chessy wrote on 02/07/07 at 10:31:42:


Podgaets (I don't think Karpov did much more than giving his name for this book) comments on the variation 4.Be3!?: 

"Analogous to 4.Nd2 (in so far as the advance of the bishop to e3 is also directed against the undermining of the center by c6-c5) but far more modern. Thanks to the fact that it is played by the world's strongest grandmasters: Kasparov, Anand, Svidler, Shirov, Gelfand and others, the move 4.Be6!? has become to a certain extend fashion. However for the present it is too early to talk about its true worth; in the majority of games Black has managed to solve his opening problems."

Podgaets gives 4...Qb6?! saying this move is looking dubious and 4...e6, which he recommends with a satisfactory game for black.

But one should be aware that the newest games in the book, despite being published in 2006, are from 2003/04. 2-3 years seem to be quite a long time in this fashionable lines...

Markovich wrote on 01/29/07 at 17:31:57:


I do not understand that kind of reasoning. In many positions both the direct move and preparing moves are good.

DrKibzwang wrote on 01/29/07 at 16:32:35:


Offtopic.  I don't trust the Scandinavian in club play or anywhere else, in spite of all the hype about it.  If 1...d5 is a good move, both 1...e6 and 1...c6 are bad moves.  Since the latter seems very unlikely to me, I refuse to believe the former.   

One of the problems when playing the CK as Black is that White can play many variations that take Black away from the standard CK pawn formation. Most CK players want to play the Nd7 or Bf5 lines and plod for 15 moves. You don't have to oblige, and if you have limited time for study, you shouldn't.

In choosing a line for White against the Caro-Kann, I would ignore the fact that 3 Nc3 is the main line and supposedly the objectively strongest move and instead play something that takes your opponent out of his comfort zone. Either the Panov Attack or the Advance Variation does this, and both are mainstream variations that will repay study. As a former CK player myself, I can guarantee that many of your opponents will see your third move and say "oh no, here we go again." The Panov lines also resemble a lot of Alapin Sicilians and can transpose, something to consider if you are changing your repertoire elsewhere. 

(BTW, best way for a club player to play the "Caro-Kann", I think, is not to, but to play the Qa5 Scandinavian instead: No White e-pawn, and a Bishop always gets to f5. ...But that is another thread.)

Hey guys,

Thanks to everyone for their input, looks like I've got a bunch of great lines to learn. 

@HgMan - Black can try to transpose into the classical french, but of course white doesn't have to oblige. e.g. 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. f3 e6 4. Nc3 Nf6 -- now white can play Bd3 or Be3 instead of 5. e5 Nfd7 6. f4 c5. Personally I always enjoyed when black tried to transpose since I play the Nc3 french and 5. Be3 in the above line so I was normally better versed

@tracke - Thanks for pointing out that 1...c6 may or may not be followed by 2...d5. That's a transposition I hadn't really taken into consideration yet.

SL

@MNb
4Nc3 Bb4 5a3! is exact the reason why I avoid 3...e6 as black, instead I prefer 3...g6! or 3...e5!?

@JEH
Imo the variations and assesments of Khalifman´s book are still valid in general, it´s still recommendable for white to follow him the first 10-15 moves or so in each line. Of course later on there are very small (but important!) improvements for black, the most important ones maybe in the 4...Bf5 lines with 11Bf4 Qa5+ 12Bd2 Bb4 which are much more close to equality than Khalifman presented them.

tracke 

tracke wrote on 12/01/06 at 13:47:23:


Apparently both Zvjagintsev and Rowson do understand this:

"Zjvaginsev-Kharitinov. White resurrects a line that is rarely taken seriously by strong GMs, and shows that 3.f3!? remains a serious weapon against the Caro-Kann"

Zvjaginsev,V (2675) - Charitonov,A (2514) [B12]
RUSchT-59 1st League Tomsk (4), 06.09.2006
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 e6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 dxe4 7.Qe2 exf3 8.Nxf3 Nf6 9.Qe3 Nbd7 10.Bd3 b6 11.0–0 Bb7 12.Qg5 Rg8 13.a4 c5 14.Ne5 h6 15.Qg3 Nxe5 16.dxe5 Nd7 17.Bxh6 Qc7 18.Rxf7 0–0–0 19.Bh7 Rh8 20.Rxg7 Qc6 21.Bg5 Rde8 22.Rd1 Nf8 23.Bg8 Kb8 24.Bf6 Rh6 25.Qg5 Rh3 26.Rxb7+ Qxb7 27.gxh3 1–0

I already can hear some BDG-fanatics sing. 

1)  2d4 d5 3Nc3/Nd2 is strongest for white and imo the only way to get a very small theoretical advantage.
     2d4 d5 3e5 is unclear and still developing, black shouldn´t be worse but the systems are not worked out

     everything else serves no real problems for black, I cannot understand the popularity of phantasy var
     (weakening the kingside) or exchange var (getting a worse ending). And the only problem for black
     in the panov is that while black wins d4pawn white may liquidate queenside pawns and reach a drawish
     3-4 rook ending.

2)  yes, in practical play KIA setup is sometimes annoying if white knows how to play it well.
     the same for advance Short system if white knows how to play it dynamically with a well-timed c2-c4
     (most white player below master level don´t know)

I would recommend to play the main lines with 3Nc3, it´s some work but it pays off. You have to deal with many different subsystems but in the 2knights this would happen too (where black has many options: 3...Bg4(Bxf3,Bh5), 3...dxe4 (Bf5,Bg4,Nd7,Nf6), 3...g6, 3...a6, 3...h6, 3...Nf6).

If you work on your repertoire be aware that after 1e4 c6 black is not committed to 2...d5 ! 
Especially 2...g6 is playable but there are also 2.c4 e5, 2Nf3 d6, 2d3 Na6 and similiar things.

And, the best way to study the Caro-Kann is to play it with Black!!

tracke