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French vs Caro

<Comment deleted by user>
alijeba

@Ruchi_Apaar said ^

  1. e5.

Did you even read his question? Oh, and its 1...e5

  1. c5
@Ruchi_Apaar said [^](/forum/redirect/post/4uASZ21L) > > 1. e5. > > > Did you even read his question? Oh, and its 1...e5 1. c5
<Comment deleted by user>
tpr

According to popularity at top level
1...e5 > 1...c5 > 1..;e6 > 1...c6

According to popularity at top level 1...e5 > 1...c5 > 1..;e6 > 1...c6
lizani

Either the French or Caro-Kann have less theory than the Sicilian or Open Games where there are many good ways to avoid the main lines.
French is simpler to learn as you can get similar structures regardless of White's choices. If you like pawn chains, you'll get them in the Advance, Tarrasch 3.. Nf6 and Winawer. If you want a minimal repertoire, meet 3 Nc3 and 3 Nd2 by 3.. dxe4 and you only need to study the Advance in addition.
Caro-Kann allows White more freedom in structure. The Exchange, Advance, Two Knights, Panov-Botvinnik and 3 Nc3 all lead to different types of positions. The Advance alone has many setups. At the top level, you do see it more frequently than the French as the Caro-Kann is objectively considered more solid.

Either the French or Caro-Kann have less theory than the Sicilian or Open Games where there are many good ways to avoid the main lines. French is simpler to learn as you can get similar structures regardless of White's choices. If you like pawn chains, you'll get them in the Advance, Tarrasch 3.. Nf6 and Winawer. If you want a minimal repertoire, meet 3 Nc3 and 3 Nd2 by 3.. dxe4 and you only need to study the Advance in addition. Caro-Kann allows White more freedom in structure. The Exchange, Advance, Two Knights, Panov-Botvinnik and 3 Nc3 all lead to different types of positions. The Advance alone has many setups. At the top level, you do see it more frequently than the French as the Caro-Kann is objectively considered more solid.
tpr

"At the top level, you do see it more frequently than the French as the Caro-Kann is objectively considered more solid."

  • I doubt it.
    Ding Liren played the French Defense in his World Championship Match against Gukesh. Korchnoi also played it against Karpov.
"At the top level, you do see it more frequently than the French as the Caro-Kann is objectively considered more solid." * I doubt it. Ding Liren played the French Defense in his World Championship Match against Gukesh. Korchnoi also played it against Karpov.
lizani

@tpr said ^

"At the top level, you do see it more frequently than the French as the Caro-Kann is objectively considered more solid."

  • I doubt it.
    Ding Liren played the French Defense in his World Championship Match against Gukesh. Korchnoi also played it against Karpov.

I'm talking about current preferences, not one isolated game played by Lasker a hundred years ago. According to Chessbase, here is the frequency of both openings as Black among the top ten players:

Caro-Kann
Carlsen 103, Nakamura 206, Caruana 66, Sindarov 2, So 52, Keymer 315, Abdusattorov 101, Praggnanandhaa 50, Erigaisi 115, Giri >1000
French
Carlsen 96, Nakamura 105, Caruana 147, Sindarov 6, So 74, Keymer 20, Abdusattorov 42, Praggnanandhaa 22, Erigaisi 346, Giri 32

There are people like Sindarov who don't like either opening and those who happily play both like Carlsen. You can see Nakamura, Keymer, Abdusattorov, Praggnanandhaa and Giri all prefer the Caro-Kann. Only Caruana and Erigaisi play the French a lot more than the Caro-Kann.

@tpr said [^](/forum/redirect/post/JqSdLJu5) > "At the top level, you do see it more frequently than the French as the Caro-Kann is objectively considered more solid." > * I doubt it. > Ding Liren played the French Defense in his World Championship Match against Gukesh. Korchnoi also played it against Karpov. I'm talking about current preferences, not one isolated game played by Lasker a hundred years ago. According to Chessbase, here is the frequency of both openings as Black among the top ten players: Caro-Kann Carlsen 103, Nakamura 206, Caruana 66, Sindarov 2, So 52, Keymer 315, Abdusattorov 101, Praggnanandhaa 50, Erigaisi 115, Giri >1000 French Carlsen 96, Nakamura 105, Caruana 147, Sindarov 6, So 74, Keymer 20, Abdusattorov 42, Praggnanandhaa 22, Erigaisi 346, Giri 32 There are people like Sindarov who don't like either opening and those who happily play both like Carlsen. You can see Nakamura, Keymer, Abdusattorov, Praggnanandhaa and Giri all prefer the Caro-Kann. Only Caruana and Erigaisi play the French a lot more than the Caro-Kann.

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