Quote:


Wow, not exactly setting the world alight are we, looks like your'e playing for a draw from the get go.

I know some strong players indulge in the Guimard but this system must be fundamentally flawed. The following is a simple and reliable way to get a slightly better game: 

[Event ""]
[Site ""]
[Date "1989.??.??"]
[White "Donchev,Dimitar"]
[Black "Topalov,Vesselin"]
[Round ""]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C04"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nc6 4. Ngf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nd7 6. Bb5 a6 7. Ba4 b5 8. Bb3 f6 9. exf6 Qxf6 10. Nf1 Bd6 11. Ne3 O-O 12. c3 Ne7 13. O-O Bb7 14. Re1 Nf5 15. Ng4 Qg6 16. h3 Rae8 17. Bc2 Qh5 18. Nfe5 Bxe5 19. Nh6+ 1-0

TN 

Alas, if only it were so simple 

Sadly it is not.

Top 

As a c-k player I have also tried the rubinstein. In fact sometimes it seems the rubinstein french is an improved smyslov (4... Nd7) caro-kann!   

Le-Clown's two recommendations for White are the more critical lines. Although perhaps 5. Bd3 is too well-known and Black already has found the right way (ie. by not being too greedY!). Either of these are likely to feature in the upcoming french volume in the Opening for White According to Anand series. 

I really don't understand the fuss about 5. g3. I mean, who plays g3 against the 4... Nd7 caro-kann? If anything, black can go b6/(Rb8)/Bb7, and every dour stoic defender who play such openings will be happy with black!

Note Neric`s comment.  5.g3 is not easy for black to meet at all.

I have to admit I find the Rubinstein variation (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4) to be very annoying.  I have a dim recollection of some games with 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.c3!?, did this move ever really catch on?  If not does anyone have another opinion on how to play as White?

10...e5!? is briefly covered in New In Chess Yearbook n°62 with the game Rogers-Borgo, St Vincent 2002. After 11.Qxe5 Qb6, white played 12.Nf3 and soon went into trouble, although he managed to win.
Rather than 12.Nf3, Rogers suggest 12.Be3! and think that white is better  after 12...Bxe3 13.Qxe3 Qxe3 14.fxe3 Ng4 15.Rd2 Ne3 16.Nf3 Bf5 17.Bxf5 Nxf5 18.Rd7 +/=.
But, instead of 11...Qb6, black can try 11...Bd4!?. A sample variation: 12.Qb5 (12.Qg5?! Qb6 13.Qb5 Qxb5 14.Bxg5 Bxf2 with equality) 12...Bxf2(probably not best) 13.Bg5 Qc7 14.Nf3 (14.Bxf6!?) 14...Nd7 15.Rhf1 and white has an advantage.

It depends of the type of position you are looking for. 
The more simple (and the more economic) is to transpose to the 5...Nbd7 Burn's variation by playing 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Bg5.
But, if you like messy position, i think that delaying Kf3 by 5.Bd3 is worth a try. For example 5.Bd3 Ngf6 6.Qe2 c5 7.Nxf6+ Nxf6 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Bd2!? ( 9.Bg5 seems more natural but then Van Wely's 9...h6!? gives black a satisfactory game) 9...0-0 10.0-0-0 and here black is at a crossroads: he can choose to transpose to the line arising after 9.Bg5 Qa5+?! 10.Bd2 Qb6 but i think white has the better chances here, or to play the optimistic 10...Qd5!?. In this case, the position rather sharp. A couple of games  featuring this move has been played at a highest level in 2001 and 2002 (Anand-VanWely, Monaco 2001, Morozevitch-VanWely, WaZ 2002 and the famous Khalifman-Bareev, WaZ 2002), all won by white.
After 10...Qd5!?, 11.Kb1 is the more logical ( it has been played in the 3 games quote earlier) but Pedersen thinks that black is doing fine after 11...e5 but this move lack of practical support. All in all, white's best may be the provocative 11.Bc3!?. Going for the g pawn seems to be the black's safest choice and after 11...Qxg2 12.Kf3 Qxf2 13.Qxf2 Bxf2 14.Bb4 white is going to regain his material with a slightly better position.