Panov Attack
You play White · 12 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
Take a quiz
10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 6
- Panov Attack, Main LineB141. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nf3 Bb46 moves
- Panov Attack, Modern Defense, Carlsbad LineB131. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e66 moves
- Panov Attack, Modern Defense, Czerniak LineB131. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 Qa56 moves
- Panov Attack, Modern Defense, Mieses LineB131. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Nf3 Bg46 moves
- Panov Attack, Modern Defense, Reifir-Spielmann LineB131. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 Qb66 moves
- Panov Attack, Fianchetto Defense, Fianchetto GambitB141. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. cxd5 Bg76 moves
Other variations · 6
- Panov AttackB141. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Nf3 e6 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Bb5 Bd6 9. Bg5 O-O 10. O-O10 moves
- Panov AttackB141. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Nf3 e6 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Bb5 Bg48 moves
- Panov AttackB141. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Nf3 e6 7. c57 moves
- Panov Attack, Gunderam AttackB131. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4 Nf6 5. c55 moves
- Accelerated Panov Attack, Van Weersel AttackB101. e4 c6 2. c4 d5 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Qb34 moves
- Accelerated Panov Attack, Pseudo-ScandinavianB101. e4 c6 2. c4 d5 3. exd5 Qxd53 moves
What is the Panov Attack?
The Panov Attack, also called the Panov-Botvinnik Attack, is White's most direct way of fighting the Caro-Kann: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4. You hit d5 with the c-pawn and open the position. In most lines you accept an isolated queen's pawn on d4 in return for free development and active pieces, so the game is open and dynamic. It is a respected, mainstream weapon, and its positions often resemble the Queen's Gambit, the Semi-Tarrasch or the Nimzo-Indian.
Main ideas and plans
The main line runs 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3, and Black chooses a set-up. In the Main Line Black plays ...e6 and, after your Nf3, pins with ...Bb4 in Nimzo-Indian style, while ...Be7 gives Semi-Tarrasch-type positions. The Modern Defense with ...Nc6 is sharper: against Bg5 Black picks ...e6 (the Carlsbad Line), ...Qb6 (Reifir-Spielmann) or ...Qa5 (Czerniak), and against Nf3 the reply ...Bg4 (the Mieses Line) hits d4, usually met by cxd5 and Qb3, attacking b7 and d5. In the Fianchetto Gambit Black plays ...g6, allows cxd5 and gives up the d5 pawn for quick development on the long diagonal.
In the isolated-pawn positions your plan is clear: bishop to d3, short castling, a rook to e1, the queen to e2 or d3 and a knight on the e5 outpost. The pawn gives you space, so you look for a kingside attack and for the d5 break, which opens lines once your pieces are ready. Black wants to blockade d5, trade pieces and reach an endgame where d4 is weak. The Gunderam Attack is a different approach: you push the c-pawn to c5 and gain queenside space in a closed structure, and Black undermines it with ...b6 or ...e5. The Accelerated Panov, 1.e4 c6 2.c4, plays c4 before d4 and includes the Pseudo-Scandinavian, with a queen recapture on d5, and the Van Weersel Attack with an early Qb3.
Who is it for?
The Panov suits players who prefer active pieces, open lines and the initiative to long manoeuvring. The theory is moderate, but you must understand isolated-pawn middlegames, because plans matter more than memorised moves. The main risk is that if your attack fades and pieces come off, the isolated pawn becomes a lasting endgame weakness. Start with the standard set-up of Bd3, O-O, Re1 and a knight on e5, and learn when the d5 break works.