Is the Chessbook Caro-Kann Defense repertoire free?

Yes. Studying it on Chessbook is free, and so is the PGN download, which needs no account.

Can I download it as a PGN?

Yes: https://chessbook.com/courses/caro-kann.pgn?band=1400-1600. Pick your rating first to download the version for your level. It imports into Lichess studies, ChessBase and other tools.

Why does it depend on my rating?

The main Black choices stay the same, but opponents at different ratings play different moves. Each rating's version prepares for the replies you will actually face, using millions of games between players at that level.

How much does it cover?

Every opponent reply that comes up in at least 1 game in 200 at your rating, picking lines that score well and are easy to remember.

Caro-Kann Defense repertoire for Black

By Chessbook. Free, with a PGN download.

Your rating

The core of the repertoire is the same at every rating. Enter your rating to maximize performance against your opponents.

Tuned for Lichess 1400-1600: 94 moves.

Start studying Download PGN

Free. The PGN needs no account; studying opens in Chessbook.

Show the PGN

[Event "Chessbook Caro-Kann Defense repertoire (1400-1600)"]
[Site "https://chessbook.com/courses/caro-kann"]
[Annotator "Chessbook"]
[Result "*"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 ( 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 ( 3. e5 Bg4 4. d4 ( 4. Be2 e6 5. d4 c5 6. c3
Nc6 ) 4... e6 5. Be2 ( 5. h3 Bxf3 6. Qxf3 c5 7. c3 Nc6 ) ) ( 3. Nc3 Bg4 4. h3 (
4. exd5 cxd5 ) 4... Bxf3 5. Qxf3 e6 ) ( 3. d3 Bg4 ) ( 3. d4 dxe4 ) 3... cxd5
4. d4 ( 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. d4 ( 5. Bb5 Bg4 6. d4 e6 7. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 Bd6 ) 5... Bg4
6. Be2 ( 6. Bb5 ) ( 6. Be3 e6 ) ( 6. h3 Bxf3 7. Qxf3 e6 8. Bb5 ) 6... e6 7. h3 (
7. O-O Nf6 ) 7... Bxf3 8. Bxf3 Nf6 ) ( 4. Bb5+ Nc6 5. d4 ( 5. Nc3 ) 5... Bg4
6. Nc3 ( 6. h3 Bxf3 7. Qxf3 e6 8. Nc3 ) ( 6. O-O e6 ) ) 4... Nc6 5. Nc3 ( 5. Bb5
) ( 5. c3 Bg4 6. Be2 ( 6. Bd3 e6 ) 6... e6 ) ( 5. Bd3 Bg4 6. c3 ) ( 5. c4 Nf6 )
( 5. Be2 Bg4 6. Nc3 ( 6. c3 ) ) ) ( 2. Bc4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Bb3 ( 4. Bb5+ Nc6
) 4... Nf6 5. d4 ( 5. Nf3 Bg4 ) ( 5. d3 Bg4 ) 5... Bg4 ) ( 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 (
3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 ( 4. Nf3 ) 4... Nc6 5. Nf3 ( 5. Bb5 Bf5 ) ) ( 3. Nf3 )
3... a6 4. Nf3 ( 4. exd5 cxd5 ) ( 4. e5 Bf5 ) ( 4. Bd3 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Bf5 )
4... Bg4 5. Be2 ( 5. h3 Bxf3 6. Qxf3 e6 ) 5... e6 ) ( 2. f4 d5 3. e5 ( 3. exd5
cxd5 ) 3... c5 4. Nf3 Nc6 ) ( 2. d3 d5 3. Nf3 ( 3. exd5 cxd5 ) ) ( 2. c4 d5
3. cxd5 cxd5 4. exd5 Nf6 ) ( 2. e5 d5 3. d4 ( 3. Nf3 ) ( 3. f4 ) 3... c5 4. c3 (
4. Nf3 Bg4 5. Be2 Nc6 ) ( 4. dxc5 Nc6 ) ( 4. Bb5+ Nc6 ) 4... cxd4 5. cxd4 Nc6
6. Nf3 ( 6. Bb5 Bf5 ) 6... Bg4 7. Be2 ( 7. Bb5 e6 ) ( 7. Be3 e6 ) 7... e6 8. O-O
Nge7 ) ( 2. Qf3 d5 ) ( 2. c3 d5 ) 2... d5 3. e5 ( 3. exd5 cxd5 4. Nf3 ( 4. Nc3 )
( 4. Bd3 Nf6 5. h3 g6 ) ( 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 ) ) ( 3. Nc3 ) ( 3. f3 e5 4. dxe5
Qb6 ) ( 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng5 e6 ) ( 3. Nf3 ) *

About this repertoire

A solid Caro-Kann against 1.e4, covering the Advance, Exchange, Panov and main lines.

Chessbook's Caro-Kann Defense repertoire for Black, built from millions of games between players at your rating. It covers the moves your opponents actually play, to a 1-in-200 coverage target, and picks lines that score well and are easy to remember.

It's free: study it on Chessbook with spaced repetition, or download the PGN.