1.e4 is the single most common opening move at every level below the top of the game, so having one reliable, low-maintenance answer to it matters more than knowing five flashy ones half-heartedly.
This lesson walks through the Caro-Kann Defense (1...c6), a repertoire choice many coaches recommend to improving players specifically because it asks you to remember a short list of ideas rather than pages of forcing lines. You give up a little bit of central space early, and in exchange you get a solid pawn structure and a safe, well-understood plan for your pieces.
Play through the line below once, then come back to it after your next few games where you faced 1.e4. Recognizing the shape matters more than memorizing the exact move order.
e4
White stakes a claim in the center and opens lines for the queen and the f1 bishop. This is what you're preparing an answer for.
Common deviations