The immediate strategical idea behind the Panov-Botvinnik (4.c4)is attack against Black's center. White has the slightly greater central influence because he has 2 pawns on the 4th rank while Black has only one. White can use this slight central superiority to gradually build up an attack against Black's Kingside, or, by playing an early c4-c5, he can establish a 3 v. 2 pawn majority on the Queenside. White's initial goal in the c4-c5 plan is to obtain a substantial space advantage on the Queenside wich in due course will lead to the creation of a healthy passed pawn. Black's correct plan depends on which approach White chooses. After the early c4-c5, Black will challenge White's beachhead with ...b7-b6 and ...a7-a5, and will also try to obtain counterplay in the center. If White leaves the center pawns as they are or exchanges on d5, Black will try to get counterplay against White's isolated d-pawn. In this case, control of the d5-square becomes very important.
4...Nf6 Developing the King N while protecting d5 is strategically perfect and preserves all Black's options for his next few moves.
5.Nc3 developing a new piece while applying pressure against d5 is clearly White's most logical approach.
5...Nc6 You should know, however, that 5...g6 and 5...Nc6 variations require much greater technical and tactical mastery than the main line 5...e6!, and that Black also runs the risk of landing quite suddenly in an unfavorable position. 5...e6 is by far Black's soundest procedure in the Panov. The critical d5-point is now sufficiently protected to allow Black to complete his Kingside development easily with ...Be7 and ...0-0.
With 5...Nc6 Black attacks White's center. If White plays the routine 6.Nf3, Black's approach is vindicated, he pins the N with6...Bg4!, planning to continue 7...e6 with fully equal chances. To try for advantage White must play the attacking 6.Bg5. The point is that after 6...e6 7.cxd5 Black must recapture with 7...exd5, giving himself an isolated pawn to match White's. In spite of this 6...e6 is still Black's soundest plan. White will have only a minimal advantage based on his slightly more active position.
6...Be6 is somewhat tested by some 400 games. The games are available on line at: http://www.chessbites.com/ The best of those are: Vassily Ivanchuk v. Veselin Topalov Amber 2008 1-0, A. Morozevich v. V Anand Rus-The Wrld 2002 1/2-1/2, G. Kasparov v. A. Dreev Moscow PCA 1996 0-1
All other attempts at counteplay after 5...Nc6 6.Bg5 lead to a more serious advantage for White (eg. 6...Bg4?!, 6...dxc4?!, 6...Qb6?!, and 6...Qa5)
I've been trying to build my reportoire against Panov-Botvinnik, and in some variations, the best scoring move in the databases seems to be this ..Be6 move, placing the bishop in front of blacks e7 pawn... It looks odd, but is scoring well. Does anyone have experience or insight on how to really play these?
It's probably a nice shot to take some players out of their normal plans... From what I can tell, black's plan is often placing a knight on e4, attacking the white bishop on g5... fiancettoing the black bishop... playing Qa5, pinning white's knight, etc... I suppose that black is trying to eliminate the points of white's Bg5 move, which would usually be to threaten the d5 pawn and/or pin the knight, and the Be6 move counters both threats.
Here's an example game:
It does seem very drawish, so maybe this is a move to play against stronger opponents when playing black (much like in the example)? Thoughts?