One black idea with 1 d4 c6!? might be to avoid pseudo-trompowsky lines without an early Nf3 by white ?!
Black agrees to play 1 d4 c6 2 Nf3 d5 3 Bg5 h6 4 Bh4 but not to play 1 d5 d5 2 Bg5 h6 3 Bh4 c6 4 e3 .
1 d4 c6 2 Bg5 Qa5+ is probably equal (and dull).

tracke

Well there is always 2 c4/e4 Na6 too

I like to play the Leningrader Dutch sometimes but hate Anti-Dutch stuff. Previously I played 1.d4 d6, but now I have used 1.d4 c6 a couple of times because I also play Slav and Caro-Kann.
If I want Slav I mix between 1.d4 d5 and 1.d4 c6 depending on my mood, the occasion and if I do or don't know my opponents repertoire.

In my experience, when white plays 1.d4 c6, he won't play 2.e4. Generally, only players above a certain level (perhaps 2300 FIDE) will willingly go into the Caro-Kann when Black is begging for it. The Caro-Kann isn't that fearsome, but it does require a specific mindset.

Well, in the US at least, our games don't make it into the databases; 5 of mine are in Megabase 2014, one from 11 years ago and four from 13 years ago.  So preparation for individual players is much different (non-existent, really), unless you're club mates and happen to know what they play.

I agree that there's nothing in theory wrong with 1...c6 or 1...Nf6, but in practice you're giving White a lot more choice and getting nothing in return.  He knows that you aren't going to play the Noteboom (via the 1...Nf6 order), he knows that you aren't playing any of those other lines (Baltic, Albin, Chigorin, QGA, QGD, Tarrasch) after the 1...c6 move order.  After 1...c6 you're committed to those lines via the d-pawn "specials," and after 1...Nf6 you've opened yourself up to the Trompowsky for no reason. 

I guess after 1.d4 c6 White might wonder that you'll play some kind of Modern/Pirc/Gurgenidze system, but of course he had to wonder the same thing before your first move showed up on the board.  And I doubt that 1...c6 will cause him any concern, he'll just play 2.c4 (or 2.e4 if he's OK with a Caro) intending to meet 2...d6 with 3.e4 g6 for instance.  That's no problem for White, who would have had the same thing after 1.d4 g6. 

So: 1...c6 limits your options against all of the d-pawn specials and doesn't limit White's options at all (that I can see).  You aren't avoiding any particular line of the Slav that might be dangerous, you're just committing your c-pawn earlier than necessary and telling White what you aren't going to play.

ErictheRed wrote on 03/02/14 at 23:12:57:


Usually people will have checked you in the database, and if they see that you only play the Slav and Caro, they won't worry about those empty threats anyway.

If they haven't checked you out then 1...c6 could be the start of a Modern/Pirc/Old Indian or even a Dutch after 2...f5 or something eccentric like 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Qa5+. Most people wouldn't worry anyway, but play their choice of 2.c4, 2.Nf3 or 2.e4.

The main point of 1...c6 is that Black would prefer a Caro-Kann and some players will probably oblige as they may prefer it to a Slav...

Personally, I don't see a problem with playing 1...Nf6 2...c6 and 3...d5 either. For one thing it gives Black the chance to face the Trompowsky and if White doesn't play 2/3.c4 then he might want to play something else, rather than face a London. It depends on the taste, skill and knowledge of the player.

If you have the Slav and Caro-Kann as your main repertoire choices, I don't see the benefit of playing 1.d4 c6 over 1...d5.

I don't see that there's much to worry about, but this seems like an over-refinement for no clear purpose.