Bjorn Tanaka: Level 69 Chess Rival (2202 ELO)

Rook tier · Closed-Position Player · plays the Caro-Kann Defense

• Level: 69 of 100
• Tier: Rook
• Rating: 2202 ELO
• Opening: Caro-Kann Defense
• Style: Closed-Position Player
• From: Vietnam
• Age: 38
• Plays: Black (you have White)

How Bjorn plays

Bjorn likes his pawns locked and his pieces behind them, moving slowly toward the right squares. At 38 he feels most at home when the board is half closed and the game turns into a long manoeuvring contest. The Caro-Kann fits that personality. He builds a solid chain with pawns on c6 and e6, gets his light-squared bishop out before ...e6 shuts the door, and is rarely in a hurry to resolve anything.

He reads closed structures very well: where the knights belong, which bishop is good, when a pawn lever is ready. Open lines and fast-changing positions make him less comfortable, because his instinct is to regroup rather than react. He also tends to keep things closed even when opening up would suit him better. For White that suggests a clear strategy: avoid giving him a fixed structure to manoeuvre behind, and use pawn breaks to keep the centre fluid.

At 2202 ELO, Bjorn plays at master strength. Outright blunders are rare, so you need a sound opening, a clear plan and accurate calculation in sharp moments. A draw against him is a good result; a win means you played a very good game.

Caro-Kann Defense: the line Bjorn plays

Bjorn answers 1.e4 with the Caro-Kann, 1...c6 and 2...d5. In the Classical line they take on e4, develop the light-squared bishop to f5 before playing ...e6, and meet h4 with ...h6. It is a solid, low-risk setup with no weak pawns.

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6

• 1...c6: ...c6 prepares ...d5 without blocking the light-squared bishop.
• 4...Bf5: ...Bf5 gets the 'problem bishop' out before ...e6 locks it in.
• 6...h6: ...h6 stops h5 from trapping the bishop on g6.
• 10...e6: ...e6 completes the solid pawn chain. Black's position has no weaknesses.

Learn it move by move: Caro-Kann Defense walkthrough

How to beat Bjorn

1. In the Classical line, prepare c4 and then d5 once your king is safe. His pieces are placed for a slow fight, and a central pawn break exposes that before he can regroup.
2. If you pick the Advance Variation, do not let the chain freeze. Meet his ...c5 with active piece play or a timely dxc5 rather than a locked centre he can manoeuvre around.
3. Put rooks on the d- and e-files early and point them at e6. His regrouping manoeuvres take time, and pressure on the central files makes each slow move costly.
4. The Caro-Kann gives you space for free. Take it: the Advance Variation (3.e5) is the most direct way to cramp Black, or follow the Classical line and use your extra kingside space with h4-h5. Aim for long castling and a kingside pawn storm if they castle short.
5. The book only answers 1.e4. Open 1.d4 or 1.c4 and he has to find every move without book help.

What beating Bjorn teaches you

Bjorn's games train you to keep the position fluid against a manoeuvring opponent, using pawn breaks and open files instead of fixed chains.

Neighbours on the ladder

• Lucia Novak: level 68
• Nikita Sharma: level 70