The authors recommend an economical and quite promising method for White to fight against the Caro-Kann Defence – the Exchange system (3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3). This minimalist approach against this classical opening deserves very serious attention today. This is confirmed incidentally by the fact that at present the popularity of the Exchange system (particularly after the year 2017) has increased considerably, and at quite different levels. Easiest way to explain authors' approach is to quote the description given in the previous books of this series:

In this book, prolific chess author Cyrus Lakdawala recommends a repertoire for White players who like to open 1 e4. The repertoire is based around two main themes:

1. The suggested variations for White are ones that rely far more on a generic understanding of strategic ideas rather than the memorisation of reams of opening theory. This explains the choice of the Bishop’s Opening (handled “Lopez-style”) against 1...e5 and the Bb5 variations against the Sicilian Defence. Both these lines are designed to create dynamic and interesting middlegame positions rather than attempting to score a quick knockout victory – a generally overambitious aim that often backfires

For more than thirty years Anatoly Karpov has been wholly committed to the Classical Variation of the Caro-Kann at top tournaments, including world championship matches. It goes without saying that many successful opening novelties employed by the venerable world chess champion are the result of painstaking work performed by him and his seconds.

A White Repertoire

The advanced variation of the Caro-Kann Defence is a very good alternative to the classical variation 1.e4 с6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 (or 3.Nc3) dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 (4...Nd7). The theory after 3.e5 has developed extensively nowadays too; nevertheless, the positions of the advanced variation are considerably less studied than those in the classical lines, in which there is much less practical fight and much more a comparison of thorough theoretical erudition