user16626: My database shows that after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5, white has the following main variations:



Nc3




exd5




e5



and they are equally popular among professional players. However, from my experience playing online games, I have observed that among amateur players, 3. e5 is far more popular than the other two moves.  Is it true that 3. e5 is statistically more popular than 3. Nc3 and 3. exd5 among amateur players? If so, why?

user23822: I have played thousand of games with the French over the past 40 years (not all OTB, of course)and my experience is that lower rated amateurs tend to choose ed5. This is too bad from my perspective as there
are more chances for B (in my opinion) after e5 c5  or Nc3 Bb4.
--Doug Grant
formerly 2330, now down to 2100 (age-related)

user2494: Amateurs are slaves to grandmaster fashion. When a line gets noticed at the 2800 level, the 2500 players adopt it, then the 2200, 1900, and so on.
Also, bad chess coaches recommend 3. e5 because there's less for their students to remember, though it shouldn't be a matter of memorization but understanding.

e5 is still a popular choice among strong players and the fashion slaves who follow them, and bad coaches are still bad coaches, so there's a lot of 3. e5 going around.


user24057: According to Lichess's database for games between ~1600 rated players in the Caro-kann does indeed show that 3. e5 is much more common than other moves.
e5 in fact accounts for 46% of games played; compare this to the second most common move, exd5, which is only 28%.
Often when amateurs are learning the concept of space in chess, the Advanced French Defense is used as an example. 3. e5 therefore is a common move for amateur white players to play against the French Defense.
Since the Caro-Kann resembles the French Defense, I believe amateur players simply play 3. e5 as it is what they know best. (This is only my best guess, don't take this as a hard fact).

16626: <p>My database shows that after 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5, white has the following main variations:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<ol start="3">
<li>Nc3</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>
<ol start="3">
<li>exd5</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li>
<ol start="3">
<li>e5</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ul>
<p>and they are equally popular among professional players. However, from my experience playing online games, I have observed that among amateur players, 3. e5 is far more popular than the other two moves.  Is it true that 3. e5 is statistically more popular than 3. Nc3 and 3. exd5 among amateur players? If so, why?</p>
 23822: <p>I have played thousand of games with the French over the past 40 years (not all OTB, of course)and my experience is that lower rated amateurs tend to choose ed5. This is too bad from my perspective as there
are more chances for B (in my opinion) after e5 c5  or Nc3 Bb4.</p>
<p>--Doug Grant
formerly 2330, now down to 2100 (age-related)</p>
 2494: <p>Amateurs are slaves to grandmaster fashion. When a line gets noticed at the 2800 level, the 2500 players adopt it, then the 2200, 1900, and so on.</p>
<p>Also, bad chess coaches recommend 3. e5 because there's less for their students to remember, though it shouldn't be a matter of memorization but understanding.</p>
<ol start="3">
<li>e5 is still a popular choice among strong players and the fashion slaves who follow them, and bad coaches are still bad coaches, so there's a lot of 3. e5 going around.</li>
</ol>
 24057: <p>According to Lichess's database for games between ~1600 rated players in the Caro-kann does indeed show that <em>3. e5</em> is much more common than other moves.
<em><strong>e5</strong></em> in fact <strong>accounts for 46% of games</strong> played; compare this to the second most common move, exd5, which is only 28%.</p>
<p>Often when amateurs are learning the concept of space in chess, the Advanced French Defense is used as an example. <em>3. e5</em> therefore is a common move for amateur white players to play against the French Defense.</p>
<p>Since the Caro-Kann resembles the French Defense, I believe amateur players simply play <em>3. e5</em> as it is what they know best. (This is only my best guess, don't take this as a hard fact).</p>
