user14767: In Game 10 of the 2020 Clutch Chess International, Caruana played c6 in response to Carlsen's 9. Nd5. 
[FEN ""]
[Event "Clutch Chess International"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2881"]
[BlackElo "2773"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nc4 Nxe4 5. Qe2 Qe7 6. Ne3 Nc6 7. Nd5 Nd4 8.
Nxe7 Nxe2 9. Nd5 c6

What was Caruana's plan in making this strange move, since the white knight can just gain the rook through Nc7+?

user18809: If White goes for 11.Nc7+, then Black can reply 11...Kd8 Nxa8 Nxc1, however if Black played 10...Nxc1 directly, 11.Nxc7+ would win an extra pawn.
Note 10...c6 Bxe2 cxd5 would have been OK for black.

14767: <p>In Game 10 of the 2020 Clutch Chess International, Caruana played <code>c6</code> in response to Carlsen's <code>9. Nd5</code>. </p>

<pre><code>[FEN ""]
[Event "Clutch Chess International"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Black "Caruana, Fabiano"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "2881"]
[BlackElo "2773"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nc4 Nxe4 5. Qe2 Qe7 6. Ne3 Nc6 7. Nd5 Nd4 8.
Nxe7 Nxe2 9. Nd5 c6
</code></pre>

<p>What was Caruana's plan in making this strange move, since the white knight can just gain the rook through <code>Nc7+</code>?</p>
 18809: <p>If White goes for <strong>11.Nc7+</strong>, then Black can reply <strong>11...Kd8 Nxa8 Nxc1</strong>, however if Black played <strong>10...Nxc1</strong> directly, <strong>11.Nxc7+</strong> would win an extra pawn.</p>

<p>Note <strong>10...c6 Bxe2 cxd5</strong> would have been OK for black.</p>
