Pressure the Caro-Kann Two Knights Attack for White NM Solomon Ruddell

Pressure the Caro-Kann with the Aggressive Two Knights Attack

This hard-hitting yet sound – and surprisingly rare – variation against 1…c6 scores as high as 70% in many lines. So if you’re looking for a new, attacking option for club level and above, Pressure the Caro-Kann is for you.

Let’s see how it works:

After 1.e4 c6, you’ll already deviate from the big mainlines with 2.Nc3, avoiding the standard 2.d4 that most Caro-Kann players will be prepared for. In fact, you can bet they won’t be prepared, as 2.Nc3 appears in just 7-9% of Caro-Kann games!

From there, nearly all Caro-Kann players will continue with the natural 2…d5, where you’ll set the stage for the Two Knights Attack with 3.Nf3.

Starting position of the Two Knights Attack

You’ll find out that the tempting 3…d4 is terrible here, as Black quickly overextends their position.

…c4 is not going to help in view of Qa4+

But the main lines are where the clever aggression of this opening really shines. There is perhaps no variation against the Caro-Kann that features more piece sacrifices and early mates than this one!

Queen sacs and attacks on f7 are par for this course

But this repertoire isn’t just a bag of tricks (though you will find many quick wins in the opening!). The authors cover virtually every major try for Black, while keeping the theory manageable.

The course is practically structured, first covering the most common and basic variations seen at club level, then working you up to obscure lines and ones frequently seen at master level.