Here is a game I recently played using the Caro Kahn defense.
Criticism is always welcome.
even though you did not get the free knight it was a well played game
Your play gets stronger as the games goes on. Your opponent makes some dreadful moves though. Believe it or not, 5.Nh4!? isn't one of them... it actually has a positive record in the game explorer!... although, it looks dubious as hell to me... I don't think I'm going to play it anytime soon. But, check out: Nh4 1-0 .
You are correct, 14.gxf3 was nonsense.
15.Bd3? This is a blunder. Unpinning your N, leaving his own N hung.
15...Nxe5!? His N was hanging and taking immediately was the way to go.
But you did play quite well, particularly the finish. I thought 19. Qh4 was strong. And 21. f5 was exactly right I think..
I'd still call 5 Nh4 a resounding hang (did you play out that game by the way, JG27Pyth?--Black returned the hang later on).
tonydal wrote: I'd still call 5 Nh4 a resounding hang (did you play out that game by the way, JG27Pyth?--Black returned the hang later on).
I did, and it looked to me that although the "returned hang" wasn't forced, that bishop was in trouble and could possibly be won by force. I didn't spend a lot of time looking at it, though. And please, I'm NOT saying 5.Nh4 is sound... but if the game explorer is to be believed it's been played, and survived, more than once, in games that aren't complete shambles.
I guess I'm arguing for a "?!" rather than the full "?" ... In my early post I gave it "!?" and yeah, that's probably a bit overenthusiastic.
*EDIT* Actually, I quickly looked at the other 1-0 for 5.Nh4, and either it's too deep for me... or it is a complete shambles. I bet on the latter.
*EDIT#2*
I did, and it looked to me that although the "returned hang" wasn't forced, that bishop was in trouble and could possibly be won by force.
Ok. I looked again and it's just hung (well, lost to an ill-advised pawn-snatch...) all he needed to do was exchange it.)
If 5.Nh4 doesn't deserve a ? -- these games aren't the proof. And, giving away pieces for nothing really shouldn't be good, eh?
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