dxe5 in that position, Qh4+ is the best move objectively.

[@stopwritingthatreplyjohnat6638]

8:59 That's just the mainline classical French 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 *

[@okktok]

No one cares my man

[@aidenspohn9843]

@@okktok I care

[@lks9988]

I find caro kann and french very similar.The opponent's reaction to the openings are different but black's setup is mostly similar

[@ClarkPotter]

I'm a 2000-player and see exd4 all the time. I wish you would have gone into its refutation.

[@akivaschwartz3255]

As far as I know, exd4 is a bit of a gambit line, you're supposed to casle quickly w bc4, o-o and aim at the now very weak f7 square with ideas like bxf7 with a massive attack on their king. Basically, if they take on d4 they lose

[@jackson32]

I always had problems against the Caro Kann, until I starting playing the Fantasy Variation. Black shows that he does not like tactical positions by playing the Caro Kann. This opening is very sharp, with many ways for black to go wrong. Also it is a rare variation for white, so black has probably not seen it much. So he gets a complicated, tactical game that he is not used to, kind of what you want as white. I have very good results with this variation!

[@anonymousAJ]

My prep goes to like move 17 in the classical variation but for 3.f3 I have Qb6 and that's the end of my prep. I looked at some GM games in the line but don't have further moves memorized. Basically, I don't think f3 is a great move unless black takes. It makes it awkward to develop the c8 bishop but I think black should just play positionally with the normal caro kann ideas and the game is comfortable. f3 blocks Nf3 and white Queen's access to the d1->h5 diagonal.

[@guycardwell2541]

8:55 - This is not bad for either side, it's a transposition into the classical variation of the french defense.

[@lakinther7183]

thought the same!

[@CSRookie]

no, it's a transposition into the advanced var. of the French not the classical..... and it is bad for black's queen's light bishop which is notoriously poor in the French which is what he's really saying

[@daymar3]

@@CSRookieactually, the advance variation typically involves c3. Nc3 is characteristic of the classical variation. Specifically, it transposes into the Steinitz variation of the Classical French.

[@bengreen3204]

Your videos are so wonderful

[@David-hq8ir]

2:20 if white takes on e5, black does not exchange queens but goes Qh4+ at 14:30 exf is a bad move, for example Nf6 is much better.

[@bhartiprasad2903]

2:14 the best move for black after dxe5 is Qh4+ which gives a big advantage Qxd1 is worse

[@Saurabh-nf9mk]

Is 10:50 Nxc6 a mistake bcz after Nb5, Qxa2 Rc1 and you are threatening to fork rock. Check it

[@omarwhite2198]

Thank you

[@Carlwatkins1984]

I see this variation quite often. I always take the pawn.

[@j.thomas1420]

4:50 if White plays first c3, after ...Nf6 it's better to not transpose by castling since Qb3 is a strong move. I mean, it's threatening both a #2, the f7 pawn and the b7 pawn, so this later is going to fall.

[@applicableapple3991]

Hi, in many caro positions the light squared black bishop pins the the f3 knight. When do i take and when do i move back?

[@fabz1509]

Great video just a correction at 6:53 white is 2 pawns up not one

[@o115cps]

if dxe4 in the open fantasy the move is Qh4+ not Qxd1+ if im not mistaken

[@eccky1897]

8:55 is a standard position in the Steinitz variation of the Classical French Defense.

[@shorbock]

yes it weird he says "it's a bad advance caro-kann variation" ^^ it's fine for black, the only problem being it gets you out of your repertoire with black

[@Ryoganify]

Why do we do C3 after Kg2-f6? can the knight just take e4?

[@EAtheatreguy]

At 10:04 Why does white have to play Qd2? Doesn't playing a3 here prevent the capture of the b pawn because after Qxb2 Na4 traps the queen?

[@kizawski]

Problem with a3 is that black can go with e5 and now you can't really do anything to defend your d4 pawn except Ne2, which would allow the queen to take the b2 pawn and then run back to b5 if needed since the knight covers his own white bishop

[@Hybridman7]

What an apt demonstration of the major ideas behind the 4 main continuations! Very apt teaching style, I say :)

[@maximum_75]

just something nit picky here 2:13. If white takes the pawn black should instead play Qh4+ taking advantage of the open diagonal I think. Great video though!

[@everettkalafatis1005]

What do you think of the Sax-Adorjan Variation (3...e5)? New in Chess Yearbook 103 (2012, pages 121-128) featured a theory article written by Andras Adjorjan and Endre Vegh on this obscure gambit variation. The stem game in this line was Alexander, Conel-Thomas, George/ Hastings 1932/1933 (4)

[@LoveLillyRose]

This is exactly what i needed. Thank you

[@Gwennbleidd_Chess]

What about 3. e5?

[@helloworld2049]

In my opinion 3. E6 is the best reply to the fantasy variation. The white player wants to go very tactical by playing this f3 move, and by simply not allowing their type of game to take place. Because often times tactical players aren't as good positionally. And all of a sudden they often play a advanced French with a weird pawn on f3 which they often times can't handle.

[@HangingPawns]

Well, practically it might be, but I believe that the most aggressive way to play is the best one, and e6 can backfire too:)

[@anoopsimgh]

How is pawn c3 not an option for white Solidifying the centre

[@kevindewinter6818]

could you explain why 5. ... Bg4 is the only move? What about exd4, Be6, Nd7, Nf6? My engine is suggesting these moves too and some even have a slightly higher advantage for white. I look forward to hear your opinion why you prefer Bg4 and why you think the other moves are not good

[@seandoc-chesschamp]

Thanks for the video, although I appreciate this was a few years ago now, would you say the Fantasy version is stronger or more solid than the Breyer version or just comes down to preference?

[@edwardli7566]

3:37 After Bxf6 Qxf6 still works right? The f7 pawn would be hanging.

[@hollowayfan0586]

The engine says 3. e5 for black is one of the best moves, but it doesn’t seem like any videos on the fantasy really cover that. Is it just a rly rly uncommon move or something?

[@kevindewinter6818]

At 3:35 you say the most threatening is Bxf3 and you would counter it with gxf3. Is Qxf3 also an option or could you explain why it's not good? Thank you for your reply and thank you for making the video

[@j.thomas1420]

After Bxf3, Qxf3 is best (gxf3 is actually throwing away the benefic of the Bc4 move...), because from the Queen being there, it's threatening the f7 pawn, so no Qxd4 is going to happen. I saw that happen in a tournament last week.

[@berunkasuteru]

what artist drew the fairy for the thumbnail?

[@redstoneactive6589]

I was wondering why the pawn on er wasn't free, so I went into an engine, and if black takes it, it is plus 4 if you sack the bishop, and plus 5 if black takes it. (I know this is old but yeah)

[@Karen_Mkrtchyan_Horquri_Gandz]

7:04 What if the knight goes to g5 instead of taking the pawn?

[@doverben3192]

Then you are down a bishop for a pawn that you took with check. Sure they cant castle but also yo are just down and exchange with a weird horse that is a target in the middle of the king side.

[@93Girevik]

@@doverben3192 but you pickup Black’s lightsquared bishop with your queen and simultaneously defend the knight on g5. Is there a trick in the continuation?

[@noel_iw2d]

My engine calls this line "Maróczy Variation". Is there a difference between Maróczy Variation and Fantasy Variation?

[@davidsandrock7826]

10:38 Is that why Ben Finegold says never play f3?

[@cosmic4297]

1:15 dxe4 (main move)

[@luis_zz]

Thanks so much :))

[@andrewmathematician7443]

Yeah, I have really good percentage with 3.f3, I just came here to see the actual theory

[@zhiwui2114]

why is it called the fantasy variation? i tried googling and it returned no results

[@estest4051]

I think that the explanation is that ideally, when black plays passively, white can aim for a very strong developement setup which is a ,,fantasy'' of every principled beginner (or even a stronger player): pawns on e4,d4, knights on f3, c3, bishops on f4,c4. While this is rarely going to happen, this is a clear goal in the opening and very easy to play later, if achieved.

[@damkillerxxwin1462]

4:49 is he losing a pawn?

[@oregano3312]

Bxf7+ if king takes Nxe5+ and you're up a pawn.

[@GeneralBlorp]

No e5? I’ve seen this line played …

[@JohnS-il1dr]

Against 3. ...Qb6 the hot move is now a4!? Threatening a5 displacing the Queen and allowing fxe.

[@bastian5996]

3:25 well taking the Pawn doesnt just "doesn't lead too anything much" , its simply loosing after Bxf7. But thanks for the instructive Video anyways.

[@RR-qf9re]

This is not the Tartakower variation that comes from the classical variation

[@mathiasespindola843]

😊

[@chessplayer7479]

I thought f3 was maroczy variation.

[@ElNightmareYT]

Same thing

[@chessplayer7479]

Oh I see.

[@lucasvanleeuwen4130]

Such an annoying line to play as black. Hardest line

[@slimesannn]

Literally

[@kaushikattuluri2758]

This variation killed the caro-kann

[@Gwennbleidd_Chess]

No, it didn't.