Greetings,

The Caro-Kann is a opening for the endgame specialist.

Learn major piece endings in particular - more often than not, Black needs to exchange off the minor pieces to draw the teeth of White's king-side attack. This is particularly true in the Panov-Botvinnik (IQP) variation.

[Unless White castles queen-side - in which case, the Minority Attack, coupled with piece-play, will be most effective!]

Another reason for exchanging off the minor pieces is that advancing the b-pawn can result in weaknesses appearing at a5 and c5, the latter in particular, which can be occupied by a knight. By exchanging-off the minor pieces, particularly the knights, such weaknesses become less critical.

Once you've entered the late middlegame and endgame, the minority attack can be most effective - breaking down White's queen-side pawn structure and allowing the rooks egress into the enemy position to attack the other pawns on the second and third ranks.

An example of the Minority Attack in action is Kuijpers-Simagin, Moscow 1963.

You should also look at the games of Adams, Andersson, Karpov and Uhlmann, to name but a few.

Amongst other openings, Jansa looks at systems of play in the Caro-Kann in his book, Dynamics of Chess Strategy.

Kindest regards,

Dragan Glas

Meat wrote on 12/07/07 at 11:14:03:


The exchange variation is quite underestimated in my view and can be very dangerous for Black in many typical lines. You are quite right that White's game is much easier to play, however in the mainline which goes: 

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4 Bg4 7.Qb3 and now Black usually chooses between 7...Qd7 or 7...Qc8 both of which allow White decent attacking chances, but Black has a third option that is hardly ever mentioned by theory, that option being 7...Qb6. After the solid 7...Qb6 I see little chance for a White advantage, attack or initiative, although admittedly this might not be to everyone's taste for Black .   

TN

Thanks everybody!

Systems with g6 indeed look promising, as this makes f4-f5 much harder for white to achieve.

Quote:


That's an interesting idea, but at first sight I can't make frieds with it at first sight. After all, one of the things I like about CK is the flawless pawn structure. But certainly Gallagher must know better than me... 

Quote:


I can only find a game in the main line with Nd7, but none in the exchange variation...

Inn2's post was spot on in my view for the general approach you are after, although it can be easier said than done. Petrosian didn't manage it against Fischer.

Polgar-Anand, San Luis, might be one model, although White played rather badly and the usual general contours of the opening were lost.

Joe Gallagher's Caro book touts a different method of play for Black based on ...g6 and ....Bf5, allowing Bxf5. You might like to look at that.

Your general question though is a very good one. I wish I had a better answer.

Meat wrote on 12/09/07 at 14:19:37:

Maybe you should start playing the QGD as Black. At sub-master level most games will feature the Exchange Variation, when your opponent will have the minority attack and you will have the kingside play.

MNb wrote on 12/08/07 at 21:53:05:


White has 0 attack + 2 bishops + 1 silly pawn on f3, hence =

There's a Nikitin survey in NIC sometime back. He thinks black equalises in this line.

MNb wrote on 12/07/07 at 20:31:23:



1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Qc7 is already equal. White have 0 attack.

In the absence of moves, hard to give specific advice. 
generally, make prophylaxis against the kingside attack first, try to 
exchange as many pieces as possible, and only when major pieces left, perform minority attack. 

The point is that White's bishop already  on d3, which means he is many tempi up on normal queen's gambit exchange positions. So Black should not go immediately for minority attack as if he were playing White.