Answers.Body: <p>It's not the best way to play against the Caro-Kann, but it's good enough for beginners. It follows basic opening principles: develop your pieces, fight for the center, knights before bishops, though it does violate the rule about moving a piece (or pawn?) more than once. It's true that the Knight on c3 blocks the natural c4 advance, but beginners can't be expected to know that (see below).</p>
  
  <p>If you're seeing this a lot from opponents, don't worry. It will go away (but not completely) as your rating improves and you start playing stronger players. Beginners are commonly told not to study openings, which they interpret to mean don't even learn the first 3 or 4 moves.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-09-22T19:15:34.030Z
Answers.Text: I agree with you, but I did say as far as beginners are concerned. Remember, they are told not to study openings, so they wouldn't know that the c-pawn shouldn't be blocked in in the exchange Caro-Kann.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Larry Coleman
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-09-22T22:48:03.900Z
Answers.Text: @overtheboard The move is playable, and it's not horrible by any means. White will not be significantly worse after playing it(I'm not sure that white is even slightly worse after it). For a beginner, this is good enough, and the move follows the most basic opening principles. Stronger players may want to get more out of the opening, and will thus avoid this line, as it blocks the c-pawn.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Scounged
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-09-23T12:18:07.907Z
Answers.Text: @overboard maybe you'll like the edited version better.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Larry Coleman
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-08-08T15:42:45.760Z
Answers.Text: Why are beginners not supposed to study openings ? (I'm a beginner too.)
Answers.UserDisplayName: Saikat
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-08-09T14:56:22.033Z
Answers.Text: @user230452 At the beginner level, games are generally decided by tactical blunders. Knowing the first 10 moves of your favorite opening doesn't really help if you leave your queen hanging and your opponent takes it or if you let your opponent checkmate you because you didn't see it. So it's a better use of time for beginners to learn how to make safe moves and study tactics.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Larry Coleman
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-09-22T18:36:37.593Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-09-23T12:17:08.710Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2015-09-23T12:17:08.710Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Larry Coleman
Answers.Body: <p>In my experience playing chess exd5, beginners play exd5 because they usually think that taking d5 will help them. But that's my opinion. </p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-09-22T05:54:05.540Z
Answers.Text: Could you explain a bit more why beginners think d5 will help them? Thanks,
Answers.UserDisplayName: lodebari
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-09-22T02:12:06.327Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-09-22T02:12:06.327Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Vijval Nataraja
Body: <p>Why do most beginners play this line against the Caro-Kann? <strong>1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4</strong> and <strong>5. Nc3?</strong>  </p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN ""]
  1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 AnyMove 5. Nc3
  </code></pre>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-09-19T18:23:31.707Z
Comments.Text: hmm, are you sure that people play this?
Comments.UserDisplayName: CognisMantis
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-09-19T18:30:13.893Z
Comments.Text: perhaps not always 5. Nc3 but from my experience a lot of weak players play this line: 2. Nf3 and 3. exd5
Comments.UserDisplayName: A. N. Other
Tags: <opening><beginner><caro-kann>
Title: Why do most beginners play this line agains the Caro-Kann?
ThreadText: # Why do most beginners play this line agains the Caro-Kann?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2015-09-19)
  
  Why do most beginners play this line against the Caro-Kann? 1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 and 5. Nc3? 
  [FEN ""]
  1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. d4 AnyMove 5. Nc3
  
  **Tags:** opening, beginner, caro-kann
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: hmm, are you sure that people play this?  
  > **username_0**: perhaps not always 5. Nc3 but from my experience a lot of weak players play this line: 2. Nf3 and 3. exd5  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2015-09-22. Score: 2
  
  It's not the best way to play against the Caro-Kann, but it's good enough for beginners. It follows basic opening principles: develop your pieces, fight for the center, knights before bishops, though it does violate the rule about moving a piece (or pawn?) more than once. It's true that the Knight on c3 blocks the natural c4 advance, but beginners can't be expected to know that (see below).
  
  If you're seeing this a lot from opponents, don't worry. It will go away (but not completely) as your rating improves and you start playing stronger players. Beginners are commonly told not to study openings, which they interpret to mean don't even learn the first 3 or 4 moves.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: I agree with you, but I did say as far as beginners are concerned. Remember, they are told not to study openings, so they wouldn't know that the c-pawn shouldn't be blocked in in the exchange Caro-Kann.  
  > **username_3**: @overtheboard The move is playable, and it's not horrible by any means. White will not be significantly worse after playing it(I'm not sure that white is even slightly worse after it). For a beginner, this is good enough, and the move follows the most basic opening principles. Stronger players may want to get more out of the opening, and will thus avoid this line, as it blocks the c-pawn.  
  > **username_2**: @overboard maybe you'll like the edited version better.  
  > **username_4**: Why are beginners not supposed to study openings ? (I'm a beginner too.)  
  > **username_2**: @user230452 At the beginner level, games are generally decided by tactical blunders. Knowing the first 10 moves of your favorite opening doesn't really help if you leave your queen hanging and your opponent takes it or if you let your opponent checkmate you because you didn't see it. So it's a better use of time for beginners to learn how to make safe moves and study tactics.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2015-09-22. Score: -1
  
  In my experience playing chess exd5, beginners play exd5 because they usually think that taking d5 will help them. But that's my opinion.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_6**: Could you explain a bit more why beginners think d5 will help them? Thanks,  
  
  ---
  
  