Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation — Botvinnik-Carls Defense with dxc5

The key idea behind 4...e6 is simple: you'll recapture on c5 with your bishop next move, giving it a strong diagonal aimed at White's kingside. In exchange for the pawn on d5 being blocked, you get quick development and active piece play. Stockfish rates the position +0.42, a small edge for White, so you are slightly worse according to the engine — but don't let that discourage you. The practical results tell a different story: Black scores 51.3% wins across 110,185 games, while White wins only 44.9% and draws are rare at just 3.8%. This means the position is trickier for White to handle than the raw evaluation suggests, and your chances are excellent if you know the typical plans.

The top engine move at this position is a3, continuing with a3 Bxc5 Nf3 Ne7. At first glance, a3 looks odd — it prepares b4 to kick your bishop after you recapture, without allowing the tricks that come from playing b4 immediately. This line scores a hefty 52.5% for White across 5,158 games, so it's the most challenging reply. After Bxc5, White develops the knight to f3, and you bring your knight to e7 (rather than c6, where it might block your c5-bishop). From here, the game often features White trying to control the centre with pieces while you look for breaks like ...f6 or ...d4 to undermine the e5 pawn.

Let's look at what White actually plays most often in practice. Be3 (28,765 games) is the most common, but White only scores 48.0% — it prevents ...Bxc5 immediately but also blocks the e3-square from the knight. Nf3 (21,833 games, 43.2% for White) and Bb5+ (9,179 games, 38.9% for White) are also popular and score poorly for White, meaning they're good news for you. The standout is b4, played in 26,202 games. This is a concrete mistake: the engine flags it as an inaccuracy that loses about 0.8 pawns, when a3 was better. After b4, you can play ...a5 or ...Bxc5 with tempo and immediately put White on the defensive. Nc3 (4,928 games, 41.8% for White) is another line where Black outperforms.

If White plays b4 — the most common mistake in this position — you have a chance to seize the advantage. After b4, your bishop on c8 can go to d7 or you can immediately challenge the b4 pawn with ...a5. The engine suggests that a3 was better, meaning White's b4 push weakens the queenside pawns without enough benefit. In the 26,202 games where b4 was played, White scores just 44.4%, confirming it's a poor practical choice. When you face b4, remember that White's position has a hole on c4 and the b4-pawn itself can become a target. Develop naturally, castle quickly, and you'll find yourself with comfortable play.