Exchange Variation: the Carlsbad structure
White exchanges cxd5 to fix the pawn structure. The result is the Carlsbad structure: White pawns a2, b2, d4, e3; yours a7, b7, c6, d5. White's typical plan is the minority attack — two queenside pawns (b4–b5) advance against your three to leave you with a weak c-pawn. Your plans: rook to e8, knight d7–f8 and on to g6 or e6, trade pieces with …Ne4, develop the c8-bishop (no longer blocked), and play on the kingside, where you have more space.
- 15 min
- 1 step
- Lesson 127 of 132
Picking up where you left off.
Six lines, two of them core:
- Exchange Variation: the classical set-up (core)
- Meeting the minority attack: …Ng6 and …Ne4 (important)
- 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 and the Nge2 plan (core)
- Late exchange: keep d5 guarded (important)
- Exchange with Bf4: the bishop comes to f5 (important)
- Early 3.cxd5: …Bf5 straight away (deeper)
Learn takes up to five new lines at a time, core lines first. When the chapter is learned, practise it from memory.
Lesson complete
Nice work.
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