Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c6/2. d4/2...d5/3. e5/3...Bf5/4. Bd3

=Caro-Kann Defence - Advance Variation=

Widely regarded as inferior, owing chiefly to the strategic demolition that Aron Nimzowitsch (playing as White) suffered at the hands of José Capablanca in one of their games at the New York 1927 tournament:

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Bd3?! (after the exchange of the light-squared Bishops, Black's play is based on White's light-squared weakness) 4...Bxd3 5.Qxd3 e6 6.Nc3 Qb6 7.Nge2 c5?! (7...Ne7 8.0-0 Qa6) 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.0–0 Ne7 10.Na4? (10.b4! Bxb4 (10...Qxb4 11.Nb5 Qa5 12.Be3 a6 13.Rab1 axb5 14.Bxc5 Nbc6 15.Rxb5 Qc7 16.Bd6 Qd7 17.Rfb1 Nd8 18.Rc5±) 11.Rb1 Qa5 12.Nb5= Moutousis-Cilia Vincenti, Thessalonika, 13.Nov.1988, 1–0) 10...Qc6 11.Nxc5 (11.Qg3 Nf5 12.Qb3 Nc6) 11...Qxc5 12.Be3 Qc7 13.f4 Nf5 14.c3 Nc6 15.Rad1 g6 16.g4 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 h5 18.g5 0–0 19.Nd4 Qb6 20.Rf2 Rfc8 21.a3 Rc7 22.Rd3 Na5 23.Re2 Re8 24.Kg2 Nc6 25.Red2 Rec8 26.Re2 Ne7 27.Red2 Rc4 28.Qh3 Kg7 29.Rf2 a5 30.Re2 Nf5 31.Nxf5+ gxf5 32.Qf3 Kg6 33.Red2 Re4 34.Rd4 Rc4 35.Qf2 Qb5 36.Kg3 Rcxd4 37.cxd4 Qc4 38.Kg2 b5 39.Kg1 b4 40.axb4 axb4 41.Kg2 Qc1 42.Kg3 Qh1 43.Rd3 Re1 44.Rf3 Rd1 45.b3 Rc1 46.Re3 Rf1 0–1. A strategic masterpiece which the great strategist in Aron Nimzowitsch, if not the player, must have admired.

4...Bxd3 is almost always played, and leads to a slightly better position for black, based on White's light-squared weakness.

4...e6 was played by Bronstein against Y Vasilchuk in 1961, and 4...Bg6 was played by E Delmar against Lipschutz in 1889, both leading to a loss for black.

Theory table
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'''1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4. Bd3'''